EMOTIONS- The bodies reaction to the mind

Processing emotions in this mindful way allows us to create the space needed to fully understand the message being received.

For example, lingering on a gloomy thought will create a build-up of energy in the body that we call sadness. From here the body is getting ready to physically react through expression or withdrawal.

The thought that you are unhappy physically or psychologically, causes the body to react. This reaction is the energetic response the mind sends the body. This is when you feel sad and your breathing changes or you feel a heaviness in your chest. I know for me this is the case. The sensations get so intense that they end up bursting out or I try shut them down by withdrawing all together. 

Either of these can produce an unconscious fear within us, a fear that says, i am not cared for, i need to defend myself.  This is the automatic reaction. A problematic one for sure.

See the premise to understand is that, it is a core need of yours to belong. Belonging means security, it means to thrive instead of struggling. The underlying tone here is that, if i struggle it means that my basic needs aren’t being met, which could then result in my death. – Of course, you are not usually conscious of all your thought patterns and processes. Our minds are in a constant survival mode and it is often only through watching your emotions that you can bring them into awareness.

So how do we bring this awareness forward?

We become aware of our I AM statements. Eg. “I am sad” I feel sadness because I thought about my break up. Yes in this moment I feel sadness, but I am not sad.

If I think I am sad, I will carry this with me for days on end. ~ This is identifying with the conditioned thinking, the I am statements.

This kind of processing causing a strong emotional charge.  A charge that puts you in an unbalanced state. One where you will react unconsciously, or purely out of habit. Causing unnecessary suffering, the “why is this happening to me” thoughts.

This happens when we refuse to  acknowledge our emotions as messages, instead  we dive into them with deep identification or we cut ourselves off from them, either way you will eventually experience them on a purely physical level, as a physical problem or symptom. This is when an external event appears to just “happen to you”. 

Now when these intense emotions are with you, instead of identifying with them, try to note them in the body.  Remove the identification and allow space for the message to be received.  

Emotions should be felt. But now we are somewhat bypassing the critical thinking of it all, allowing us to tap into the body. Here try observe what is happening on the physical level, stay with the body.

For this I want you to remembering that the breath is a direct anchor to the mind/body connection. 

Do you ever note that when you are sad or low your breathing changes to a slower, deeper pace? or when you are angry, your breath starts to move rapidly, taking shorter quicker breaths?

Now just as the emotional reaction, unconsciously triggers the breath. We can mindfully use the breath to counter the trigger of the body. Its all one big beautiful system. Here mindfulness is the key.

So now, I am aware of the emotion in my body, I am breathing through it, because I can mindfully see the cause and effect of the process. Now I understand that to calm the mind, I must calm the body. 

This is because the body is in the present moment, not in the past or future like the mind tends to be. So by focusing on my body I am not focusing on the I AM this or that story. I have now managed to bring in awareness to the moment. 

If i don’t allow for present moment awareness and I do get caught up in my emotions. The situations will come in hard and strong so that I am forced to  be consciously aware of my inner state. 

This is an automatic system to help create balance. However the issue here is that, we still lack the mindfulness within this to process these signals correctly.

So instead of getting  trapped in the intensity of the emotional field, lets learn to reflect on it.  Reflection allows us to put things into perspective, making way for that objective truth to shine through.