Embodiment is a practice where one willingly sits with their (usually) uncomfortable feelings. This practice also expresses joy, happiness, contentment and other light and other easily acceptable feelings as well. However, in this post, I would like to address the uncomfortable feelings.
Usually, when we refuse to accept an uncomfortable feeling, such as anxiety, fear, resentment or jealousy, we repress them. The energy of these feelings then gets stored in our bodies. With reference to one of my earlier posts, these uncomfortable feelings are constrictive in nature. The more we suppress these feelings, we feel suffocated in our bodies.
Sometimes, we are just so afraid to face and accept a feeling - that forms the reality of our experience. However, without facing this, it is difficult to move on to the next phase of our life. Unfortunately, when we refuse to face the reality of our past experiences, we continue the old stories with us - repeating the patterns into our future.
The trick is to face the feeling slowly.
1 The first step is to decide that you are going to face the feeling. To communicate with your body - that you are ready to experience the reality of your feelings. And that no matter what comes up, you are here to face it.
2 Once you are ready, the second step would be to sit with the reality of your feelings. This might be one of the most excruciating parts. Here you are going to face your past realities, and your illusions are going to be shattered. This phase is no doubt painful. It's going to bring about inner conflicts, and grief. This part lasts while it lasts.
In the beginning few practices, your feelings are gonna overtake your days. However, as you get better with each practice, the duration gets shorter. There might even come a point where you can face and move through this stage within 5 minutes.
Timing is not important. It's about being able to confront your pain and sit with the chaos that comes with facing your truths.
3 The final stage is tending to your grief. The healing stage depends on the intensity of the feeling. Sometimes it's a big truth you have to face. This can cause a deep void that can take a few days or weeks to recover from. Usually, this creates a feeling of emptiness, that you don't even know what you need to do next. However, the good thing is that it gets better. The idea is to be present for yourself. Take good care of your physical health too in this period.
Sometimes the feeling can still be painful and not so intense. In my case, a good night's sleep helps me recover from the phase - and regulate myself.
I noticed that the more I faced these difficult emotions, I felt viscerally free. It's become a sort of life hack for me. At any moment I feel these sticky feelings, and depending on where I am at - I decide if I want to face it then and there. Or I allocate some time to face it later in the day.
Each constricted feeling is an energetic block. The more we experience it, we create space to allow wisdom and guidance for the next intuitive step.
Sometimes an emotion can feel big and intimidating. It is only because the mind makes an unnecessary scale of it. Our minds are built to respond to the present moment. It cannot comprehend the vastness of the universal existence. In comparison, these emotions are minuscule and manageable.
Don't be afraid of your feelings. They exist to guide you and liberate you from the false illusions that hold you back from your true self. Soothe yourself by remembering this - at the end of the day, all you're afraid of - is a feeling.
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