In January of 2020 I had just returned to the United States from India. I was grateful for the opportunity to study the country’s education system and meet so many incredible people as part of my PhD program. It truly was one of the most transformative experiences of my life and, even now, I am still integrating so much of my experience. Given the weight and overwhelming power of the emotions I encountered, making sense of my time in India has been an ongoing process. 

When I returned to San Diego, I struggled for days to adjust back into my life. Energetically, I was a mess. I didn’t feel comfortable in my skin. I was exhausted beyond belief and my mental faculties didn’t seem to be working properly. To say that I didn’t feel like myself would be an understatement. Aside from my nervous system adjusting to considerably less stimulation, I felt stressed and anxious, unable to ground myself in my present experience. Only now do I see  that my body was in the middle of using these emotions to teach me a lesson. It’s a lesson I’ve found to be incredibly important and I want to share it with you. 

We are energetic beings. Our emotions are energy in motion and are an important component of our energetic selves. However, many people tend to ignore or negate the emotions that they experience in their bodies for fear that they might look weak or have to experience unpleasant feelings. In doing so, they are also neglecting the astonishing power of emotions. Let’s face it, we all experience unpleasant feelings every now and again whether we want to hide from them or not. We could all also benefit from the growth produced by listening to these feelings, pleasant or otherwise.

Emotions signal there is something to be learned

Any time I am experiencing an emotion (energy) in my body that I don’t like, I know that it is a sign from my body that there is something for me to discover. There is something to see, something to learn, something to acknowledge for myself so that I may grow and make something fruitful of that emotion.The first week back I experienced extreme tiredness, an exhaustion so overwhelming it felt almost as if I was watching myself trudge through the day I also experienced anxiety, fear, worry, and a general sense of unease. These stress emotions were unwanted and uninvited, but contained a crucial message. My body was telling me to SLOW DOWN. For someone like me, this message is difficult to stomach. I am always working on a bunch of projects and slowing down really isn’t my forte.

Even though I knew logically that I needed to rest, I still didn’t want this energy in my body. The thing is, when we are experiencing emotions and energy in our bodies that we don’t want to have, it’s not that there is something necessarily wrong inside (which could be the case), but it also could just be a sign that there is something there for us to look at. If we don’t listen, the energy often persists or gets stronger. If we ignore it, we come out of alignment with life. Either way, the power of emotion remains an unwavering guide, leading us back to what matters most. It’s impossible to banish it completely because the emotion itself originates from what you desire. 

So, when I finally did slow down, I became aware of some personal financial issues that needed attention and a school registration issue that also needed attention. I thought I was all set to go for the semester, but in fact, I hadn’t registered for all of my required courses like I thought I had. My body, practically shouting at me to slow down, helped me come back to center and figure out some really important details that would have had dramatic effects on my future had I not seen and dealt with them. I wanted to keep going, to be productive, but this approach (ignoring my body) would have hurt me in the long run. All the feelings of tiredness guided me in the direction of rest which, when I finally gave in, provided a necessary reset. In order to work with emotions productively in our bodies, we must become more sensitive to and aware of our own energies. Personally, I have found that my meditative practices have helped me tremendously in tapping into my own energy and becoming sensitive to my own body. When you are able to quiet your mind and build and intimate relationship with your own body, you can start to work with your own energy as it flows through you. When you are still, you can hear your body.

Harnessing the astonishing power of emotions

In order to work with emotions productively in our bodies, we must become more sensitive to and aware of our own energies. Personally, I have found that my meditative practices have helped me tremendously in tapping into my own energy and becoming sensitive to my own body. When you are able to quiet your mind and build and intimate relationship with your own body, you can start to work with your own energy as it flows through you. When you are still, you can hear your body. This heightened awareness will grant you the ability to resist less, allowing emotions to direct you on the right path. The removal of barriers inside you preventing this free flow of energy can liberate you to accomplish what might have previously felt impossible. 

You may not always want to grant an emotion or an energy a permanent home within you, but you can recognize it, thank it for the experience, and work with it. Emotions (positive and negative) are always fleeting. They are present within you to show you something or comment something about your experience and teach you. When your body is telling you something, listen to it. You might be an energetic being, but you are living in a physical form that has limitations. It is important to listen and provide self-care when your body is asking for it.

I also took my body’s signs that week to slow down and prioritize the activities in my daily life. I took a very honest look at what I am doing, what I want to be doing, and set commitments for myself that are in line with the future I am creating for myself. I committed to a regular yoga practice, carved out time daily for meditation and for writing, and recommitted myself to developing my business in this new year. As another year comes to a close, I encourage you to do the same. Take the time. Take the space. Create the space in your own life today to allow it to unfold for you. And, please, listen to your body. If you elect not to, you may never know the astonishing power of emotions and the guidance they offer.