How to deal with the emotional effects of Lockdown – what to do with all that ‘excess baggage’!

So what else could there be to blog about, than the current global situation?  We’ll all be having different experiences depending on our circumstances, but one thing we’ll have in common is that even the more fortunate of us who are able to ride out the lock down comfortably, will still find our ‘stuff’ coming up. There are various reasons for this.

Firstly stuff comes up when we stop and look around and have some time to think. That is happening for a lot of people at the moment.

For others, who haven’t had a chance to stop and have to keep on working really hard in challenging and frightening circumstances, the stress, as you might expect, piles up and triggers their stuff that way.

The general energy of fear and uncertainty; fear of getting the virus, fear for friends and family who are vulnerable or working on the front line,  fear over your job, whether you will be able to feed the family – all those are deeply rooted survival based fears and they will also bring up any emotional and mental issues you might have thought you’d buried!

Let’s face it. There might be escape from the virus but there’s no escaping the emergence of your stuff ! So I think it’s really important to talk about how best to deal with it.

Dan and I are lucky in that we are well placed to combat any emotional or mental patterns that jump up and bite us on the bum (and they have – don’t worry about that!) 😉 But what about everyone else who doesn’t have access to those techniques? Well – you will be pleased to hear that there are some simple things you can do that will help to dissipate and process whatever comes up.

Firstly and most importantly, when you are losing control, feeling fearful or panicky, or whatever is showing up, remember that it is vital information – about yourself and what is going on – that you might not always be aware of. As such, it is a golden opportunity and something that you can turn to your advantage.

Secondly – as with any issues – awareness is half the battle. Give the matter your conscious attention Instead of trying to ignore it or push it away, say, “Ok – I’m listening! What is it I need to know?”

So, you’ve realised that something useful has come up, and you’ve become aware of what that is about – for example, perhaps it has come up as an outburst of temper and when you look closely (giving it your attention)  you realise that underneath the anger there is a feeling of fear.

The third step is to ask yourself questions. How am I feeling?  Why do I think I am feeling that?  Ideally, in order to get the best information back from that unlimited source of knowledge which you can call God, your higher self, or just your subconscious; try to put yourself into a quiet contemplative state. Obviously if it is straight after the temper tantrum or panic attack, that won’t work – give yourself some time to calm down and then come back to it later!

The best way to get an answer to your question is to detach. Don’t watch your every thought for a pearl of wisdom to float in! Just relax, sit back and don’t pay it too much attention. In contrast to the part where you need to give attention to your emotions, this is the part where it’s best not to watch the pot too much while it is boiling! 😉

It is fine to think of something else. You’ve posed the question to your mind, now let it get on with finding you the answer. While you are not occupied with waiting for an answer, you may well find one drifts into your mind. When I say answer, I don’t mean – “the meaning of life is 42” – it will probably just manifest as a comment.  It is like holding a conversation with the inner you. The inner you will respond with some sort of comment – whether it is a flippant comment, a ‘nobody loves me’ comment, or ‘I don’t matter’ comment. It might sound negative but it is great information.

Then ask yourself – ‘I don’t matter?  Why do I think I don’t matter?’ And then wait for the answer – you may be surprised!

In our healing sessions, we would normally work on these feelings energetically, by finding their root and performing clearing techniques. However, it can be done in a simple and natural way over time, just by becoming aware of what the feeling is and what is behind it. There is no better expert on you than you! – and the more you know yourself and know where your feelings come from, the more power you have to change.

Change is what the world needs right now – change for the better that is! So hard as it is at the moment, remember, you don’t have power over the world, but you do have the power to change yourself.