It was 9pm and we were driving down the highway in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
I was arguing with my girlfriend at the time about something as we drove and she continued to get angrier and angrier.
But me?
I did the sMaRt and mAtUrE thing:
I took a deep breath 😮💨
Then I took another.
And another.
Of course, I was getting angry too…
…but the deep breathing helped.
Or did it?
Though I didn’t know it at the time, all I actually did that day is disconnect from my emotions.
I thought I was the mature one because I knew how to avoid feeling (and expressing) what I was feeling (in this case, anger).
But no…
I was just good at shutting down my emotions because they made me uncomfortable.
This was after meditating almost daily for 10 years straight 😱
Despite my meditation practice (backed by lots and lots of lOtS of sCiEnCe!), I still had no idea how (and why) to feel and express my emotions.
No doubt… this was infuriating for my ex.
She’d tell me that she felt like I didn’t care or feel anything.
I didn’t know what she meant until I discovered the world of nervous system healing.
That’s when I finally found out what it actually meant to feel and express my emotions (or alternatively, shut them down).
Instead of taking a deep breath when I felt uncomfortable, I learned how to let my breath run free so the emotion or feeling could move freely through my nervous system.
I also discovered how to avoid getting lost in my emotions and feelings… as well as how to bring myself down after an intense moment (without bypassing or “controlling” the system with a deep breath).
That’s what Rageheart is all about:
Learn how to work with, understand and master your emotions and feelings. Your misunderstood fight-or-flight response. Your brilliant and highly-evolved nervous system. And yes, your breath too 💪
Start or continue your journey here:
Cheers,
John Wood
P.S. Know anyone who needs to take less deep breaths so they can feel more (but in a safe, contained way)?
Refer them to this daily email newsletter and help them discover the magic of rewilding their nervous system.