Allowing Numbness To Come...And Go

How often do you find yourself just wanting to check out? To shut it all off? To escape for a bit? Chances are, you're probably doing it right now. Our modern day society is shaped around the principles of stoicism. And while being stoic can have a time and a place, if we remain in a constant state of refusing to feel our feelings, where do they go?

Life is about encountering emotional states that challenge us to delve deeper into our inner world. One such state is numbness. Contrary to popular belief, numbness is not about feeling nothing; it’s about feeling everything all at once. When we are numb, it’s not a state of neutrality but a concerted effort to suppress overwhelming emotions that seek acknowledgment and healing.

Numbness is Natural, Prolonging it Is Not

Numbness is a natural part of the healing process. It’s the body’s way of managing intense emotional overload, much like how certain plants in nature aid in physical healing. Consider cloves, which have antibacterial properties that help treat oral and gum pain. Aloe vera is another example, soothing burns and injuries of the skin, while kava relaxes the body and eases an overactive mind. These plants demonstrate that numbing or soothing sensations are an integral part of recovery and healing. However, there is a significant difference between honoring numbness and forcing it to stay. When numbness arises naturally, it serves as a protective mechanism, allowing us to navigate overwhelming emotions gradually. Yet, when we try to prolong numbness through destructive and addictive behaviors, we use it as a means to avoid the complex feelings within our shadows. This avoidance can hinder our healing process and prevent us from experiencing true emotional freedom.

How Capitalism Profits Off of Numbness

In our present-day capitalist society, the prevalence of pharmaceutical drugs and various alcohols pushed onto us perpetuates a state of numbness. This societal norm benefits the capitalist system, as a population that is numb to their feelings is less likely to take sick days, pursue soul-searching vacations, or engage in creative and entrepreneurial endeavors. Quite literally, capitalism depends on a consistent state of numbness to maintain productivity and economic growth. This societal conditioning teaches us to suppress our emotions rather than face them. We are constantly encouraged to numb our feelings with quick fixes, whether through medication, alcohol, or other means, which keeps us disconnected from our true selves and our natural healing processes.

Honoring and Moving Beyond Numbness

While numbness can provide temporary relief, it’s essential to honor it as a part of our healing journey and not a permanent state. Here are some ways to navigate numbness holistically:

1. Mindfulness and Meditation: These practices help us become aware of our emotions without judgment, allowing us to process them gradually rather than suppressing them.

2. Somatic and Emotional Release: Engage in body-centered therapies to release stored trauma and pent-up emotions.

3. Yoga and Breath Work: These practices help us reconnect with our bodies and our breath, facilitating the release of suppressed emotions.

4. Nature Connection: Spending time in nature can ground us and provide a nurturing environment for emotional healing.

Reclaiming The Power to Feel

The path to healing requires us to bravely feel all our emotions, no matter how overwhelming they may seem. By processing, releasing, and integrating our feelings, we reclaim our power and return to our true nature. It’s a courageous act to step away from societal norms that promote numbness and embrace our full range of emotions.

Embrace Your Emotional Journey

As a holistic wellness practitioner, I encourage you to embrace your emotional journey with courage and compassion. Numbness is a natural part of healing, but it should not become a permanent state. By allowing yourself to feel, you tap into the profound power of processing and integrating your experiences. Return to your nature, and reclaim the vibrant, emotional life that is your birthright. Remember, you don't have to feel it all at once. Coming out of a prolonged state of numbness is a very intense process. You can quickly and easily feel overwhelm, as your body and mind have been shut off from feeling for a long time. Please, practice giving yourself grace throughout this process. It is okay to take your time, and to even determine specific emotions or life events that you'd like to process at a time. There is no deadline you must adhere to.

A Call to Feel

I encourage you to bravely feel it all. Reclaim the power of processing, releasing, and integrating what is left. Allow yourself to return to nature, your nature. In embracing the full spectrum of our emotions, we find true healing and freedom. Let us move forward with the courage to feel, heal, and transform.