“I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.” — Frank Herbert (Dune)
I was raised to hold strong emotions inside.
I later realized how damaging this was. Unreleased emotion gathers in you like a toxin. Each occurrence leaves a bitter residue.
Better to let emotion blow over and through you like a strong wind.
Permit it to pass.
Observe its direction.
Reflect on its message.
Emotion no longer resides within you, souring future endeavors. Only you remain, clear and conscious of its message. Only you determine its effects in the calm of the after storm.
Emotion demands to be experienced and acknowledged. Within its core lies a message. When you bottle up emotion, that message is never received.
I am angry.
I am afraid.
I am frustrated.
I am uncomfortable.
Emotion often signals ancient fears. Those fears may be acknowledged and put to rest. Emotion also signals the need for action. Only when releasing it does the necessary action become clear.
No longer will you turn a deaf ear to emotion’s cry.
No longer will you tolerate its bitter residue.
No longer will you bottle it up inside.
Permit emotion to pass over and through you. Let it speak to you, but never allow it to consume you.
🤔 Food for Thought:
Were you raised to bottle up emotion inside?
Do you continue to do so?
Have you ever allowed emotion to blow over and through you?
⚙️ One Small Step:
The next time emotion erupts within, stand firm and release it. Hear the message it carries. Wait patiently for it to flame out and moved on. Only you will remain with message in hand. Only then will you act with clarity of mind.
One of the Buddhist principles I like is being kind to your emotions. Emotions are part of us and we shouldn’t feel violent towards them, instead we should embrace and see what they have to offer. Thanks for writing this!