Let it Go

I have a dear friend Raymond Moody, the author of “Life after Life.” In his book, Raymond Let-it-Goeffectively shares with readers the experiences of individuals who endure an out-of-body transformation. His findings are remarkable and have led him to seek additional ways for humanity to understand our nature. One endeavor Raymond is pursuing is making sense of nonsense. He believes we limit creativity innocently through our interactions with each other. An example would be a parent suggesting to a child that their idea/action/belief is nonsense, ridiculous, or unreal. I believe Raymond would suggest that many of our society’s great endeavors came as a result of expanding—not limiting—creative minds.

From the day Raymond introduced his idea, I have found value in his wisdom. I expand on what Raymond had suggested. I began thinking our interactions don’t merely limit creativity, but potentially much more. Think for a minute with me about some of our everyday communication. How many times have we told someone to get over it, stop crying, don’t worry, stop being dramatic, or don’t be so vulnerable? As you think about this, you may realize as I have that it is more often than we think.

What does this do to those we love and/or run across on the paths of life? As we hear these words from others, we often repress our feelings, building up anxiety and possibly depression. Our beliefs become that our unjustified feelings will eventually go away, which they don’t. They build up as if held behind a dam that will fail over time with the emotion being created. As we age, we accept this life pattern as normal, not understanding the beauty of being able to express ourselves freely (without criticism). Unfortunately, this pattern becomes accepted and repeats itself into the next generation.

With the pressure created by emotion held behind the false dam, we often find ourselves acting out on what is held inside. Teens may be seen as defiant or rebellious when it is nothing more than unspoken truth. They may feel bound by invisible cords, evidenced by rebellion. This action is nothing more than breaking free. As adults, our repression causes unnecessary chasms in our relationships, often our marriages. These feelings are misunderstood, making us appear irritable or distant. We act out in a variety of ways, not many that are positive. In each case, we are simply finding relief from pressure held behind the dam.

No amount of rebellion or decay of morals will heal our core. We need the relief which comes from heartfelt expression. Realize this, and become active in expressing your feelings. Allow others the same. Not only will we build our creativity as Raymond suggests, but we will free ourselves from repressed emotion. This freedom heals pain, relieves anxiety, and allows us to deal with our emotions appropriately.

Jaren

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