Yin & Emotional Release

Crying in yin and don’t know exactly why?

This is normal, a GOOD thing, but we shouldn’t force it or seek it either (oh those attachments).

Sometimes we suppress emotions, right? We can’t show any and all emotions as we experience them, especially the extremes. Laughing uncontrollably or crying hysterically both are more often than not considered signs of lunacy. And if we don’t DIGEST these emotions, feelings, experiences i.e. process them in mindfulness and/or meditation practices and in our inner work these emotions get stuck. As they will have nowhere to go, they nest into the body. I mean, where else, really?

So: We hold issues in our tissues. Especially in our back, hips and psoas muscle. We contract our psoas – the hip flexor – when we get shocked, frightened, i.e. in that ‘fight, flight or freeze’ because this muscle collaborates with our diaphragm which in turn contracts when we get stressed: our breathing gets shallower.

From Daoist point of view each organ houses emotions. For example, anger and frustration live in the Liver, fear in the Kidneys, worry in the Stomach and Spleen. As we hold yin shapes for longer periods of time bypassing muscular activation and playing our own edge safely we access the deeper levels of fascia, tendons, ligaments, joints, even our bones – and our meridians. When we hit the change phase in these tissues it might be physically, mentally and emotionally – first – uncomfortable and challenging and – then – releasing and liberating. It is this release where we may experience emotions too. And this in turn offers a point for kind self-inquiry. 

Personally, I consider a yoga class or a conscious dance where I have either cried or laughed – or both – a great one. We’re more than just a puppet of meat.

Dragon or shoelace anyone?

P.S. More about this topic via gel/sol balancing act…