Feel It to Heal It
In this blog post, we’ll explore the mind/body connection, what causes emotions to get stuck, and how to process and release them. If you’ve ever wondered why certain emotions linger or how to let go of past traumas, this is the blog post is for you. I'll also share a bit about my journey overcoming anxiety and releasing anger.
If you’d prefer to listen in, tap the link below!
The Connection Between Emotions and the Body
To understand how emotions are stored in the body, we need to recognize that our bodies and minds are deeply interconnected. Emotions are not just abstract feelings; they have a physical presence within us. If you break down the word emotion “e-motion” it literally means energy in motion. When we experience intense emotions, our bodies react. You might feel your heart race when you’re anxious or a heavy sensation in your chest when you’re sad. These physical sensations are our body’s way of processing and expressing emotions.
Imagine you're driving a car, and suddenly, another car swerves in front of you. You slam on the brakes and feel a rush of adrenaline. Your heart races, your hands grip the steering wheel tightly, and you might even feel a knot in your stomach. This reaction is your body’s immediate response to the emotion of fear.
Let’s break this down and make sense of it
Fear as Energy in Motion
When you felt fear, your body went into "fight or flight" mode. The emotion of fear created a surge of energy in your body, leading to physical reactions like a racing heart and tight muscles. This is the "e-motion" or energy in motion.
Physical Storage
If you couldn’t process that fear at the moment because you had to keep driving, that unprocessed fear doesn’t just disappear; it gets stored in your body. You might later feel tension in your shoulders or an upset stomach as your body holds onto the residual fear.
Processing Emotions
When you finally get home and sit down to relax, you might take a few deep breaths, and as you do, you feel the tension slowly leave your body. Your heart rate returns to normal, and the knot in your stomach eases. By allowing yourself to relax and breathe, you're giving your body a chance to process and release the stored emotion.
Long-Term Storage
If you frequently experience stress and don’t take time to process it, your body might continuously store these emotions, leading to chronic physical symptoms like headaches, muscle pain, or digestive issues. Visualizing this scenario helps us see how emotions are not just abstract feelings but physical sensations that move through and can be stored in our bodies.
By visualizing this scenario, you can see how emotions are not just abstract feelings but physical sensations that move through and can be stored in our bodies.
How Emotions Are Stored in the Body
Understanding how emotions are stored in the body can shed light on the intricate connection between our minds and physical well-being. Research in fields like psycho-neuro-immunology and body-mind therapy shows that emotions can become trapped in the body if they are not properly processed.
The Science Behind Emotional Storage
Stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to the release of cortisol, a stress hormone. Chronic activation of this HPA axis can result in long-term health issues, including inflammation and weakened immune function. When we don’t fully feel, process, or release our emotions, they become stored in our bodies.
Research also suggests that cells can retain memories of emotional experiences. Emotional trauma can lead to cellular changes, impacting how cells function and respond to future stressors.
If you're interested in diving deeper into this topic, I highly recommend "The Body Keeps the Score" by renowned trauma expert Dr. Bessel van der Kolk. His work extensively explores how trauma is stored in the body and the profound effects it can have on our health.
Physical Manifestations of Stored Emotions
Stored negative emotions can contribute to real physical ailments over time, including chronic pain, digestive issues, and even autoimmune diseases. In energy healing, we understand that these stored emotions create blockages in our energy flow. Different emotions are associated with different parts of the body and energy centers, or chakras. For instance:
Understanding and addressing the way emotions are stored in the body is crucial for overall well-being. By integrating practices like mindfulness, energy healing, and body-focused therapies, we can process and release these emotions, leading to better physical and emotional health.
My Personal Journey with Anxiety and Anger
Before I share some tips on how to release stored trauma, I’ll tell you a quick personal story about how I was hiding some inner rage. For the sake of reinventing the wheel, I’m going to share it right out of my book ‘Confessions of a People Pleaser’. This comes from Chapter 7: Anger is a blocked wish.
I recall a session with my acupuncturist and friend, Dave Eyerman. I initially began seeing him because I had chronic redness in my eyes that would not go away. I saw an eye doctor and a naturopathic physician and tried taking various eye drops and supplements without relief. I hoped that Dave's approach through traditional Chinese medicine could get to the root cause. After a few sessions, I learned there is a direct connection between liver health and the eyes. Dave told me that the liver regulates qi, or life force energy and emotions associated with it are anger and frustration. When we suppress these emotions, we stagnate the energy in the liver. Could my red eyes actually stem from not allowing myself to release pent-up anger? I have no clue, but I had nothing to lose so I booked a session.
