How Emotions Affect Us
If you read my post "Have You Checked Your Posture Today?", I mentioned that we would save the topic of 'emotions' for a whole other blog post, well here we are.
Ah emotions... They can be very strong and not hard to see in someone's facial expressions or in the way someone carries themselves. Those who often let their emotions take over can be obvious in their attitude. For instance, to be frustrated is a feeling of dissatisfaction often accompanied by feeling both needy and angry. All these emotions tie in closely together. A person who is constantly in this state of need or anger will hold their face or body in a very stiff and rigid posture. A posture such as this can affect one's breathing patterns, tension, and flexibility. These sustained emotions and continuous bad mood cause postural habits to set into the fascia of the body.
So many of the body's aches and pains come from emotions. This became apparent to me as a massage therapist, which is why I got certified in Reiki, to help deal with emotional issues professionally. As a Reiki Master, I have seen how certain emotions can target certain body parts, and this happens commonly for many people. For instance:
Anger affects the liver.
Grief lives in the lungs.
Fear affects the adrenals.
Stress and worry weaken the heart and brain.
There is a state of tension in the musculature and fascia around these areas when dealing with a memory or action that is unwelcome, such as stress, guilt, regret or grief. And this is exactly how emotions get "stuck" in the body.
This state of tension is obviously more relaxed when we are dealing with happy emotions such as excitement, gratitude, inspiration and the highest frequency of them all- love. Therefore, it is possible to change one emotion to another, and release it from the body.
What is an Emotional Release?
When we release the negative emotions it creates space in our body & mind for more positive emotions to enter and take their place. Have you ever heard someone say they had an Emotional Release?
There are many different holistic ways to achieve an Emotional Release. It can be achieved through the aid of meditation, yoga, reiki, rebirthing, nature walks, massage therapy and other forms of somatic bodywork. Those who are seeking an emotional release can often sense something is wrong and they don't quite feel like themselves. These negative feelings can range from feeling stuck in the same place (at home or at work), having a tendency to procrastinate or feeling depressed. Instead of using excess eating or drinking to for relief of these negative patterns; try one of the natural healing methods mentioned above and begin a journey to emotional freedom.
Can Massages Release Emotions?
Yes! Massage therapy can release negative emotions from the body by relieving muscle tension, pressure on the spine or the joints and relaxing the nervous system, which in return relaxes the mind. When we are in a state of relaxation during a massage, the body releases endorphins. Endorphins are released into the blood flow and can naturally reduce pain, reduce stress, boost energy, elevate mood, enhance the immune system and even slow down the aging process. Therefore, massage therapy is a wonderful modality to use to physically unblock "stuck" emotions and create space for both energy and relaxation.
CranioSacral Therapy and Emotions
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is very light bodywork performed on the person while they are fully clothed. This light yet effective technique can be favourable to use for someone who has emotional blockages as they may already be sensitive to touch. This light touch has intention and meaning from the bodyworker to the client. CST can help release emotions by easing the restrictions of the head, neck, sacrum and entire nervous system. While working on the tissues retaining these emotions, the client may experience relief consciously or subconsciously, meaning in a somatic moment not within the person's awareness at the time.
When the body becomes free of restriction and more aligned, it creates more space for the person to feel more available for emotions of love, energy, happiness and feeling like themselves once again. This is just scratching the surface on how emotions can affect us physically and affect our quality of life. I sincerely hope these few methods I mentioned here can help you break free of holding on to things that no longer serve you. Let it go, let it flow.
For more information on CranioSacral Therapy, check out The Body Blog's Bodywork board on Pinterest!
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