fierce emotions and frozen words
on the oslist, karen gorrin writes about the rewards that come from acknowledging and honoring intense emotions that we feel:
this morning I noticed myself running in circles around anxious feelings. spinning thoughts inside my head were overwhelming and annoying me as they looped over and over again upon themselves. in such places i find it difficult to relax and focus, my whole being feels heavy and detached, tight masses contract within me. I’m distracted from the open place of flowing... of just being and accepting what is.
being in this place this morning, however, gave me the opportunity to reflect upon the specialness of the gift of frozen words, in the form of a letter, email, voicemail, quote, internet posting, etc. Such expressions have a burning accountability quality to them. There is nowhere to run and hide from sweet grounded words that are shared with love and genuineness. They bring me spinning into alignment. They help me find my center. They embrace me with warmth and support. i feel so blessed and grateful for opportunities to share such attention with others... it's such powerful medicine for me when i receive it and it's such joy to give it.
don’t you find it fascinating how many ways of distracting ourselves we find, how often we’d rather just run away from or ignore a very real and alive experience that is swirling around inside of us (screaming for attention), instead of just noticing and naming it... “maybe if I don’t look at it, it will go away!”I find that the "gasp-lack of oxygen" feeling can be a fear response that arises when powerful, unfamiliar, or uncomfortable emotions catch people by surprise. Often, just the act of naming the emotion, and normalizing it's existence, makes room (and makes it "okay") for people to relax their defensives, own their experience, and return to their breath and the present moment.
as the individuals in the group "own" their experience, there will be less "un-owned stuff" swirling about the group and causing havoc on others. Through the acts of noticing and naming, we allow ourselves to be present with what's happening, while also remaining non-attached.
this morning I noticed myself running in circles around anxious feelings. spinning thoughts inside my head were overwhelming and annoying me as they looped over and over again upon themselves. in such places i find it difficult to relax and focus, my whole being feels heavy and detached, tight masses contract within me. I’m distracted from the open place of flowing... of just being and accepting what is.
being in this place this morning, however, gave me the opportunity to reflect upon the specialness of the gift of frozen words, in the form of a letter, email, voicemail, quote, internet posting, etc. Such expressions have a burning accountability quality to them. There is nowhere to run and hide from sweet grounded words that are shared with love and genuineness. They bring me spinning into alignment. They help me find my center. They embrace me with warmth and support. i feel so blessed and grateful for opportunities to share such attention with others... it's such powerful medicine for me when i receive it and it's such joy to give it.
