On my way out of the restaurant I snag a wrapped mint from the dish on the hostess stand tucking it into my pocket for later. Even as the weather turns warm and my jacket languishes in my closet for months, when Autumn returns that mint is still in my pocket …still waiting to be eaten.
A mint is not the only thing I took home with me that night. Something happened during dinner that pushed one of my hot buttons. But instead of allowing myself to get angry, I shoved my emotion aside refusing to acknowledge it.
Einstein taught that energy cannot be created or destroyed — only transformed. The mint will continue to be a mint until I eat it. Even if I toss it into the trash months later, it is still a mint.
The same is true of my anger. It takes a lot of energy to deny my feelings. Ironically, that energy binds the emotion to me. As long as I repress it, the anger will continue to languish in a virtual pocket of my biofield.
The Only Way Out is Through
When I detect blockages in a client’s biofield, they are often repressing emotions that could eventually manifest as physical dis-ease if not cleared. Anger—like shame, guilt, grief and other low vibe emotions—feels unpleasant, which is why I resist acknowledging it. But as an energy healer I understand that the only way to release anger is to own it. As poet Robert Frost wrote, “the only way out is through.” The anger will stay with me until I allow myself to feel it; only then can I let it go.
Although attempts have been made, it’s not an easy hypotheses to scientifically substantiate since emotions are intangible and the physical damage develops slowly over decades. Plus, participants may not be able to accurately report their emotions if consciously unaware of feelings that they have squirreled away like a stale mint in a dark musty pocket.
More Than Genes and Toxins
In his book, “When the Body Says No,” physician Gabor Maté offers convincing evidence of the link between repressed emotions and conditions such as autoimmune diseases, cancer, digestive ailments and diabetes.
While Maté recognizes that genetics and toxins (like nicotine) play a role, not everyone with a BRAC mutation or cigarette habit will develop cancer. There must be other variables in the equation. He painstakingly detangles the emotional lives of his patients through introspective conversations--as well as interviews with family members--unearthing deeply buried wounds from familial dysfunction and childhood trauma.
Critics of Maté’s work accuse him of blaming his patients for their illnesses but I disagree. Maté is issuing a call to action for the medical community and the general public. How can we hold people to account for suppressed emotions in a society that insists boys don’t cry and good girls are always nice? He cautions, “When we have been prevented from learning how to say no, our bodies may end up saying it for us.”
Allowing ourselves to feel our anger does not mean storming about, shouting and smashing the china. Instead, Maté advises transforming anger through validating the legitimacy of our emotions, exploring our emotional patterns and asserting healthy boundaries.
“When we have been prevented from learning how to say no, our bodies may end up saying it for us.”
Whole Person Healing
During my annual wellness exam, all the emphasis is on the health of my physical body. My doctor relies on a scale, stethoscope, sphygmomanometer and blood tests but lacks a device to objectively assess my emotional state.
Years ago my friend, Bill, went to his physician complaining of chest pain. Nitroglycerin was prescribed. A cardiac stress test was performed but no issues were found. "Call me if the pain gets worse," his doctor told Bill. If he had only asked, the doctor may have discovered that Bill's mother had just died. Grief hurts. Eventually, Bill moved through his grief and the chest pain went away.
During a particularly stressful period in my 40's I developed pain and stiffness in my right hip. After reviewing the MRI results the orthopedic surgeon told me, "Good news! Your hip is fine." When I tartly informed him that I did not feel "fine" he offered to increase my pain meds. As my stress lessened I regained full range of motion in my hip.
It’s past time to acknowledge that authentic wellness requires caring for the whole person as opposed to treating distinct components such as a tumor or an ulcer. Our physical, mental and emotional selves are so tightly intertwined that directing healing toward just one aspect is like staring at Mona Lisa’s hands while ignoring her smile.
Join me again next week as we delve into more energetic self-care techniques you can use to release stuck emotions. Never miss a post by subscribing to my free newsletter at IntendWell.US.
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