The human body has an incredible ability to heal itself.
When we are sick, our immune system works hard to fight the infection. When we experience a cut, our body’s clotting mechanism prevents us from bleeding out. When we experience emotional injury on another hand, our psyche does it's best to move past the trauma. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ve resolved the underlying issues. These emotional injuries may just be buried deep within us, only to resurface again in different ways in various parts of our lives. This coping mechanism arises in part because we’re not allowing ourselves to heal properly, because we quickly shift our attention to other areas in our lives, or simply because we are uncomfortable with confronting difficult issues. But our subconscious mind remembers, and these emotional injuries can manifest in ways that may degrade the physical body, or contribute to imbalance in our lives. To know more about where negative emotions are stored in the body you can read our blog on stress containers here.
One of the common feedback we get from participants of Gong Meditation is an emergence of repressed emotions during or after the session. Yes, this is normal, and can actually be beneficial!
When in Gong Meditation, we let go of the day to day activity that occupies our conscious mind, we connect to the breath and give ourselves permission to surrender. Most importantly, we set the intention to heal ourselves. Within this framework, the subconscious mind is finally able to speak to us, showing us memories, traumas and issues that we may still be holding onto. When we allow ourselves to examine these forgotten aspects, we open up a door to our innermost self. These are parts of us that still require attention - and with effort, dedication and understanding, we can work through the issues to strive towards an upgraded version of ourselves.
After a Gong session, we highly recommend writing in your journal, to better integrate your experiences and what they may be trying to tell you. From day to day, it’s difficult to see any change happening within us, but if we take a look at the bigger picture, we begin to recognise the transformation that has slowly been taking place. Having a journal allows you to keep track of your journey, and is also an important reminder to trust the process.
Holistic mental health modalities are not trying to replace mainstream psychotherapy by any stretch, but what they can do is:
1) remove blockages or obstacles to the healing process,
2) provide support in which we may get to know ourselves better and
3) guide and empower our innate ability to heal
Life is comprised of a spectrum of experiences, from moments of blissful ecstasy to abject despair, and everything else in between. As we embark on the journey to heal ourselves and find balance in the face of all challenges, we must surrender to the process and learn to tap into the inner wisdom that exists within all of us.
Written by Izzy Liyana, content creator & writer for HOA