RE: Practices for emotional release ?

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SushiK, modified 1 Year ago at 1/4/23 9:20 PM
Created 1 Year ago at 1/4/23 9:20 PM

Practices for emotional release ?

Posts: 161 Join Date: 6/11/20 Recent Posts
Happy New Year friends :-)

To put my inquiry in context, in the last 15 years (I'm 33) I have had a total of 4 emotional release.

- Once with ayahuasca
- Twice with guided breathwork.
- Latest one yesterday with intense gua sha (scraping).

In all those experiences the release came with crying and shaking sometimes accompanied by vision/emotions (Ayahusca, first breathwork), sometimes purely physical (2nd breathwork, gua sha) but each time feeling much lighter afterward.

The one of yesterday made me strongly aware I have been holding a lot of emotions/tensions in my body without any idea how to relax and release it, leading to a lot of pain (Particularly shoulder, back, hips).

 What kind of practices have been beneficial and led you to strong emotional release / catharsys?

Thanks a lot for your input and wish you well -
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streamsurfer, modified 1 Year ago at 1/5/23 6:08 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 1/5/23 6:08 AM

RE: Practices for emotional release ?

Posts: 100 Join Date: 1/19/16 Recent Posts
Happy New Year emoticon
Doing Yoga consistently helped me to release a lot of my emotional tension. Most of the magic happened in the relaxation at the end, when I completely relaxed and allowed myself to feel whatever comes. Time was really the game changer, for a year my body would shake after practice and I would feel very intense emotions. Now I feel that I returned to a more of a natural baseline. Picking a practice where I felt an effect and sticking with it did the trick.
A couple of Aya-Journeys helped me to give away a lot of the intersocial pain I had as a baggage from childhood and relationships. It didn't even feel that emotional but I noticed it actually does open the heart. And the general openness afterwards helps to implement new behaviour which is more in tune with self love and the environment. Kinda like magical CBT, hehe. Meditation and a Ceremony once a month actually work pretty well together for me, but I get that Aya might not be for everyone, on the other side you already tried it, so ... emoticon
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Jim Smith, modified 1 Year ago at 1/5/23 8:27 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 1/5/23 8:21 AM

RE: Practices for emotional release ?

Posts: 1639 Join Date: 1/17/15 Recent Posts
SushiK
Happy New Year friends :-)

To put my inquiry in context, in the last 15 years (I'm 33) I have had a total of 4 emotional release.

- Once with ayahuasca
- Twice with guided breathwork.
- Latest one yesterday with intense gua sha (scraping).

In all those experiences the release came with crying and shaking sometimes accompanied by vision/emotions (Ayahusca, first breathwork), sometimes purely physical (2nd breathwork, gua sha) but each time feeling much lighter afterward.

The one of yesterday made me strongly aware I have been holding a lot of emotions/tensions in my body without any idea how to relax and release it, leading to a lot of pain (Particularly shoulder, back, hips).

 What kind of practices have been beneficial and led you to strong emotional release / catharsys?

Thanks a lot for your input and wish you well -


Digging through layers of emotions:
https://ncu9nc.blogspot.com/2020/09/when-you-cant-find-tranquility.html

Surrender
https://ncu9nc.blogspot.com/2019/09/aspects-of-meditation.html#asp_med_surrender

In addition to occasional big releases it is also possible to work day to day with smaller releases, but also it can be over done, you have to find a balance between letting out and letting go.

I find it helps to notice the physical sensations that accompany emotions. When I first started to do this I became much more aware of my emotions in daily life. I could see them arising when triggered instead of wondering three hours later why I was in a bad mood. When you notice an unpleasant emotion arise you can also watch it until it fades. Watching emotions arise and fade is studying dependent origination and observing the three characteristics.

I also practice samatha (tranquility) meditation to help balance the emotional release with more pleasant emotions.
https://ncu9nc.blogspot.com/2020/08/preparing-for-meditation-with.html
https://ncu9nc.blogspot.com/2020/10/easy-meditation.html

I do some type of relaxing meditation to produce a pleasant tranquil mood then in sitting meditation and mindfully in daily life I watch any unpleasant emotions (dukkha) that arise and fade.
George S, modified 1 Year ago at 1/5/23 8:32 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 1/5/23 8:32 AM

RE: Practices for emotional release ?

Posts: 2722 Join Date: 2/26/19 Recent Posts
What kind of practices have been beneficial and led you to strong emotional release / catharsys?
- meditating on psychedelics (thc, psilocybin, salvia)
- spontaneous yoga/movement/postures (whatever my body feels like, however weird)
- circling (getting more clarity around interpersonal stuff)
​​​​​​​- looking after my kids
- community work/projects
Robert L, modified 1 Year ago at 1/6/23 7:17 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 1/6/23 7:17 AM

RE: Practices for emotional release ?

Posts: 59 Join Date: 2/10/19 Recent Posts
I've found TRE -Trauma/Tension Release Exercises- to be beneficial. They are a group of exercises that cause mild muscular exertion that induces neurogenic trembling and shaking. Lot's of easy instructional videos on the Youtubes. 
My main practice is simply allowing the emotion to take place and embrace whatever comes. Treat them all like a close friend, ask them what they need, explore the sensations that accompany them with curiosity. It develops a sense of equanimity in the presence of the emotion. Fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, shame, are wonderful partners. No pushing or pulling, just ride them like a wave and allow what happens to happen. It's surprising.
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Ben V, modified 1 Year ago at 1/6/23 8:49 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 1/6/23 8:49 AM

RE: Practices for emotional release ?

Posts: 417 Join Date: 3/3/15 Recent Posts
George S, modified 1 Year ago at 1/6/23 9:03 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 1/6/23 9:03 AM

RE: Practices for emotional release ?

Posts: 2722 Join Date: 2/26/19 Recent Posts
I got a lot out of (solo) focussing as well, using Gendlin's book.

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