During one of our treatments, Dave asked me to be open to trying something a little different instead of our typical needle placement. I’m all for new approaches, so I went with it. He handed me a soft bolster, the cylinder type that would typically go under your knees during a massage. I was instructed to hit the table as hard as possible with the bolster while shouting, "No!"
I initially found it ridiculous, but I reluctantly hit the table with half force, matter-of-factly stating, "No." Dave looked at me, disappointed. “Really?” he said, with a look that suggested I was a wimp. He instructed me to put my ego aside, loosen up, and let go. “Really feel the emotion, Lisa. Let yourself get mad. For all those times you wanted to say no but said yes, let that out here.”
I pretended Dave wasn’t there for a moment and whacked the table with all my might. Then I did it again, and again, and again. Each time I yelled louder and louder, and I forcefully beat the table until I was sweating, equally embarrassed and tired. Then we sat together in silence.
After a long minute, Dave asked, "How do you feel?"
My first instinct was to laugh and say it had been ridiculous. Then, out of nowhere, I bawled my eyes out. I didn’t even know what I was sad about or mad about. Or maybe I did. I put my judgment aside and allowed my mind to wander. My mind transported me to laying next to my father in his bed, holding a cloth to his sweaty forehead, giving him morphine through a syringe to help ease his pain during his final days. It was the same bedroom my mom passed away in fourteen years prior. Not this again, I thought. I remembered the shallow breathing. I remembered the smell of sickness and a bedside urinal. Fuck.
I was angry at so many things. I was angry about not letting myself feel angry. I was angry that I hadn’t had a better relationship with my Dad or gotten the chance to tell him all the things I needed to while he was here. I was angry with myself for having poor coping skills, like drinking and avoiding. I was angry that my husband and I were drifting apart, and I didn’t have the communication skills to tell him how sad I was. I was angry that my son suffered from epilepsy, and I couldn’t cure it. I was angry that the world still had so many prejudices and injustices. I was angry that I felt misunderstood and alone despite always being surrounded by people.
Damn. For someone who always wore a smile and appeared outwardly Zen and calm, I was a freaking rage ball.
This simple but powerful exercise shook up my long-suppressed emotions and felt so refreshing. As I lay there afterward during my regular acupuncture session, needles strategically placed, I meditated on releasing the resentment I had built up. Toward the world, my father, my losses, and my relationship. I recalled a quote from the Buddha: “Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” As the tears streamed down, I metaphorically let go of my hot coals and vowed to work on better communication and letting go.
If that resonated at all or if you’re interested in getting a copy of ‘Confessions of a People Pleaser’, you can find it on Amazon here.
Signs of Stored Emotions
How do you know if you have stored emotions? Some common signs include:
Chronic pain or tension in specific areas of the body
Digestive issues
Persistent feelings of sadness, anger, or anxiety
Emotional numbness or feeling disconnected from your emotions
Unexplained fatigue or lack of energy
Practical Tips for Releasing Stored Emotions
Mindfulness and Meditation: Practicing mindfulness allows you to become aware of your emotions without judgment. Meditation can help you sit with your feelings, observe them, and let them pass through you.
Breathwork: Conscious breathing techniques can help release tension and stored emotions in the body. Techniques like deep belly breathing, alternate nostril breathing, and breath of fire can be particularly effective.
Reiki Practice: As we discussed in the last episode, Reiki can help balance your energy and release stored emotions. By working with a practitioner, you can facilitate the flow of energy and promote emotional healing.
Journaling: Writing down your thoughts and feelings can be a powerful way to process emotions. Journaling provides a safe space to explore your inner world and gain insights into your emotional state.
Therapeutic Practices: Techniques like somatic experiencing, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), and body-focused therapy can help release trauma and stored emotions. Working with a trained therapist can provide guidance and support during this process.
If you’re interested in diving deeper into this topic, I invite you to check out my self-paced course, 'Healing Through the Chakras,' where we explore how to balance and heal your energy centers. Or, sign up for my upcoming free masterclass on 'Unleashing Your Inner Confidence,' where we’ll explore tools and techniques to boost your confidence and live authentically.
