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Why Cry?

Often our bodies serve as an early warning system. Remember the headache that began before you realized you were stressed, the fatigue that crept up on you before you knew you were low, or the lump in your throat that signaled sadness.

At these times, our heads may tell us to reach for a cup of coffee or choke back the tears, anything to shut off the feelings. But, by brushing past these physical cues we are silencing the wisdom of our bodies.

Crying is often seen as something to suppress and obviously there are situations where it isn't appropriate. But, in the supportive setting of my Mastermind groups, I have seen many people cry. And, more often than not, by unlocking the bad feelings they also set free the good ones. It's all part of the self-honesty that leads to clarity.

Sarah (I've changed her name for privacy) was trying hard to ignore the signals her body was sending her. Instead, as she spoke to her Mastermind friends about a difficult situation in her life, she started by intellectualizing her feelings. It wasn't working and the tears came.

I suggested that rather than talking from her head, she go into her body. And, with her permission, I coached her through a process of physical exploration and visualization. The images that appeared were distressing at first, but she stuck with it and moved through a symbolic journey. Her last image was of a rooster standing high on a fence. Sarah interpreted this as sign of a new beginning, a new day, a time to move on.

After just ten minutes of paying attention to her feelings, Sarah said she felt calmer, less fearful and energized. But it wasn't just Sarah who benefited, the group that looked on were empowered too. They recognized the feelings that Sarah described and it gave them permission to express their own emotions.

So, the next time you find yourself trying to override your feelings, take a moment to listen to the wisdom of your body. You may be surprised by what you hear.