How to get in touch with your feelings

by Anna Diep

 

Too often we become stuck in our head and rely only on our mind to find our way through life. A more holistic approach to life – one that encompasses mind, heart, body and spirit – empowers us to connect with all our parts of ourselves to create our own reality.

All our feelings, positive and negative, are part of us; some just need more support than others. Building a skill set of awareness and managing the physicality of our feelings can help us navigate negative emotions without fear and shame.

Here’s a simple technique to help you get in touch with your feelings.

 

The colour-texture-feeling technique

 

– Create a safe time and place.

– Close your eyes and ask yourself ‘how am I feeling right now’. Usually there is more than one emotion but there may be one that is more dominant, most negative.

– Choose the feeling you want to focus on and take your awareness to it.

– Use the 4 second rule and ask yourself:

‘what am I feeling right now’

‘where is this feeling in my body’

‘if it had a colour, what would the colour be’

‘if it had a texture, what would the texture be’

‘if it had a shape, what would the shape be?’

 

– Observe this feeling and sit with your awareness on the part of your body that this feeling is in; observe the colour, the texture, the shape.

– Honour this emotion, and by doing so you are signalling to your feeling that you are ready to address them fully and completely. This is a loving approach, not a fearful one.

– Finally let your feeling know that you are ready to release it; you can do this with a thought or an affirmation, through a meditation or a yoga practice, or by drawing it out or writing it down.

This technique can become part of your everyday routine. Enjoy being in touch with your feelings and the beautiful release as these emotions leave your system.