Photo Creds go to Deb Belfatto. Thank you!
There’s a popular belief in the holistic healing world that...
OUR ISSUES ARE IN OUR TISSUES and that YOU HAVE TO FEEL IT TO HEAL IT!
I first heard this saying many years ago and after three decades of having my hands on thousands of people, I know it’s true!
Emotions are supposed to be energy in motion. I’m pretty sure that we all want to feel the good stuff....happiness, kindness, gratitude, hope, awe, contentment. (I do. I do.)
But what about the other stuff?
Sadness. Grief. Anger. Resentment. Anxiety. Fear. Pain.
My guess is that we’re more alike....who wants to feel those yucky feelings?
They often get pushed down and buried in our tissues. All these “undigested experiences” get stuck in our bodies and they block our creativity and aliveness. They suck the life force energy out of us and that can hurt us deeply.
We can pretend all is well but DENIAL builds walls. It doesn’t work when we’re not grounded, afraid and don’t see the truth. We can SUPPRESS but it takes enormous energy to push things down. Those pushed down feelings become like a hungry-dog in the basement scratching to get out. And in the meantime, they’re leaking out all over.
We can DISASSOCIATE and leave our body. Living in our heads is a great defense mechanism and survival tool but not for long term.
In a recent beach yoga class, our “Sunshine Kate” shared a beautiful poem about the true goal of yoga that drove this home.
The yoga pose is not the goal.
Becoming flexible is not the goal.
Standing on your hands is not the goal.
The goal is to create space where you once were stuck.
To unveil the layers of protection you’ve built around your heart.
To appreciate your body and become aware of the mind and the noise it creates.
To make peace with who you are.
The goal is to love, well...YOU.
Come to your yoga mat to feel, not to accomplish.
Shift your focus and your heart will grow.
That’s what I want and you may want this too! But it’s certainly not an easy task in our modern world with so much distraction. While it’s common to sometimes feel overwhelmed, disconnected and stuck, I wonder if it’s possible to be present, truly live with our hearts open and make space to feel what we feel?
Perhaps it’s through these ancient practices of yoga, meditation, energy healing and massage that are being rediscovered that we may find our way back to wholeness. Back home in our bodies and reconnected to ourselves and each other. I believe it’s possible and hope that maybe together we will create a ripple effect that will help make our world a better place!
OUR ISSUES ARE IN OUR TISSUES and that YOU HAVE TO FEEL IT TO HEAL IT!
I first heard this saying many years ago and after three decades of having my hands on thousands of people, I know it’s true!
Emotions are supposed to be energy in motion. I’m pretty sure that we all want to feel the good stuff....happiness, kindness, gratitude, hope, awe, contentment. (I do. I do.)
But what about the other stuff?
Sadness. Grief. Anger. Resentment. Anxiety. Fear. Pain.
My guess is that we’re more alike....who wants to feel those yucky feelings?
They often get pushed down and buried in our tissues. All these “undigested experiences” get stuck in our bodies and they block our creativity and aliveness. They suck the life force energy out of us and that can hurt us deeply.
We can pretend all is well but DENIAL builds walls. It doesn’t work when we’re not grounded, afraid and don’t see the truth. We can SUPPRESS but it takes enormous energy to push things down. Those pushed down feelings become like a hungry-dog in the basement scratching to get out. And in the meantime, they’re leaking out all over.
We can DISASSOCIATE and leave our body. Living in our heads is a great defense mechanism and survival tool but not for long term.
In a recent beach yoga class, our “Sunshine Kate” shared a beautiful poem about the true goal of yoga that drove this home.
The yoga pose is not the goal.
Becoming flexible is not the goal.
Standing on your hands is not the goal.
The goal is to create space where you once were stuck.
To unveil the layers of protection you’ve built around your heart.
To appreciate your body and become aware of the mind and the noise it creates.
To make peace with who you are.
The goal is to love, well...YOU.
Come to your yoga mat to feel, not to accomplish.
Shift your focus and your heart will grow.
That’s what I want and you may want this too! But it’s certainly not an easy task in our modern world with so much distraction. While it’s common to sometimes feel overwhelmed, disconnected and stuck, I wonder if it’s possible to be present, truly live with our hearts open and make space to feel what we feel?
Perhaps it’s through these ancient practices of yoga, meditation, energy healing and massage that are being rediscovered that we may find our way back to wholeness. Back home in our bodies and reconnected to ourselves and each other. I believe it’s possible and hope that maybe together we will create a ripple effect that will help make our world a better place!
