Forgiveness- Freeing Up the Flow.
Anyone who has experienced the cathartic and liberating effect of forgiveness knows it’s good for your mind and good for your body. Because disappointment, anger or resentment have a hold on the emotional body, addressing the physical component is an effective way to clear it up and move on.
From your body’s perspective, it’s as if a tumultuous relationship or unresolved event got stuck and created an energetic logjam. Depending on the magnitude, when this happens, the easy, confident flow of your life is altered accordingly. If the disturbance is profound, it can suck you in to a swirling eddy as you rehashed every angle trying to understand what happened, assign blame, and find your way forward- over and over again. If you’re lucky, there’s an epiphany and spontaneous relief. But, often when something comes along and upsets your flow, a piece of the discord gets lodged in your psyche. Why not try something new and approach the entire issue as physical healing?
Instead of the words, focus on the feelings; instead of thinking it through, let your awareness of your body help you disengage and move on. Sometimes addressing a tricky emotional situation head-on only intensifies the resistance. Going through the body is like going through the back door to get a new angle, new perspective and new possibility for resolution. The following is simple body-centered practice I use to free up the flow and experience the liberation of forgiveness.
Find a place to sit quietly and be with your body.
With your eyes closed, scan through to find the knot of tension and unease that holds your issue- belly, gut, jaw, hands, etc. Even if you think you’re imagining it, just trust the process.
Center your awareness in this spot (touching it with the palm of your hand helps) as you slowly breathe into its core. Inhale and exhale until the density dissipates and the tension lets go.
Let all issues, hurts, past misunderstandings, and struggle release with your exhale. Now, that this energy doesn’t have an emotional charge, it can flow as well.
When all is clear and flowing again, let your exhale carry a bit of love and acceptance to anyone who may have been snagged in this logjam with you.
Now, invite the possibility and promise of new growth, inspiration, and opportunity to flow in with your next inhale. Feels great, doesn’t it?
Metaphorically this is the time of year for renewal and transformation. The trees are budding, birds are migrating, and sap is flowing. As you emerge from the dormancy of winter, why not take stock and do a little spring cleaning? Locate those pockets of anger, fear and disappointment and let the flow of forgiveness clean the slate! This will help you and whoever/ whatever is snarled in the tangle get in the healthy, rejuvenating flow of life.
Find out more at www.bodywisdomforlife.com and look for Ann’s book, A guide to Body Wisdom- What Your Mind Needs to Know About Your Body (Llewellyn Worldwide) in June, 2018.