07 Jul 2015 No Comments
Crying Relieves Pain & Stress
We are all born with the innate ability to express emotions. Express literally means “push out”. Emotion can be thought of as “energy in motion”. When emotions become overwhelming and they are not expressed, they can become “stuck”, so to speak, causing a blockage in the flow of energy.
Laughter, yawning, crying, sighing, and even singing – all facilitate the expression of a variety of feelings. These natural and contagious inclinations serve to cleanse the body, mind and soul, so that we can maintain a healthy balance. It is important to note that all of these can also be seen as breathing exercises, since they expand the flow of breath.
As we are conditioned to live in society, however, many of these natural forms of expression are stifled and even shamed. For example, pretty much as soon as we begin to talk, we quickly learn that it is not acceptable to cry. In order to hold back those tears, when we feel physical or emotional pain, we must constrict our breathing and disengage our mind from body and soul.
When we do this, the energy that was meant to move through us, on a “wave” of breath, gets trapped instead in our muscles, which must be held – constricted – to prevent the breath/energy from moving. This painful energy is then stored as tension in the subconscious mind and body (which are not really separate at all). If this buildup of pain is not cleansed, the results can be devastating – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
As infants cry, they breathe in a connected wave pattern. “Connected” means there is no pause (or holding) between the inhalation and exhalation. It’s a “wave” because the in-breath rises in the lower belly, first, and flows upward to expand the chest area. The out-breath is an uncontrolled flow, similar to a sigh of relief, but with loud sound attached. Crying allows that buildup of pain energy to exit the body/mind. It is indeed a big relief when this happens, and this is why we think of babies as being so resilient. They cry, letting the pain energy leave the body/mind, and the event that caused the pain is often forgotten.
A Transformational Breathing session is a process that relies upon breathing in a similar fashion to re-establish the healthy ability to process emotions. In the process, we can clear and release self-defeating beliefs that were formed as a result of the cultural conditioning that says “don’t cry”.
A series of ten weekly sessions typically restores the innate ability to move energy through us, releasing tension and deep rooted stress. At the same time, we are restoring (or creating) a sense of safety and worthiness to express our authentic feelings in the world, without fear of being shamed.
What’s more, when the subconscious mind is cleared of excess baggage, those old familiar voices of conflict are quieted, allowing the voice of Spirit to be heard more clearly. Many people report profound experiences of feeling connected to God, a higher power, Jesus, or whatever name they choose to refer to the essential Source of Life which breathes through each of us.
One of my favorite quotes came from an Asian mother, who had suffered with Traumatic Brain Injury for years. She attended a workshop along with a group of her peers from Boston, MA. After her first Transformational Breathing session she said. “Before this experience, I did not think there was a God. But today I know God.”
