The Emotional Body

Where does an experience begin & end? Most of us identify so strongly with our mind we perceive emotion to come from thought. But in reality an experience starts in our body. We experience sensations, our mind interprets them, and as a result we feel the emotion.

Our emotional body is the bridge between the physical and subconscious mind. All parts of our body store and access emotional information through receptors in our cells. Research shows emotions are literally stored in these cells, often at a deep unconscious level. 

For this reason, learning to notice and describe the physical sensations associated with uncomfortable feelings can be a step towards softening the feeling's power. It's also why physical therapies or bodywork like acupuncture and reiki, can help shift old feelings stored deep in the emotional body. 

So the next time you're feeling anxiety or stress rising, rather than getting caught in thoughts about 'why' or 'what to do', come into your body and begin by noticing the physical sensations.

'You can't bypass the body' - Deepak Chopra