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Feel Your Feelings (Journal)

J

jrid32

Peer Supporter
I am having trouble doing this journal entry because I honestly have never thought about emotions in this way..."that you can feel them in your body". This may sound like a dumb question, but how do I bridge that gap? How do I bring on happiness, anger, guilt, and sadness so I can see how I feel them in my body?

"Next to each emotion write how you feel this in your body. Be careful not to write why or when you feel each emotion, but, rather, how you feel it. Then, on the body outline below, draw one (or more!) of the four emotions. Feel free to get creative as you visually express what this emotion feels like to your body."
 
I don't know if you've listened to these talks that Alan Gordon does with some TMS patients, but if you haven't I think you should as it may help you with feeling your feelings:

http://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/TMS_Recovery_Program#Accepting_the_Diagnosis

Personally when I feel angry I can feel my heart pounding, my muscles tense, maybe even sweaty palms (similar to anxiety - coincidence? I think not). When I feel sad I feel something in my gut wrench, nausea, weakness, pitting feeling in my stomach etc. Hope that helps a bit.
 
Hi jrid32,
giantsfan has some good guidance, I think. Start with the direct physical experience of yourself as a living, breathing, heart pounding animal. Your heat, your pulse, your skin sensation.

Your question is How do I bring it on, these emotions? Good question. It may be better to begin simply noticing your body sensations as these emotions arise:
Sense into your "midline:" the head, neck, center of chest, heart, sternum, solar plexis, belly, lower belly, genitals. Just bringing your attention to this vertical core of your body will reveal more over time. No need to push yourself. And feeling "nothing" is OK. How does it feel to be in contact with nothing? Very light, invisible, airy, faint, grey? Even if you seem to struggle with this (and many people do) it is the act of directing attention inward to feelings, that practice, that helps open the door to feelings, and makes repression and distraction less needed.

The body does not lie. So it is a path to your truth.
 
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