Connect with Your Emotions

[Forest]

When someone tells me they’re sad or angry or happy or guilty, I’ll often ask, ‘How do you know?’ Bringing your attention to the sensations in your body is a great way to practice connecting with your emotions.

Part of the TMS education process involves learning how our mind is connected to our body. Key to this understanding is realizing that our emotions are felt, and in fact originate, in our body. This means that you can use your body as a signal when you have intense emotions building up inside of you.

When your stomach starts turning into knots, your body is trying to tell you something about your emotional state. If you can listen to what your body is communicating, you will begin to allow your emotions to be present and reduce the distraction fueling your symptoms.

 

[Eric "Herbie" Watson]

This is so important to know Forest
It was a great day when I learned to think emotionally about pain instead of physical. After I started having those moments then I'd say hum -- I wonder what could be bothering me emotionally now that my back hurts.
I really began to learn what those emotional feelings felt like, then I learned to be at one with those emotions, not to judge or be angry at them. Just to sit with and experience. It wasn't long after this that the emotions started to not be so intense because I was facing them and I wasn't trying to run any longer.
This Program -- The TRP, has really helped me in my journey. That connection to our emotions and being ok with it. Who would have ever known. Its a powerful antidote.

Thanks for posting this forest.
Thank you Alan Gordon for your hard work.

 

[G.R.]

I just listened to a few on Alan Gordon's audio clips on expressing one's emotions. I found myself
crying and crying. I realized I was crying about various past events that I had totally forgotten.
I seemed like I was crying with all of my body. Then, I did as Alan suggested about talking
to the person who I felt had wronged me with anger and emotion and then I cried more.
WOW was this really therapeutic!!! I felt a lot lighter after I listened to several of his audio
tapes in his program on the wiki. I actually made believe he was counseling me as I listened.
It was so very helpful. I highly recommend listening to his audio tapes and doing his
program on this wiki. I actually felt the stiff neck I have and the burning in the neck is better.

Sometimes, it is hard for me to fully grasp how our emotions can effect our body. I am thankful
for gaining the understanding of this concept and to listen more to my body.
G.R.

 

[hecate105]

and on this subject - in Candace Pert's book The Molecules of Emotion - she explains how she and other scientists have found the mechanisms of how emotions travel within and affect the body systems. It is an extraordinary read - but leaves you in no doubt of how your repressed emotions have a negative effect on the body, and how by recognising and dealing with our emotions, using exercise, meditation, journaling and positive thinking, we really can change our health for the better! Something we are all doing on this forum - but to be able to visualise the actual physical and chemical process is mind-blowing!

 

[Ellen]

Alan Gordon's voice is so kind and soothing. If I could just put him in my pocket and carry him around with me, I would. But I can listen to him anytime on this forum and that will just have to do for now. Eventually I hope to have my self-talk sound that soothing. He is a good model.

Many thanks to him for sharing his expertise with us.

 

[G.R.]

Hectate, May I ask you what you meant by being able to visualize the actual physical and chemical process.
Another excellent book to read similiar to The Molecules of Emotion are The Anatomy of A Miracle by
Dr. James Richards. As much as it is inspiring, it is scientific. I read and re-read certain pages because
it motivates me and has helped me with how powerful thoughts are. Dr. Richards recommends always
seeing the end result you desire.

 

[G.R.]

Ellen, I too enjoy his voice; it is very calming and relaxing. Yes, I too am trying to be soothing and loving
with my self-talk.

 

[hecate105]

Hi G.R. I did a foundation degree in science in which we studied the cell and its 'bits'. So I visualise the neuropeptides (little strings of amino acids) attaching themselves to the ligands or receptors and tell myself which they are. If I am feeling anxious for instance I tell myself they are my endorphins connecting to the 'opiate' receptors. It has worked brilliantly for calming me down when I have woken in panic in the night! As with dowsing, positive-thinking, prayer or spells the 'intention' is key. I think that by visualising the process I then cause the process to happen. To know that my emotions are physically careering around my body allows me to be more pro-active in dealing with how I feel. If I feel anger - I need to do something about it, express it, deal with the situation, be assertive (!) I can no longer just suck it up and stuff it down inside me - because now I can see in my mind's eye - that it will be careening around causing havoc. Express it or repress it!
It amazes me that we know so little (in general - or perhaps just me!) of just HOW our bodies work, most of my insides are just vague ideas to me - no wonder it has been screaming with pain for so long...

