Written by: Melanie Ashley, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Part of creating a balanced foundation in the Pathway to Peacefulness means cultivating emotional intelligence and managing the automatic response of mind and body to stress related triggers. Within the 5 element theory ¹ – which help us understand how the forces of nature live within us – the element related to emotions is water. Water has the ability to transfer its state of matter from solid to fluid to vapor. Similarly, the fluidity of our emotions can be solid – or frozen; fluid – from viscous to free flowing; vapour as our emotions can move so fast when agitated, they transcend reality. Such is the concept we’ll explore in this article when choosing recovery orientated strategies from chronic stress.
The relentless pursuit of excellence demands not just our time and energy but also a piece of our soul-spirit. It is a path often filled with challenges that test our limits which could activate the Fight Flight Freeze response. This might typically be shown as being too Rigid, so nothing thrives or too Fluid like a tsunami or even dissociated like vapor disappearing into the atmosphere. Each, a different emotional response to the experience of burnout symptoms, and potentially loss of purpose.
Water wisdom
Within the 5 Element Theory part of creating a balanced foundation means cultivating emotional intelligence and managing the automatic response of mind and body to stress related triggers. This is the element of water and its transferable states of solid to fluid to vapor.
The relentless pursuit of excellence demands not just our time and energy but also a piece of our soul-spirit. It is a path often filled with challenges that test our limits which could activate the Fight Flight Freeze response. This might typically be shown as being too Rigid, so nothing thrives or too Fluid like a tsunami or even dissociated like vapor disappearing into the atmosphere. Each, a different emotional response to the experience of burnout symptoms, and potentially loss of purpose.
The foundational work is therefore a balance between a solid state and a fluid state as the threads of mind, body, soul, and spirit are woven together. Too tight – and the fabric is rigid. Too loose and the fabric cannot hold or support anything without help.
Designing a recovery orientated strategy involves diving deeper into our quest for balance and harmony. We’ll do this by exploring emotions and how the fluid state can deepen our connection to wellness and propel us forward in the transformation of our becoming.
For those battling physical and emotional exhaustion?
Symptoms of emotional imbalances manifest in several ways, including:
Reduced performance in everyday tasks because of feeling helpless
Cynicism and lack of belief
Withdrawal or isolation as a result if increased sense of failure or self-doubt.
Decreased satisfaction from not feeling good enough
Feeling detached or alone in the world
Procrastination as motivation decreases
These emotional responses would relate to depletion in water element where-as emotional outbursts would imply excess in the water element and could show as a tsunami of emotional outbursts.
In either case, longevity in this unbalanced state could lead to the use of substances to cope.
These symptoms of burnout not only compromise our health but also influence our worldview and sense of personal security. Feeling overwhelmed and drained can skew our perception, making us feel less capable and secure in both personal and professional realms.
The science of emotions: Understanding stress orientated strategies
It is now accepted that there is a bio-chemical reaction which releases a neuropeptide into the body with every emotion that is experienced. This is the science of Psychoneuroimmunology – PNI – which came into being by Candice Pert in 1985.
Candice discovered neuropeptide receptors on the cell walls of the immune system and the brain. Neuropeptides are implicated in a wide array of functions including the emotional aspect. When activated from an emotional response, they search for its complimentary partner resting in the body. And when it finds its counterpart, they connect. I little bit like someone giving you a key to fit a particular door to a house on a street. And when you find the fit and open the door the contents are not as you had hoped. So, you would shut the door tight. The tighter the better. Until the conditions are right to open the door again. But just little bit at a time. And as you release the lock and re-open the door – that which was feared is less intimidating that the first time – until we feel safe to open the door fully.
This is how the body works. However, the locked door may show as stomach cramps; a tight back, the nagging neck ache the tight shoulders that never seem to release, the grinding of the teeth, waking up at 3:00am in the morning. Symptoms of Chronic Stress.
