A HEARTY Response
Call me Polly Anna but I like to think that our enduring the pandemic storm cloud has a silver lining. I believe the experience has offered us an opportunity to evaluate, perhaps re-evaluate, what’s not working for us. We can set a new course towards brighter horizons.
The past few months have brought me to a theory. In my observation of the pandemic, I have gleaned a very clear understanding about our typically-unhealthy relationship with mainstream media (MSM). Oftentimes, we allow it to influence us and close our hearts. I believe this has created an uninvestigated, contributing factor of cardiovascular dis-ease.
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death every year. In the U.S. alone, one person dies from cardiovascular disease every 37 seconds.
“About 647,000 Americans die from heart disease each year—that’s 1 in every 4 deaths." -CDC
It is quite obvious that something isn’t working, folks.
Most of us could probably agree that MSM is filled with negativity which incites fear or anger. MSM is an undeniable source of dissension. This negativity is visibly represented in our social media outlets. With their antagonistic remarks, trolls scheme to stir up arguments. Our newsfeeds abound with posts regarding politics and healthcare which are definitely hot buttons for a lot of us. Unfriending is a typical reaction to online disagreements among friends, colleagues, and family members. Blocking is a common resolution for feuds with fellow community members.
These types of encounters can cause emotional inflammation. Especially if these encounters are on-going (based on how often we check our social media), they keep us in a chronic loop of emotional stress. In the long term, these stresses can create underlying deficiencies of the emotional body, specifically in the heart center.
So how do we soothe the heart-burn of our emotional inflammation? We give it a HEARTY response. Namely, we allow ourselves to feel our emotions rather than react to them. Although this may sound counterintuitive, it is the contrary. By allowing ourselves to be fully present and feel an emotion, we help stave off the lodging of dis-ease in our bodies.
There is help available. We can take the following action steps for our well-being whenever the emotions of anger or fear arise,
1. Halt the trigger.
Detach from the thing that triggered the emotion in the first place. Put the phone down. Log off social media. Turn off the video. Close the article.
2. Expel the emotion.
Place both your feet flat on the ground. if you are standing, slightly bend your knees. Take a few slow, deep breaths. Inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth. Try to feel your inhale all the way down to the soles of your feet. Then try to feel your exhale move its way back up through your body and leave your body, taking the energy of the emotion with it. As you breathe, do your best to quiet your thoughts.
3. Assist the body.
If you still feel the emotion after taking a few deep breaths, try to locate the place in your body where the emotion feels most intense. Maybe it’s in your shoulders or your abdomen. Once you locate where it feels the strongest, breathe into the area of the intensity. Observe it. Try not to think about it. Take a few more slow breaths.
4. Remind yourself it’s only temporary.
The lifespan of an emotion is only 90 seconds. You can whisper affirmations to yourself that will help move the emotion, e.g. “This too shall pass. I am safe.”
5. Take time before taking action.
Wait for the emotion to wane. You may have to do the above process (steps 1-4) repeatedly. Intense emotions can come in waves, especially if you are feeding them with your thoughts. Instead of feeding the emotion, release the waves of tension by stretching your body or going for a walk.
Once the emotion has subsided, use your heart to guide you to the best course of action. As ways to respond come to mind, you can clarify them by asking yourself the following questions:
· “Am I being reactionary or responsive?”
· “Is my response kind?”
· “Is my response necessary?”
6. Yodel.
Let your heart sing! Let it guide you in the best course of action. (By the way, NOT responding to someone or some situation can be just as heartfelt as taking action.) As you do so, you create good health for your heart. And sometimes, the end result is a Win-Win situation for all involved.
Finally, I invite you to do this: the next time you feel reactionary, before you hit the Block button or clobber someone with a block, ask yourself, “By reacting to this person/situation, am I blocking my heart?” Remember, actions are like pebbles. They create ripples.
If you are experiencing conditions of the heart, whether physical or emotional, I recommend the ANM team. We offer a smorgasbord of different techniques. Dr. Chris is very knowledgeable in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease through naturopathy. I can personally attest that an Acupuncture/BARS session with Dr. Miki is a very deep, yet gentle, way to release lodged emotions. She also offers Holistic Pelvic Therapy, an incredibly powerful emotional healing modality for women who have sustained sexual assault or abuse. In their own styles, Brook and Natalia offer therapeutic massage that can also help release stuck energies around the heart, Brook through his Qi Gong approach and Natalia through Somatic massage. I also offer services to help increase the flow of energy throughout the body, whether through guided meditation, Reiki, or energy work.
We welcome you to give us a yodel. Calling us on the phone is also acceptable.
Yo-del-lay-hee-whoooo,
Natasha Sol, Reiki Master