 

[G.R.]

Hi,
Is it possible I can talk to you by phone? I think that would help me understand this better.
My number is 973- 746-3205. If you would like me to call you I be happy to.
Rose

 

[Forest]

One of my favorite parts of the audio portions of this program is that it feels like I am going through a therapy session with Alan. It could be that a lot of the issues the callers were going through were similar to my own perfectionsism, goodism, and anxiety. Hearing other people's stories has had a profound effect on my own recovery, and there is something especially moving about how Alan works with the callers.

 

[Ruth_L]

TY for this, I am really feeling emotions right now. And I need to listen to Alan Gordon for sure! TYVM!

 

[Redditor]

I'm starting to think my pains are random, not connected to emotions. I usually get them when I'm calmly sitting around or lying down. Sometimes I've gotten them while anxious but that may be just memory bias...

 

[Eric "Herbie" Watson]

Redditor- Hello nice to see you here. You have pain and it can be emotional or physical pain. It all creates pain. I too have had pain while meditating but that's because I still had to be re-conditioned ya know. In time your meditations will help relieve pain.
Also, you have to become aware and face fear- thoughts and anger thoughts getting them under control -- letting them go -- with acceptance as in mindfulness.

Our thoughts can become habit and keep us in a depressed or painful state and often both so its the training of will to believe in the cure that you can go forth and generate happiness at will after your initial reconditioning which can take weeks to months then you'll notice that you will start to gain control over your thoughts and thus your depression or pain.

Bless You

 

[hollywoodtocome]

This is so important to know Forest
It was a great day when I learned to think emotionally about pain instead of physical
After I started having those moments when id say hum
I wonder what could be bothering me emotionally now that my back hurts.
I really began to learn what those emotional feelings felt like,
then I learned to be at one with those emotions, not to judge or be angry at
just to sit with and experience. IT wasn't long after this that the emotions started to not
be so intense because I was facing them and I wasn't trying to run any longer.

This Program - The TRP, has really helped me in my journey.
That connection to our emotions and being ok with it.
Who would have ever known. Its a powerful antidote.

Thanks for posting this forest.
Thank you Alan Gordon for your hard work.

What if I'm having pain, but it's from repressed emotions? How do I figure out what repressed emotion is causing my pain? I seem to get pain here an there throughout the day when I transition from movement to movement.

 

[Eric "Herbie" Watson]

Hollywood to come. It's not about finding that one repressed emotion. It's more about stopping repressing to start with ok. Like if your going through something that's pressuring you -- right then go ahead and process it and then let it go. Don't keep on not thinking about what's bothering you ok. Think about it and write about your current and past pressures then think about them and feel them. You will probably feel some sadness or anger when you do this but that's when you know your processing the emotion instead of repressing it ok.

Start the program here and you should really get the hang of it ok and keep asking questions like this one. You just asked a great question.

Bless You

P.S. If this doesn't explain your question then let me know and I will word it another way ok.

 

[Richsimm22]

That was a great question and similair to one I have asked myself which is.

What if my pain is caused by a certain repressed emotion that is so deep in my unconscious that its unlikely I would ever think about it?

Another good question I have never come across is what has my current stressors got to do with back pain that started years ago?

By that I mean I could have a new baby but what does that have to do with my pain that started 6 years ago?

 

[Eric "Herbie" Watson]

It has a lot to do with it rich, when your angered or pressured you create anxiety and this creates pain no matter if it was years ago or now. It's like stacking ok, say you got mad years ago over something and didn't process it ok. Now years later your still getting mad or reacting to certain things that only stack on top of all the other times you have gotten mad or upset over thus stacking one anger on top of the other thus creating pain -- this is why your current stressors are keeping you in pain. Hope this explains it if not then we can go further and no you don't need to get to that one repressed emotion. I write a lot about this in my book. You just need to stop reacting to your current stressors at this time because these current stressor or pressures are the same pressures you had in the past see.

Thanks

 

[Richsimm22]

Thanks Herbie excellent answer. Makes alot more sense now.