Can you see the beautiful reflections in the water in the photo above? I took this shot while out canoeing yesterday with my mum. We had a lovely afternoon meandering around in the water, looking at the reflections, listening to the birds, and enjoying the sun.
I like to think of our emotions like the reflections of the trees in the water.
The trees and tall and strong, rooted deep in the ground and reaching out towards the sun. The reflection is directly related to the trees standing on the riverbank. But the reflection is not the trees. It’s a constantly changing state.
What does emotional fluency mean to you?
Have you ever had the experience of a very strong emotion coming into your reality and completely hijacking you? So that suddenly you are deep inside some sort of fear, sadness or strong anxiety?
If we are hijacked by our strong feelings, how long are we under their spell? Are we able to rescue ourselves and recognise that this emotion is in fact information for us, rather than a tornado coming to completely sweep us away?
If you are someone who can be overly affected by your emotions so that they do take over your experience for hours or days and you find yourself not able to regain your equilibrium, try the following techniques.
Sit quietly
Sit quietly with your feelings for at least 5 minutes and ideally about 15 minutes. Just allow the full expression of that feeling for those minutes. Notice where in your body the feeling is. Put your hand there. Physically, get curious about what it feels like.
Notice
Notice if you have a very strong desire to eat, to watch TV or browse the internet, drink, call someone or any other behaviour which will take you away from feeling the feeling.
Is there a story behind the feeling?
The story might begin with ‘ I always…’ or ‘I never…’ or ‘He / She always ….’, ‘He / She never…’ As yourself honestly if there is any truth at all in these stories?
Dialogue with your emotion
Ask the emotion if it has a message for you. Ask what that message is?
Write down the message
Write down the message in a journal or your diary, where you will be easily able to look at it in a few days.
Is there an action for you to take?
Ask the emotion if there is some action that you should take in your life in response to this message. The action may even be, just to take more time to tune into yourself and your feelings – to listen to yourself more.
Be grateful
Thank the feeling for showing up for you. It has come to give you some important information so you can proceed onto your next step. So be thankful for the information it has brought. It comes from your higher self, the wise part of you that is beyond the sometimes frightened inner child.
Two Options for Working with Emotions with Me
I am opening 4 Spots on Monday February 18th for you to try 1:1 Sessions in mindfulness. Whatever you are currently dealing with in your life, we will apply the techniques of mindfulness and see how things change and develop.
Only 4 spaces available: Book Here.
If you would like to investigate these techniques further, I would love to have you on my Inner Freedom retreat in Bendigo in March. Click the link below for details.
