We all are good at overriding our nervous system, to push more, be more and try harder. We have all received the message, at one point, of “buck up and soldier on” in response to a reaction we are having either to a physical or emotional hurt. Think back to a time either as a child or adult when you were having a reaction to being hurt and the message received, either overtly or by a gesture, that you were not allowed to express it. How many of us received this “shaming” of an emotional reaction that might be uncomfortable for other people to see and why does this still prevail in our society? This discomfort of “too much” of an emotion/feeling, wanting to be expressed, then shows up in our own relationship with ourselves. We internalize the shame and then practice “stuffing” and hiding, even to ourselves, our uncomfortable emotions. This also sometimes leads us to want to hide this from others, judging our feelings as “weaknesses” not to be seen or heard.
The times we are living in and with, has been a gift of awareness and reflection of this prevalence in myself and others. I now give time to practice not contributing to my own suffering, giving welcome to what needs to be seen, heard and felt in my body. This time has also shown me what this disconnection from self has cost me. When we cannot hear ourselves we cannot hear others. We have seen during this time how connected we truly are, how each of us is important in our own beautifully unique way and how much we are social creatures. When we can change the practice of tuning out to tuning in, welcoming the healing integration of past hurts and traumas, we have access to our own life force, creativity and increased capacity to give and receive love.
Somatic Experiencing as a student, practitioner and as a client has shown me how frozen I have been, and the practice of overriding what my nervous system wants me to express, no longer works. The disconnection from self is the disconnection from our fellow humans. The time is now to revel in our global community connection. The time is now to practice self-compassion for ourselves, reach out to our fellow humans and be the stewards that mother earth needs. Give power to the whispers within. You no longer have to be silent. Let them become loud and as messy as they want. Taste the freedom and healing of their expression and renewed self-love.
Yours in love and light,
Caroldean