JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- We’re all feeling it, but what are some tools to defeat it? It’s healthy to have emotional fluidity available. Emotion is just energy in motion. Unexpressed emotion can lead to pain and issues in our tissues. I’m a big proponent of somatic healing: breathe, shake, sound, move. There’s a saying, "to heal it, you’ve got to feel it." We’re not exactly encouraged to express our feelings in the military.
I invite you to experience Emotional Theatre. I learned this transformative approach from my teacher Layla Martin, founder, VITA Coaching Methodology. To begin, stand and shake with your—preferably bare—feet firmly planted on the floor.
Shake, stick your tongue out and just let go! Give yourself permission to fully express the gateway into your emotions. The goal is to experience a variety of emotions for less than a minute (shoot for 40 seconds).
If you aren’t feeling it, think of an event that will help evoke these emotions:
Anger/Rage
Sadness/Grief
Disgust
Fear
Crazy/Insane
Trust/Admiration
Joy and Happiness
Excitement
Bliss
This could be powerful in a group setting with a facilitated approach where members are outside, socially distanced, in a circle and are encouraged to cycle through different emotions. A leader could be in the center (with all participants wearing masks) to cycle through the feelings. You want to end on a high vibe note to fill your body up with the endorphins that are created with that sensation. It’s cathartic to feel the feels. Emotions come and go, like the clouds. We put labels on them that some are better than others—but they just are. Giving permission to express oneself is powerful.
Let’s face it, these are challenging times. Between the pandemic, economic worries, home schooling (or not), wearing masks, politics…the list goes on. There’s so much uncertainty right now. Talking about it only goes so far. There is liberation in breathing, moving, and expressing in an experience like Emotional Theatre.
I invite you to give it a try.