The theme of releasing stuck emotions has come up several times in the past week with my private patients, so I’m going to take that as a gentle nudge to repost this article on my blog.
It’s perfect timing, because fall is a natural time to release and shed all that no longer serves you.
As the saying goes, you only have to glance at the beautiful changing colors on the fall trees outside right now to see how very beautiful it is to let go.
But what if you are feeling stuck? I’ve got you covered. Read on:
When the energy is flowing unrestricted through your body, you are releasing the old and welcoming in the new and healing happens effortlessly.
It is natural for your body to express what energy is flowing through it and to release it.
This is what healing is all about — expressing the energy dynamic of the tissues/organ systems/emotional body and releasing it.
Giving rise to emotions, symptoms and sensations is never the problem. Releasing it… that’s where it can get tricky.
If we could stay in the flow and allow the body to do what it does best — release and naturally re-align with healing — then no symptom or emotion would last forever.
This is harder than it sounds, though… that’s one thing I know for sure as I live in a state of constant stress and uncertainty just like everyone else.
So today let me share with you some tips on how to get into a state of allowing the energy to flow instead of holding on to it.
Here are ways to get more release, less resistance:
1. Releasing deep sorrow and grief:
Sadness needs to physically flow through the body in order to release.
You must *feel* the sorrow. Don’t try to resist it or put it off.
Instead, get into the state of allowing the flow using this one simple trick: water.
Water is the ultimate medium of flow on earth, and comprises the majority of our body. In fact, water is the body’s natural choice of release for sorrow as well, in the form of tears.
Tears often help facilitate the flow of grief through the body and allows it to release more easily.
- So the first tip is: allow the tears. Let the water of your tears release your sorrow and lift it from your body. Triggering tears through powerful moving music or films or books can be a welcome way to release stuck feelings of grief.
- Can’t cry? You can still use the power of water to help facilitate the release of your sorrow, worry or grief by using a hot water bottle full of warm water, holding it on your body where you are physically feeling the sorrow (chest, abdomen, neck, back…)
- Or, take a long hot bath in some beautiful warm water (add some baking soda and apple cider vinegar to turn it into a detoxing experience)
- Sit in a warm shower and envision the water carrying your sorrow down the drain for you
- Go for a relaxing swim or soak in a jacuzzi
- Use steam/humidifiers to help hydrate the air, clearing out the old mental fog and allowing space for the new
- Drink water — hydrate hydrate hydrate during times of worry or sorrow more than any other time of your life. Let your body be flushed out inside and out and with every urination or bowel movement recognize you are flushing the old energy down the drain and making way for new healing.
2. Releasing fatigue and depressed mood:
The feeling of heavy fatigue or draining depression means your body needs a break…
…NOW.
Not later.
Fatigue and depression show up to alert us that we are in a time of healing/repair and not in a time of action. Often we need a little extra time to nurture and rest before periods of growth and forward movement.
Think about when you were young, growing.
The heavy fatigue you felt during growth spurts…. it was there to urge you to rest for a reason. Your body was growing new muscle, new bones, new neuronal connections, new physical mass and mental maturity.
I’ve got a teenage son so I know all about how very much his body needs lots of hearty nutrient dense foods and lots and lots of sleep to get through a growth spurt, because by the time it’s is over he is always several inches taller each time he goes through another phase of growth.
You can think of times of fatigue and depression in the same way… your body is asking for a break, to go within, in order to make new strides in your life as you heal.
Help it by:
- Low key exercise. Respect your body’s need to slow down. Now is not the time for strenuous exercise… honor caring for your body in gentle ways such as yoga, stretching, long slow walks through nature.
- Reach out. You don’t need to do it all alone. Ask for help. Call a friend. Lean on family to help with some of the burdens you are seeking relief from. Here are some more ideas on how to seek out help.
- Take a nap. Just allow your body to do its thing and rest more than normal… deep growth is almost always preceded by a slump, so allow your body the down time it needs and don’t put any expectations on the process.
- Passive body work. Your body needs to get into receiving mode and not giving mode. Your giving mode is burnt out. What I’ve noticed is that most people who struggle with depression are the givers who are giving to everybody but themselves. You DESERVE to give your body the message that there is a time to stop and receive. Get a massage, acupuncture, reiki, physical therapy, a facial, a haircut. Anything that is a passive process for you — let others actively help move that energy through your body and help you on your way to release it.
- Deeper sleep at night… get some more ideas on this here.
- Try these 5 additional suggestions to holistically treat depressed mood.
3. Releasing frustration and anxiety:
These emotions are a very active state, where you have lots of energy building up inside.
So with this energetic state you generally need to get into a more active state to restore the flow, in contrast to the more passive surrender state required by sadness, grief, depression and fatigue.
