The Gateway to Self Love
By Tara Lee, Founder of the Sacred Soul Space
Could the gateway to true self care and self love be in acknowledging how we truly FEEL?
It can take deep courage to really sit with our feelings and emotions, allowing ourselves to surrender to their power. All too often we set our feelings aside, thinking we will deal with them later. If we don't deal with them, we end up storing them in our minds and bodies and this is when anxiety and other health issues can arise. Denying what our bodies want to feel can lead to trouble now or down the line, which is why being in the thick of our feelings, no matter how scary it seems, is really the best thing we can do for ourselves. They serve as a gateway, through which if you dare you may better understand yourself, your path, and take the driver's seat to our own healing journey, your life.
One of the reasons we tend to hide or push aside our feelings is that we live in a culture that has not traditionally supported emotional awareness. However, as the connection between mind and body--our emotions and our physical health-- becomes clearer, awareness of the importance of feeling our feelings has grown. There are so many books, classes, workshops and retreats that can help us on our way to emotional intelligence.
We can also trust in our own ability to process what comes up when it comes up. If sadness arises, we can notice its presence and welcome it, noting where in our bodies we feel it, and allowing ourselves to express it through tears or a quiet turning inward. Acknowledging an emotion is there, not making it right or wrong and rather surrendering into it will serve your greatest good, even if it is uncomfortable. Discomfort is the portal to the growth, because in a space where science meets spirituality we all know nothing changes if nothing changes.
When we simply allow ourselves to fully feel our feelings as they come, we tend to let them go easily. This is all we are required to do; our feelings simply want to be felt, acknowledged, seen, heard. .We often complicate the situation by applying mental energy in the form of analysis, overwhelming our nervous system, releasing cortisol and signally deeper stress. Sound familiar? When all we really need is to allow, as the earth allows the rain to fall upon it. As the rain falls, the earth responds in a multitude of ways, sometimes emptying out to stop a flood, sometimes soaking it up to nourish an infinitude of plants. In the same way, the deeper purpose of our feelings
is to transform the terrain of our inner world, sometimes creating space for more feelings to flow, sometimes providing fuel and nutrients for growth.
All we need to do is allow the process by relaxing, opening, and receiving the rainbow field of our emotions without any judgement on ourselves for feeling certain ways. (it is all part of being human)
So often, emotions that we long to express get stored in our bodies instead. The space where this most often happens is in our stomach. Rather than telling people, or even ourselves, the way we truly feel, we may stuff our true feelings deep inside of us, where they take up space until we are ready to let them go. Stuffing our feelings in our bellies may feel like the "safe" response, since we then don't really have to deal with our emotions. Yet, doing so can actually be detrimental to our emotional well-being and physical health.
One way to connect with and release your emotions is to do a focused exercise with your stomach area. Take a moment to center yourself with some deep breathing and quiet meditation, relaxing your body fully and turning off the chatter in your brain. With your right hand on your stomach, tell yourself three times: "Please reveal to me my true emotions." Listen for the answers. Repeat the exercise as many times as you would like, allowing yourself to drop deeper into your body each time. Notice any physical response in the stomach area, whether you have a warm, relaxed feeling in the middle of your body or if you feel tight knots in response to any emotions that do come up. You may even want to write down any answers that come to you. Remember that the body doesn't lie.
Releasing our pent up feelings from our bellies can prevent dis-ease and allow us to live more authentic and expressive lives. Sometimes, if too much emotional energy builds up inside of us, a blowout can result that can cause discomfort. You can help to alleviate this compression by doing the same exercise and adding sound to your emotional release. The more guttural sounds released through your mouth, the more emotions you are likely letting go. Releasing your emotions from your belly doesn't have to be painful and hard; rather, it can be organic and effortless. It's important not to judge whatever comes up for you. We tend to stuff our feelings in our bellies when we are ashamed of them or not ready to express them. There is nothing wrong with having feelings, whatever they may be. You can't help
your feelings; if anything, you can help yourself by acknowledging the truth of your emotions so you can set yourself free. You have that POWER!
Mind Body Therapies creates a safe space for a person to accelerate their understanding that they have the power, mind, body and soul within. Feeling emotions the gateway where it all begins. Taking into account a whole persons wellness, meaning mind, body, emotions, energy and soul. Serves to navigate and understand the connection to ourselves matters, it is the gateway to being more present and fulfilled in life as a whole. Through “somatic” meaning body, neurolingusitic and subconscious practices meaning brain, the mind to body connection work together to generate harmony and alchemy from within. Brain, Heart, Gut connections start working as a revolutionary team. In return, we start overcoming obstacles, healing our body, connecting with ourselves, reaching our goals and desires, and being free to be the hero of our dreams.
Written by:
Tara Lee Scott
Tara is the Founder & Lead Facilitator of Sacred Soul Space & Gen Zen Warriors. With a background in Medical Science & Social Work Project Development over the last 10 years her passions and purpose has led to merge science and spirituality into embodied practice.
Now a proud mother of three, Holistic Mind Body Practitioner, Yoga Teacher, Energy & Soul Medicine Practitioner, NLP, Emotional Intelligence, Leadership and Life Coach - it is safe to say Tara is extremely passionate about the spirit and science of being human and its unlimited potential.
She channels these skills into projects of service with the intention to impact healing, and gateways to optimum wellness - mind, body & soul - reminding us “we are who we’ve been looking for.''
tara@sacredsoulspace.co
www.sacredsoulspace.co
www.genzenwarriors.com.au