Mental Catch-and-Release of Emotions
When you avoid a feeling, you may experience physical or psychological pain. This mind/body connection is a cornerstone of alternative medicine, and it seems that mainstream medicine is finally catching on. A recent New York Times article reports on the growing acceptance of Mindfulness as a valid therapy approach.
The Times article points out something obvious to those of us who practice Mindfulness: studies show some people get worse with Mindfulness therapy. That is true. Some people do get worse—but usually right before they get a lot better. With repressed emotional pain, you must recognize the emotion—and the physical symptom it’s causing—allow yourself to experience that emotion, and accept the emotion before you can release it. The good news is, once you accept and experience the old feelings, you’re done with it. That pain is gone for good.
Old stress frequently leaves the way it went in. For example, if you lost someone whom you cared deeply about, but didn’t allow yourself to fully, deeply feel and release the pain, the pain can turn into tension. That tension in turn creates physical symptoms. Using Mindfulness to treat that pain, the tension lets go. And as that happens, some of the “stored emotions” will release to be experienced in the present moment. But once you’ve caught and released that pain, you’re free of it—physically and emotionally.
As we continue to catch-and-release our emotions, we lighten our load of tension. We also teach our bodies and minds to experience and release on their own. Letting go becomes the default behavior. That is the biggest gift of Mindfulness.