Everything around us is energy. From the stars in the galaxy to the flowers on the fields. According to science, that is how our galaxy was created, a big explosion of energy. The same energy we use to create power from the sun or the wind. It’s also the same energy that creates us humans and animals. Who creates that energy or why, is not important today. Instead, I want to introduce you to the holistic perspective of emotions.
Emotions, feelings and thoughts are all forms of energy. When you are happy and laughing with your friends, you feel vibrant and alive. When you are sad or angry, your energy get depleted and tiredness follows. Even if emotions shouldn’t be seen as negative or positive, in this instance it will help to make the message more clear.
Most of us have a habit of not tuning into our feelings. Instead, we carry them around like a dark cloud hanging over our heads. The positive emotions we happily share but the negative ones, we suppress. It can be due to fear of confrontation, worrying about the impact they may have on others or trouble expressing yourself.
In old Chinese medicine and ayurvedic practise they believe emotions can turn into physical issues. Even modern science has backed up these theories. The energy that is stagnant goes against its nature, which is flowing. If emotions are energy, then imagine what stuck energy in your body is doing. One thing is for sure, it does not serve you or do you good.
Carrying around negative emotions and suppressing your feelings is a common issue. Health living, in a holistic perspective, also means untangling what we carry around. For example, imagine if you we always angry about something that you never got off your chest. As soon as the memory hits you, your blood pressure would elevate and eventually create physical issues with your heart. Another example is constantly being stressed, a natural response would be elevating your shoulders which eventually leads to tension through the back and neck. A different example can be constantly being worried which often describes as a heavy stone in your stomach, this can later show up as issues with gut and digestion.
Holding on to emotions can literally create physical diseases in our bodies. If we break down the word disease DIS-EASE. That means something that is not in its flow.
You may now think: well I can’t even get broccoli on my plate, how do I tackle this? Sorry if it’s overwhelming you, but I my intention is for you to understand that there is more to health than the food you eat. Food is fuel and essential for your wellbeing but if you always worry about getting more greens on your plate, then those emotions will create so much stress that it will outweigh the nutritional benefits of the food. Both are equally important.
I’m sure you have experienced nights where you can’t get to sleep because of thoughts spinning around in your mind. In time they might quiet down, but they have a tendency to come back to trouble you again. I personally struggled with gut issues growing up that always showed up before holidays and school starts. It got so bad that I was in bed for days not being able to keep any food down. I was also an expert at shutting down my emotions. What did we do to solve this issue back then? Medication. It took me until my late 20’s to understand the connection, which you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand. I realised that I need to work on open up and express my feelings more.
What emotions are you currently carrying around that you are not acknowledging?
Feelings are a part of life and they come to us naturally. We can’t control or demand how we feel about a situation, person or place. Like falling in love, you can’t stop it from happening or falling out of love, you can’t force it to come back. It just is what it is. However, you are in control of how you want to respond to those feelings and what action you take.
What are some feelings you holding on to that are not serving you?
The best we can do is to be present with ourselves. Look at your feelings, discover where they come from and acknowledge what comes up. If you are sad, then why? If you are angry, then about what?
Never feel ashamed for how you feel. If there is something you need to get off your chest then find a way of doing so. You don’t need to be rude or shout at people, but find a calm way of letting go of the stagnant energy you’re holding on to. Don’t let it go so far that it set roots in your body or darkens your mood. Let the energy flow in a way that makes sense for that situation.
Sometimes that can be talking to a friend, telling the truth to someone you love or seeking the help of a professional. Sometimes we need to do the work ourselves, and simply just let go. It might not be the easiest work, but it’s so important and definitely worth working on. If there are less negative emotions in our bodies, then there will be more room for love, kindness, happiness and compassion. Let go of what no longer serves in order to create a healthier and more vibrant body, mind and soul.