I came across an excellent technique for handling difficult emotions taught by renowned psychoanalyst Stephen Cope. The 5 step process is called Riding the Wave and is based on prana and the concept of where attention goes energy flows.
Step 1: Breathe
When we consciously redirect our attention to breath, we immediately enter the world of energy, of movement, of arising and passing away, of constant change. There is no distance to travel to this world. We are right there. According to Stephen Cope:
The goal is to ride the wave, not tense and get off of it. So when intense emotions arise, breathe and relax into it. Think "Soft Belly." As you breathe and soften your belly, your muscles will loosen and allow the prana energy to flow unrestricted to all areas of your body. This process chases away the fight, flight, freeze response.
Step 3: Feel
This is more than just having feelings. It means moving actively toward whatever sensations you are experiencing and exploring them with open curiosity. No judgment allowed. Ask questions such as "Where in the body is the feeling most intense?" "What is the exact nature of the sensation?" "Are there any patterns of energy movement?" Remember: energy follows awareness. Consciousness and energy are deeply linked. The more conscious we are, the more wave of life we will feel.
Step 4: Watch
Become the silent witness of the experience. Don't fight with what is--embrace it. Focus the attention on "how is it?" rather than "why is it?" or "do I like it?" The watcher is the coacher. We, as the witness, can coach ourselves through the experience as we remain unidentified with it. It is the abiding voice that is constantly chanting, "Breathe, Relax, Feel, Watch, Allow."
Step 5: Allow
Here is where we relinquish our resistance. Trust in the process. Riding the wave of emotions because that is the best way to face the waves of life. Don't fight them, ride them. We don't try to understand what is happening either. We trust that understanding will come later and we trust that everything is always as it should be.
I really like this 5 step process called Riding the Wave. I hope I can remember to use it the next time I feel a rush of emotion wash over me. I am understanding the power of energy. I realize the need to allow the energy to pass through me and change me as it courses through my body. The best way to experience this is to Breathe, Relax, Feel, Watch, and Allow.
Step 1: Breathe
The softest of stuff in the world
Penetrates quickly the hardest.
Insubstantial, it enters
Where no room is.
~Lao Tzu
When we consciously redirect our attention to breath, we immediately enter the world of energy, of movement, of arising and passing away, of constant change. There is no distance to travel to this world. We are right there. According to Stephen Cope:
Since the breath is the switch that integrates the emotional-prana body with the physical body, conscious breathing opens parts of the body that may have long been shut off from the life force. And when the save of breath moves into these exiled areas, the results can sometimes be instantly dramatic.Step 2: Relax
The goal is to ride the wave, not tense and get off of it. So when intense emotions arise, breathe and relax into it. Think "Soft Belly." As you breathe and soften your belly, your muscles will loosen and allow the prana energy to flow unrestricted to all areas of your body. This process chases away the fight, flight, freeze response.
Step 3: Feel
This is more than just having feelings. It means moving actively toward whatever sensations you are experiencing and exploring them with open curiosity. No judgment allowed. Ask questions such as "Where in the body is the feeling most intense?" "What is the exact nature of the sensation?" "Are there any patterns of energy movement?" Remember: energy follows awareness. Consciousness and energy are deeply linked. The more conscious we are, the more wave of life we will feel.
Step 4: Watch
Become the silent witness of the experience. Don't fight with what is--embrace it. Focus the attention on "how is it?" rather than "why is it?" or "do I like it?" The watcher is the coacher. We, as the witness, can coach ourselves through the experience as we remain unidentified with it. It is the abiding voice that is constantly chanting, "Breathe, Relax, Feel, Watch, Allow."
Step 5: Allow
Here is where we relinquish our resistance. Trust in the process. Riding the wave of emotions because that is the best way to face the waves of life. Don't fight them, ride them. We don't try to understand what is happening either. We trust that understanding will come later and we trust that everything is always as it should be.
I really like this 5 step process called Riding the Wave. I hope I can remember to use it the next time I feel a rush of emotion wash over me. I am understanding the power of energy. I realize the need to allow the energy to pass through me and change me as it courses through my body. The best way to experience this is to Breathe, Relax, Feel, Watch, and Allow.
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