HEAL: Acknowledging the Wounded Warrior

Healing Shadows.jpg

If the point of life is to remain in the moment, making peace with the past is necessary. Even after you have had major emotional breakthroughs, there will still be moments of pain. There are still residual painful memories. Those memories are triggered by practically anything that reminds you of your emotional experience. It is important to make peace with these experiences because of two truths. Truth 1: Your experience did happen; Truth 2: This experience is in your past. Trauma can be repressed but it can never be erased.

To make peace, you must be honest with yourself about the reality of what happened– only the facts about what happened and sequentially, removing all emotion and attachment to it. It is in reviewing the experience unemotionally that you will begin the process of letting go and being with peace; By embracing the change in you caused by elements of that trauma.

The unemotional review is the part of healing where there are a lot of questions. 

1. You must question your actions. (What you did or allowed to happen because you did not honor and respect yourself and your boundaries). 

2. You must question the reaction of your actions. (Your emotional response) 

3. You must accept the reality of what happened in the past and accept the truth about how you feel about the past. (This tends to be the hardest part to let go of the past because we like to hold on to our emotions.)

Acknowledgment
Reflection

The darkest part of healing yourself is dealing with your past: your decisions– your words and your actions– and the things you allowed. The emotional reflection, realization, and release can be quite long, intense, and draining. Giving yourself both time and space to be alone with your thoughts in essential to cleansing the crown of built-up yet suppressed emotions that are still holding on. Find a type of meditation that works for you; a repetitive motion that allows you to create a separation between body and mind. This is the process of engaging the body into one action so that the mind can be free to wander in thought. This can be drawing, painting, writing, running, walking, or simply, breathing. These activities are easily comparable to daydreaming while in motion. This will allow your mind to wander. During this process you will be able to observe your thoughts and feelings. Being honest about your feelings may be difficult simply because it requires you to accurately define your feelings. This definition may be an unpleasant revelation. The accuracy of the honesty allows for the truest acknowledgment to have the purest release.

(E=energy) + motion
Realization

When dealing with strong feelings, multiple sessions of ‘mind wander’ are necessary. When jolted to a feeling, be careful not to react or become emotional [(e=energy) + motion] during these sessions. This may be difficult at first. We tend to hide behind actions that fill us with an energetic something instead of creating space for nothing. Pay attention to the sense that the energetic action is indulging. For example, if your emotional action is anger or want to fight, either vocal or physical, you are likely searching for safety. Anger is a form of protection from fear or sadness, which is a reaction to a means of survival. If your emotional action is to eat, smoke, drink, or anything toward the mouth, you have yet to speak your truth. In this sense you are intaking something to avoid expelling something. If you are so inclined to point out your side of the situation, you believe you are right. This is both a very difficult and ironic action as this is pride feeding the ego. If the goal is getting the mind to wander freely, the acknowledgment of the feelings being triggered by your thoughts will help you realize what thoughts and attached feelings need to be released.

Real + ease  = PEACE
Release

There are two types of empty feelings: the one where you feel heavy and the one where you feel light. The irony of feeling empty but heavy is that the emptiness feels dark as if something is missing, still needing to be filled. A truly empty release is both light and warm as if something has been set free. To free yourself from your feelings you must allow yourself to be vulnerable. The feelings that you are holding on to are ones that protect you from being vulnerable. Being vulnerable with yourself will show you how willing, and open to the world you can be; allowing you to be present for limitless opportunities. It also allows you to understand your boundaries; permitting yourself to say no and when to walk away. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable again is not for anyone but yourself. Understanding your vulnerability will show you your limitations for you to gain your freedoms. When you truly release your feelings towards something or someone, your actions and reactions will be instantaneous and different. 

No one can release your feelings for you. No one can heal your emotions. (There is only guidance and taking that guidance to heart and practice). Our feelings are comfortable, simple and we like how they feel. That does not make them right or wrong; that just makes them feelings. Our feelings are simply tools to guide us to action but not meant for us to remain attached to them. Breakthroughs are small steps on the path of healing. They show you that you are ready for the next level of internal work. Healing is a continuous process. It does seem to 'suck', but this is only for a short time comparatively and it really only 'sucks' when you don’t let shit go. You must detach from your feelings in order to heal, grow, and understand how to protect your crown.

What to do now:

  • Write out your feelings so you can see them.

    • Separate them from the situation and analyze them.

  • It’s always okay to cry. That is how you release.

  • Acknowledge each breakthrough so you can practice being better at getting to your peace.

  • Be aware of yourself and your triggers and how you respond to people and situations.

  • Be present in your emotional responses.

These lessons aren’t for everybody at this point in time of your life. However, if something resonates with you at all, feel free to leave your thoughts to continue the discussion.

Tamara Belinda