Emotional Healing – Positive Reflection Of The Week
Emotional Healing Through Self-Compassion – By Alia Datoo
“Your emotions make you human. Even the unpleasant ones have a purpose. Don’t lock them away. If you ignore them, they just get louder and angrier.” ― Sabaa Tahir.
In this current time of the pandemic, with not much to do or take up our time, dealing with feelings of anxiety and depression are common. And from an innate perspective, they are completely valid.
Growing up, many of us were taught that validating and embracing our emotions was unacceptable or inappropriate. However, it is only wise to say that taking ownership for accepting, clearing and releasing these emotional buildups empowers you to experience your life more wholly and holistically.
Ask yourself: What emotions do you suppress, not allow, bury deeply? Anger, rage, aggression? Sadness, grief, remorse? You may be aware of the chakras in the energy system of the physical body. Instead of energy flowing freely to the chakras, organs, systems, glands, muscles, tendons, joints, skin, emotional blockages can somatize into the physical body as stress or dis-ease.
By giving ourselves permission to become aware of these emotions, acknowledging them and letting them go, we are repressing them we bring into play and the age-old Buddhist practice of Self-Compassion.
Self-compassion teaches us how to value ourselves by not feeling guilty for the emotions that we are feeling and instead empower ourselves with awareness and inner strength.
By not judging ourselves, we value who we are and realise that we too are deserving of care and concern like everyone else.
Self-Compassion is not a way of avoiding your feelings or becoming indifferent. Instead, self-compassion is a great motivator because it involves the desire to alleviate suffering, to heal, to thrive, and to be happy. Self-compassion involves toughening up and taking responsibility for our emotions.
When you are motivated by self-compassion, you see negative experiences or failures as opportunities from which personal growth can follow.
Allowing ourselves to go through Anger, Grief, Fear, Rage, Sadness, Disappointment, Anxiety in a level-headed and understanding way makes us develop an unshakable strength and ensure emotional stability independent of external circumstances. It provides a stable sense of self-worth that fluctuates much less over time because it is not contingent on looking a certain way or competing successfully.
Developing Self-Compassion is a practice that can help us all become less self-critical, and perhaps even achieve more and give more. It entails, first, being kind and gentle with yourself before recognizing the suffering and pain of others. It is also recognizing that personal thoughts, feelings, and actions are impacted by “external” factors, such as parenting history, culture, and environmental conditions, as well as the behaviour and expectations of others. Being Mindful and ensuring that our feelings are neither suppressed nor exaggerated, and observing our negative thoughts and emotions with openness and clarity, also counts as Self-Compassion.
Remember, the ultimate goal is not to ward off the painful feeling and to feel inadequate and separated from others. The primary goal of our desire for success should be to belong and to be loved. And this begins with Self-Love, Self-Compassion.
“Emotional pain cannot kill you, but running from it can. Allow. Embrace. Let yourself feel. Let yourself heal.” ― Vironika Tugaleva
emotional healing
Alia Datoo, Transformational Holistic Energy Coach