A survey conducted by Mind, a UK mental health charity, of 2,000+ individuals shows that 34% of people consider their jobs very stressful, more so than health issues (17%) or money problems (30%).
You get the idea,
Realign and Restore offers the foundation for recovery-oriented strategies: drawing on the qualities of Soil which forms the earth.
We also need to create a positive connection between the emotions and the mind to help avoid mental fatigue and general nagging aches and pain within the body: drawing on the qualities of water which is also held by the boundaries of land within the earth.
Together, Earth and Water energies allow depth and help us to recognise and choose our state: solid (like ice) or fluid like a meandering stream.
The role of earth and water elements
Water element embodies flexibility and adaptability. Just as water flows and changes shape, this energy teaches us to be more fluid in our thoughts and feelings. It reminds us that being adaptable and open to change which is crucial for growth and emotional well-being. It is a space to reflect and explore patterns of behaviour, environment influences, cycles of life and death, ancestry, and family history – everything that could impact on our values, ethics and beliefs which leads to how we feel. It is making peace to dance with shadow and to find our innate gifts to share with the wider world.
The right practices help us to balance these states which gives us space to make a conscious choice during those challenging times.
We cultivate the correct mindset by Position the state of mind using breathing practices which balance the left and right hemisphere of the brain PLUS create a deeper connection with the limbic system and pons.
Power up the sense related to survival so we can thrive and live with Passion
Recognise the subtle vibration of Psalm with mantra, mudra related towards the lower abdomen
We continue to weave the threads of this element – say Yellow – with the Red Tread. The mystical carpet start to take shape.
Appropriate movement to use the muscular and skeletal frame of our Physicality to awaken new energy sources, also related to survival.
For those along the pathway to peacefulness, such Practices – created from a fusion of many – can help recuperate from emotional exhaustions, enhance decision-making, improved creativity, and personal connections.
Thus, improving our ability to think clearly and make decisions and transform from drowning or disassociation into flow.
And there’s more
6. We can bring in ritual to support and direct the exploration of the influences in our Psychology as we remove imprints of past traumatic events that affect our behaviour, ties that keep us bound and re-write unconscious contracts that have been made. And the best part is, such practices can also remind us of our gifts and our innate nature.
And, ultimately – to use what once held us in an unsporting belief structure to become fuel to propel us forward into the life we dreamed of living.
Addressing these imbalances by recognizing our emotional reactions and the affect this has on our loved ones and ourselves, helps to restore our inner joy and buzz for life thus enabling us to see the world more accurately and empowering us to lead with renewed strength and resilience.
Complete renewal
In managing wellness, as in clinical care, a tailored approach ensures therapies complement each other and avoid any energetic discord that could hinder progress; whilst also considering the energetic profile of the practitioner. The approach transcends mindfulness stress management techniques.
For instance, a person living with addiction might find certain meditations or sound healing sessions intensify their struggles, indicating a mismatch in energetic needs. The chosen strategy would involve choosing mind – body – sou – spirit practices should aim to stabilize. In this case a practice with mantra, sound healing, mudra and ritual leading to meditation based on the element of earth would serve better. For another person, it might be a more physical approach might dominate the process.
This highlights the importance of a personalized wellness strategy, ensuring that each practice aligns with an individual's unique energy and needs. And that is where we come in, ready to guide you through selecting the right mix of practices for your journey towards balance and harmony.
Melanie Ashley, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Melanie helps overworked and exhausted professionals navigate through draining life changes. She helps them find mental clarity, physical strength and emotional balance by them to reconnect with their personal truths, purpose and motivations. Melanie does this by uncovering hidden gifts, building energetic practices and opening the realm of possibilities to create a unique practice for each person.
References:
4 Steps to Reduce Overwhelm (Brainz Article)
Molecules of Emotions by Candice Pert https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/305921The-role-of-neuropeptides
https://www.samaritans.org/news/work-number-one-cause-stress-uk/
How To Recover From Burnout (Brainz Article)
