The Lymph of Emotions: Navigating the Depths Within

We, human beings, are intricately woven from the fabric of emotions—sometimes a concept difficult to grasp, isn't it?

In my journey, I once believed that acknowledging emotions meant expressing them verbally, thinking saying, "I feel angry" or "I feel sad" sufficed. This belief shattered when my father passed away, and I found myself in a state of denial.

The overwhelming pain manifested physically; gastritis became a constant companion, and there were moments so dire that calling an ambulance seemed the only recourse. At 23, I feared a life laden with perpetual health issues, never having been taught how to truly feel emotions beyond verbal expression.

It was only a few years ago, reading Gabor Maté's "When the Body Says No," that the realization dawned on me. I began to fathom the profound impact of emotions in our lives and the imperative need to genuinely feel them. My childhood, spent silently understanding my father's unexpressed pain due to chronic illness, forged a deep empathy within me.

Now, it feels like -a calling—to connect every soul to themselves, a path to alleviate unnecessary suffering. While suffering may be inevitable, radical acceptance can be our guiding light.

Feeling emotions goes beyond acknowledgment; it's about experiencing them within our bodies. Have you ever felt the fire of anger in your chest or the weight of fear in your throat? What did you do next? Did you allow your body to breathe in these sensations, embracing them with ease and compassion, or did you retreat into your mind, denying your body the opportunity to truly feel?

If the latter resonates with you, that's okay. Our upbringing often neglects the teachings on how to be present in our bodies and authentically feel emotions. But, here's the way: Stay, notice, experience, breathe, and feel.

A little secret about me: Years ago, I was going through a really tough breakup. The pain was there, and I was feeling it, but a defensive part of me tried to shut down my normal feelings towards this person.

I judged myself a lot for still feeling sadness and melancholy. My extreme desire to feel joy and peace again was not allowing me to truly experience what I felt in the present moment. That's when I decided to have some sessions with a practitioner of compassionate inquiry therapy by Gabor Maté.

My neck pain was unbearable; I couldn't even turn it right or left. The practitioner asked me, “Without any filter, if your neck could talk, what would it say?” The first thing that came up was, “I miss you so much.” I couldn't believe those words came out so quickly, but after I said them, the first immediate reaction was crying.

The practitioner invited me to be in that feeling of melancholy, to breathe in and out.  In that moment, I felt I had a safe space, free of judgments, to truly be into it. Long story short: The day after, I woke up, and my neck pain was completely gone.

In a nutshell, we're made of emotions—they're a big part of being human.

Either way, how can we explain the physical sensations or reactions we experience when feeling angry, for example? What is this hot, uncontrollable, and unbearable feeling in your chest? Or the contraction you feel in your body? (Keep in mind, everyone can experience emotions physically in different ways—these are merely examples).

Similarly, how do we explain the cold feet and hands when we're feeling sad and depressed? Or the lively, energetic feeling pulsating through our body when we're happy? These physical sensations are manifestations of our emotions,

Emotions aren't just in our heads; they're present in our bodies too.

Emotions demand acknowledgment; neglecting them might impact our well-being over time.

In the next blog, we'll delve into how stress and challenging times can impact us, and we'll explore simple and effective ways to release stress, promoting a healthier well-being. Stay tuned for insightful strategies!