Change the Narrative on How You Let Yourself FEEL
"The invitation to us humans is not to feel better
But to get better at feeling,
which means making space for all of it." -Peter Crone
We feel from our hearts.
Most of us were conditioned not to feel. "Oh, don't cry," we've all heard, when really crying is so therapeutic and healing. It releases tension, which creates space and relief.
According to Chinese medicine, this is the season when the heart is energetically running the strongest, so it's time to give the heart room to FEEL whatever arises, just by providing space to feel.
What does it mean to give space? To pause, breathe deeply into the abdomen, which will ground you into your body, rather than trapping you in the obsessive thinking mind, and feel what's there.
If that's new to you, breathe down so the belly expands for a count of four, then exhale for four counts, and repeat for several minutes. This is called emotional hygiene breathing.
Then name the emotion, provide space for it, and let that feeling just be, without spinning a narrative around it. Let it float in the expansive space of the heart's energy, which is much larger than any passing emotion.
This is how we heal and deepen our compassion for others who are also struggling. Too often, we feel isolated and lonely when trapped under challenging emotions, which only adds to our suffering.
It helps me remember that at the exact moment, thousands of people worldwide are suffering from the same emotions.
We are never alone with our feelings.
So I breathe for all people dealing with similar emotions, which helps to neutralize them.
If I need to still my mind, especially during this peak of the fire yang season, meridian breathing, an ancient Chinese medicine and qigong practice, is an anchor to help the mind stop spinning. The meridians are the energetic pathways that feed the organs with chi (life force). And where the mind goes, the chi flows.
Meridian breathing is a tool that strengthens the muscle of focused attention, known as Dharana, which leads the mind into a meditative stillness, Dhyana.
Cultivating concentrated attention is so important to direct the scattered energy of anxiety and the manic mind, which are symptoms of excessive fire yang energy.
The heart and small intestine meridians are an energetic pair that run the strongest in this fire season.
Focusing on the meridians like golden threads of light that move with your mind and breath.
Inhale up the small intestine meridian from the pinkies up the arms and neck to the inner ear.
Exhale down the heart meridian from the armpits down the arms to the pinkies.
It is essential to feel and witness the emotions that pass through the heart, and this can be done when regularly practiced. Meditating to calm the mind is the precursor to allowing emotions to flow.
What we practice gets stronger, so take it slow each day. Your summer will be more peaceful, as you'll lighten the load on your heart.
From my heart to yours~
Namaste,
Maggie