The gift of anxiety is that you have energy to create positive change and follow through on inspired action. Frustration and anxiety states respond to active release… so give some of these a try:
- Meditation — this is a very active and aware state that puts you in the perfect open-but-alert mind-frame necessary for relief. And deep breathing allows your parasympathetic nervous system to decrease your pounding heart rate, decrease your stressed out high blood pressure, improve your mood, and more. Focus on taking 5 slow deep breaths in and out and choose a mantra for the in breathe and the out breath. If you can do 10 breaths, do 10. Work up to 20, 30, 50 breaths of focused openness:
breathing in: I am lovable, breathing out: I am loved
breathing in: I am safe, breathing out: I am taken care of by God
breathing in: I am protected, breathing out: I am healing
- Healing exercise — moving the body and quieting the mind is the goal of many gentle, healing practices such as yoga, tai chi, qigong. If your energy feels more intense and will not allow you to settle down enough to do those types of exercise, honor your body’s need for active processing by something a bit more intense like Pilates, karate, kick boxing, or going on a long walk or jog.
- Give to others. Unlike depression and fatigue, the gift of anxiety is the gift of having energy to give and express… and one of the best way to off-gas this is to give to others in need. Volunteer at a cause that is meaningful to you, start a year of gratitude (doing one act of thankfulness to loved ones or strangers each week and record it in a gratitude journal) or just go out into the world each day asking that you be shown a way you can be of service. The point here is not to add any more stress into your life — do not do ANYTHING that doesn’t feel right. This is not a burden, it’s a very simple way to get rid of extra energy/tension. Consider doing just a simple thing that doesn’t require a lot of preparation or any long term commitment, but will allow you to actively process and off gas extra energy. For example, walk along a road in your neighborhood and pick up litter for an hour after dinner. Pick up an extra pizza on your way home from work and give the extra one to a construction crew as you pass (this was my daughter’s favorite “gratitude attack†that we did in our own Year Of Gratitude…) or head to your local SPCA and take some of the dogs on a walk each weekend. In fact…
- Care for a pet. Caring for a pet is the PERFECT way to allow your energy to flow in a loving and active, yet low stress way. Simply walking your dog every day, spending 30 minutes petting your cat while she purrs on your chest, whistle to a pet bird and teach him your favorite TV show theme song… study after study has shown that pets improve our health simply by being in our lives. During times of anxiety and frustration, loving on a pet a little extra each day gives a heart-centered but simple way to open our heart and allow excess energy to flow.
I hope those illustrations can give you a sampling of ideas on how to take ANY emotion you are feeling, recognize it simply as energy that wants to flow through your body and be released, and honor the message.
Getting into the state of release, whether active or passive, is the solution. For deeper help getting into the flow of release, now is the perfect time to support your adrenal repair with me.
Fall is the perfect time to turn inwards, nurture your adrenal glands, boost your internal energy reserves, and emerge this spring feeling better than you may have felt in many many years.
It’s okay to take these upcoming months slower, to tend to our inner needs more, and to make sure we are getting lots and lots of sleep.
It’s not only okay, it’s what we are *supposed* to be doing.
It’s like Mother Nature hand carved these months out for you to repair your adrenal glands and nurture your energy reserves so you can emerge this spring feeling triumphantly energetic!
Repairing your adrenal glands is the easiest to do in the fall… right now.
It’s easier to sleep longer with the days getting shorter, easier to prepare and eat warm foods like soup, roasts, stews, etc… rich with fat, protein and salt (all absolutely crucial when repairing your adrenals) and easier to cocoon in and nurture your body, with less exertion and more repair.
That’s why I run my Adrenal Repair Online Class in November — because if you start to take care of your adrenal rhythm now, in just a few short months from now you can be fully recovered from Adrenal Fatigue! Emerge this spring feeling better than you have felt in many many years! Ready to eat lighter, sleep stronger, lose weight, move your body more.
If you want to work with me to optimize this recovery, I’m here for you.
Adrenal Repair 5 Day Online Class
In this 5 Day Adrenal Repair Class, together we will:
- understand exactly why your cortisol gets out-of-wack and why it’s so important to nurture your adrenal glands
- learn exactly how to support adrenal repair in a way that you can apply throughout the course and beyond
- receive an awesome goodie bag filled with items we use together during the course
- get daily uplifting, positive, fun emails packed with information, tips, videos, activities, self assessment quizzes and more to get you into the healing flow of easily and effortlessly repairing your adrenal glands…
- and finish with a Q&A phone call where I will answer every single one of your health questions personally!
Without understanding and implementing the crucial steps that I am going to share with you in this course, there is no way you are going to have full repair after a stressful circumstance and feel your best. So let me help you right now with tons of fun, uplifting, actionable things you can do right now to address adrenal fatigue.
Click here to join my
5 Day Adrenal Repair Class today!