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Author, Teacher, Screenwriter


Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Healing Emotions #9--Don't let victory defeat you!

Healing Emotions #9--Don't let your Victories Defeat You!

Briefly the idea is this: If you don't soar too high, you won't fall too low. In other words, seek equilibrium. In the process of healing your wounded emotions, you are very likely to cycle between depression and exhilaration. In BOTH cases, it is useful to attempt to maintain balance.

When you are "up" you are in bliss, but not survival, and therefore it can be easier to gain perspective (survival fear creates "tunnel vision" like nobody's business. It can be almost impossible to interrupt that pattern without enormous effort). What you want is to avoid violent swings of the "wheel" of your emotions right or left. It is much like driving--when we first learn, we're likely to swing wildly. With time, we make tiny course corrections left and right until we appear to be traveling in a straight line.

The same thing is true of walking, a process of throwing your body out of balance...and then regaining...and then repeating the process again and again.

Not too high equals "not too low." People become literally addicted to the "swing" of their emotions, and it can tear them apart, lead to substance abuse, and open them to inappropriate relationships just because someone emotionally or sexually pushes their buttons.

Take control! Develop the capacity to sit slightly back from your emotions, witnessing them. If they are too extreme, detach a bit. If they seem healthy, jump into the flow and enjoy. You have this ability, but it must be practiced to be useful. In time, it will become automatic.

The very best way to change or "balance" your state: focus on your breathing. Hyper-excited breathing is simply different from balanced, happy breathing. Learn the difference. Tie it into your "Five Minute Miracle" practice.

You WILL have victories...but don't let them defeat you!

Steve

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