Dealing with Feeling

Dealing with Feeling
Senses of the Soul - I

Happiness depends on feeling good. Your well-being requires peaceful thoughts and flourishing emotions. Yogis know that every thought generates a feeling. That’s a lot of emotions!

After years of yoga practice and working as a Life Coach, I have come to understand that the emotions are vital body-mind-spirit sensory equipment. Just as your five physical senses serve to navigate your body, emotions help you to explore how life is going for you on earth. Your emotions are guides, leading you toward feeling Divine amidst the challenges life brings.

Skillfully navigating the sometimes dark, yet rich world of feelings can bring freedom from early trauma, unresolved issues, confusion, anxiety and frustration. With awareness, you can gain control over what you are feeling and learn what you need to be happy. Think of emotions as the Senses of the Soul, serving your spirit to flourish.

In this series of articles we will help you discover the profound benefits of relating skillfully to your emotions. You can start right now to build your relationship to them by spending quality time through attention and communication.

Sit comfortably and set a timer for 11 minutes. Close your eyes, breathing deeply and slowly. Feel supported by the earth below, and vast and expansive through your mental/spiritual self above. Shift your attention to emotional sensations. Let your feelings flow through your body without resisting or trying to make anything happen. Be in rapport. You will discover that difficult feelings ease up when you allow them to just “be.” Equally allow positive feelings. Play with evoking all kinds of emotional sensations by calling on thoughts and memories.

Don’t be surprised if you feel uncomfortable. Keep breathing as you work with your emotions until peace comes. Ask them what they want you to know. Ask if there is something you can do to feel better. Take note of answers, which may be more of a feeling than a thought. Inhale deeply, and finish your session with uplifting thoughts and feelings.

Mastery comes with small steps and repetition. Practice this exercise daily and watch how your life improves. Know that you have taken the first step on the road to a deeper understanding of your emotions and their relationship to your soul.