Balancing Your Emotions & Thoughts
Equinox is the time of balance and as such an opportunity to look at how we can find more balance in our lives. Fall Equinox is the mid-way point between summer and winter solstice. Day and night are equal. The opportunity at these times is to learn to center and ground and come into more balance and harmony. Point of balance is often called zero point; it is when we are fully present harmonized in the void of possibility..
I have been thinking alot about mental and emotional balance in these times. With all the imbalances around the world, we each must find that balance point within even more strongly. For me, In the aftermath of fires and smoke that were so close to my home, I was in a process of witnessing myself and how I had to really focus to stay balanced. Though it was challenging, it brought forward the living practice of balancing when there is chaos all around and the very breath of life is compromised. During these times we can all be challenged in some way.
Feelings and thoughts during times of crises can be tricky as they can trigger emotions and fight or flight responses. They can trigger older emotions, beliefs or traumas. When triggered, if we are not careful they can take over. Emotions are energy, so they cannot be gotten rid of or destroyed. Feeling are to be felt and released. Emotions are different than feelings, they can connect with old stories, traumas, beliefs and create more energy around them. I am amazed at how many clients come to me wanting to get rid of a feeling. I used to think this way myself. I now realize they can only be composted or alchemized. The more you try and get rid of something the more it persists. Most people are programed at a young ages to either run from, stuff feelings, or let them take over completely.
There is no magic pill to get through things. Ironically, the more present and don't try to get rid or solve what is happening more they move through easefuly. Though it can be uncomfortable learning emotional intelligence is essential for physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well- being.
There are many tools, methods, practices and teachings in working with thoughts, feeling and emotions. There are deeper practices and tools I love to share with my groups and clients.
Here are a few very simple but effective steps you can take that may help on a day to day basis.
Pause & Breathe~ Reacting or getting spun out are both not helpful. If you are in fight or flight response it is important to breathe deep, focusing on long deep inhales through the belly. Inhale to the count of 8, exhale to the count of 8. I recommend the breath of Dirga. This technique relieves stress and can even be used to address panic attacks. You can use it throughout the day whenever you are feeling tension.
Inhale filling the belly up with air. Then when the belly is full, draw in a little more breath and let that air expand into the rib cage.
Exhale, let the air go first from the rib cage, and then from the belly, drawing the navel back towards the spine.
Repeat this deep breathing into the belly and rib cage for about five breaths. This is part two.
On the next inhale, fill the belly and rib cage up with air. Then sip in just a little more air and let it fill the upper chest, up to the collarbone, causing the area around the heart to expand and rise.
Exhale, let the breath go first from the upper chest, allowing the heart center to sink back down, then from the rib cage, letting the ribs slide closer together. Finally, let the air go from the belly, drawing the navel back towards the spine.
Continue at your own pace, eventually coming to let the three parts of the breath happen smoothly without pausing. Do this for minimum of 10 breaths.
The Feelings & Thoughts Are Not You~ Though it is important to fully acknowledge you are having this feeling or thinking the thought remember you are having the feeling but the feeling is not you. Instead of saying for example:
'I am sad," you may try "I am feeling sad." This is to acknowledge though you may be having thoughts or feelings they are not you.
Observe with Compassionate Awareness~ Watch and witness what is happening. Ask yourself where it is in you body? Stay present without pushing it away. Approach it with love and kindness, like a mother would with her child. Remember what we resist persists and can go underground creating havoc in the long run.
Feel It~ Feel your feeling doesn’t mean getting carried away by them or delving into the story of them Notice where you feel them in your body. If it was a substance what would it be made of? What would its color and temperature be? How would it move? What is the message it has for you? The objective is not to get rid of but to be with as sensation with curiousity.
Release It ~ This can mean crying with a bowl of salt water in front of you to absorb the heavy energy. It can mean dancing your anger or sounding your voice so the energy gets discharged. You can offer this emotion to an element, giving it to the water, the fire, the earth or the air. You can release through visualization. There are so many ways that you can work with releasing emotion. One of my favorite ways is using sound toning. Toning deeply into the area of your feeeling and letting the sound reverberate there.
Shift Your Perspective~ Now that you have done some releasing, spend time focusing on gratitude for something in your life. Open to inspiration. This could be sounding, meditating, putting on music you love, dancing, talking with a friend, going for a walk in nature, painting, or doing a shamanic journey. Come to a new, innocent perspective. Open to curiousity and an open perspective as not all is at it seems.
Sometimes we just need help. I am here to support you. if you need assistance please book a session. I invite you to join us for our shamanic journey sound circle journey class coming up in October. Also, the next women's wisdom and empowerment series Answering Pachamama’s Call is coming up in October registration is now open.
Peace and light, Ashera