Journey Three: Releasing Resistance

For this portion of the journey we will gain further guidance with an understanding brought by: Deepak Chopra; author, public speaker, alternative medicine advocate & a prominent figure in The New Age Movement. These are Seven Steps to Releasing Resistance.

Step One - Physically Identify & Locate Emotion

Identify exactly what is being felt. Put a word on the incident that describes the experience. Be as precise as possible. Give the feeling a name. Come up with a word that epitomizes the experience. Focus the attention on that word.

Step Two - Witness The Experience

Gradually allow the attention to move away from the word. Let the attention wander into the body. Become aware of the physical sensations that arise in the body as a result of the emotion identified. These two elements, an idea in the mind & a physical sensation in the body, are what an emotion truly is. They can’t really be separated. Let the attention pass through the body while recalling this experience. Locate the sensations the memory brings up. Find where it is in the body the feeling & emotional experience are resting.

Step - Three Express The Emotion

Express that feeling now. Place a hand on the part of the body where sense of the feeling is located. Say the chosen word out loud. Aware of more than one location for the pain, move your hand from place to place and repeat the word. At every location, pause for a moment & express that which is being felt. Say the chosen word out loud. Experiencing physical discomfort means that something is unbalanced in the experience. Physically, Mentally, & Spiritually. The body knows it, every cell in the body knows it. Befriend these sensations & their wisdom. The pain is leading to wholeness.

Step Four - Take Responsibility

Be aware that any painful feelings experienced are personal feelings. These feelings are happening inside the body now as the pain is remembered, even though nothing is presently taking place in the material world. Only remembering what happened and the body responds with: Muscle Contractions, Hormonal Secretions & other responses within. Even while the painful incident was occurring in the material world the effect was entirely within. The choice is within interpreting & responding to emotional turbulence. Recognizing this is taking responsibility for personal feelings. No need to feel guilty. Instead, recognizing the personal ability to respond to painful situations in new & creative ways. By taking responsibility for personal feelings we also gain the power to make the pain melt away. No longer blaming others for having caused the pain, we no longer have to depend on others to make it go away. Hold this understanding within consciousness for the next few moments.

Step Five - Release The Emotion

Place the attention on the part of the body where the pain is resting & with every exhalation of your breath hold an intention of releasing that tension. For the next 30 seconds: feel the painful sensation leaving the body with every breath. Some find that making an audible tone that resonates in the part of the body where the pain is localized helps to loosen & lift the contraction away. Experiment to discover what works best personally. For some, singing & dancing does the trick. Try deep breathing, using essential oils & taking a long warm bath. Finally, if the emotions have been written on paper, it can be helpful to ritually burn the paper & offer the ashes to the winds.

Step Six - Share The Outcome

Sharing the outcome of releasing the pain is important. It activates the new pattern of behavior after the old painful pattern is released. Imagine speaking to the beings involved in the original painful incident. What would you say to them now? Bear in mind they are not the real cause of the pain. The real cause is the personal response. Now in this transformed state, be free. Share what happened without blame, manipulation & seeking approval. Perhaps they intended to cause pain and unwittingly, we collaborated in that intention. Intend to no longer fall into such traps. Whatever is said is completely personal. Maintain an awareness of the steps taken so far in this exercise, anything expressed will be right for The Self.

Step Seven - Celebrate The Process

Now celebrate the painful experience that has taken place as the valuable material that empowered movement to a higher state of consciousness. Previously disconnected, destructive & disabled parts of the psyche are now integrated & contributing power towards the greater spiritual goal. Instead of reacting to the situation with a pain reflex and further perpetuating the problem, turn it into an opportunity for spiritual transformation. Celebrate! Go out for a nice personal dinner, buy some flowers & a present to honor The Self.

Use this exercise whenever feeling upset to free The Self from emotional turbulence & the underlying pain. When this is done, discover the positive opportunities that arise more often, in every area of life.