From Darkness to Light: Emotional Architecture’s Approach to Seasonal Well-being – Transforming Emotional Landscapes: Understanding The Seasonal Impact On Our Psyche As the days shorten, the darkness grows and our world becomes filled with imagination. Halloween brings goblins and ghouls to life as we gather to celebrate. Harvest festivals introduce glimmering lights and bonfires, marking the season with merriment in an attempt to fill our world once again with the light of the days that have grown dark. The long nights push the human mind further into itself as the reality of our world and the pressure of it become almost inescapable.
The Origins Of Holiday Traditions: From Survival Instincts To Modern Traditions
In tribal communities, people came together to survive the cold of winter, sharing resources through merriment to ensure the tribe continued into the next season. This is where most of our traditions for holidays originated, in the deep instinct to survive together. It’s no wonder that seasonal depression or the pressures of feeling loved and accepted are enhanced this time of year. The effects of the dwindling light create very real physical changes. These changes, combined with higher stress or unhealthy family dynamics, can often bring on depression.
While most people are no longer at risk of starvation or exile, the instinctive pressures are still ingrained in our genetic code, propelling the need to be accepted. Managing depression and its physical effects requires a varied approach.
As an Alignment and Embodiment guide with over 16 years of specializing in long-term chronic pain as a neuromuscular retrainer, I knew the body was keeping much more than the score. Emotional integration was not possible without getting the body on board. Helping people shift their instinctive reactions to reprogram their Emotional Architecture changed the physical instinct holding them back. When the body’s natural instincts are in alignment with thoughts and actions, this is where the soul communicates and inspires life into a state of ease and flow. The mind alone can not sway the body into action if the body perceives danger.
Depressions Hidden Roots: The Connection Between Unresolved Anger & Emotional Freezing.
Depression is the freezing of unresolved emotion. During the holidays, it can be impossible to avoid old emotional triggers. Anger or resentment that becomes frozen often is a boundary that’s been crossed so many times that the body tries to protect you by removing you from the trigger. When that trigger is a person in your life,. The voice or words of that person can become internalized into our own self-talk. This internalized voice can come to life each time you are exposed to memories they have influenced. The body can be triggered by any one of the senses—sight, touch, smell, even sound. Instantly, the chemistry of your body is transformed, throwing you deeper into the memory of what was. This is your body’s way of showing you what is frozen inside you. The body shutting down is trying to keep you from moving towards them, risking the boundary being crossed again.
Running away won’t save you. Often, we take responsibility for other people’s demons when, in reality, the light inside us is shining into their darkness. Energetically, the Vibration of Anger intensifies without movement to release it and solidifies. Creating resentment, depression, dorsal vagal shutdown, or the freeze response. Exposing even our own wounds that desire space for change.
All things in this world require a balance to exist: the light exposes the shadows just as darkness showcases the light. It is part of the growth process and the way nature balances opposing forces. The darkness in one person cannot exist without its polar opposite to show the truth of its nature.
Thawing Frozen Emotions: How Movement & Boundaries Can Transform Mental Health and Get Moving
To release the emotional and energetic blocks, we must visit the parts of ourselves that feel the most unsafe. It’s not in our mind that we will find the answer but in our body. Emotions stuck in a freeze can feel like it need to thaw. When you find your mind racing, triggering you to sit down, curl up, or shrink, fight it with small actions. Giving movement to what’s been unexpressed will act like a nervous system reset. This will begin to balance your natural instinct and bring back the fight in your flight. Giving you an even playing ground to address what’s been unresolved.
Set boundaries first with yourself. Get to know what it feels like in your body to go against what you want. What does it feel like to not speak up, express, or invalidate yourself or your needs? That negative feeling is your body speaking, chances are you already know what that feels like but how often do you ignore yourself. As you start to listen and express, your body will get on board with the new program and stop the biofeedback of stress, high cortisol, gut dysregulation, neck and shoulder tension, burnout, lower energy levels, or even reduce autoimmune triggers.
Forgiveness & Self-Compassion: Healing the Heart & Releasing Resentments.
Extend forgiveness to yourself first. Starting within will balance the energy of being wronged by recognizing where we were wrong. Taking action on what we have control over, instead of focusing on others. This will allow the frozen resentments to lead beyond the emotional trigger and back to yourself confidence & healthy connection. Allowing your heart to be constantly cracked open is not for the weak; it’s a sign of strength in the face of heartbreak. Extend empathy and compassion till the ego is settled and two raw people are revealed and accepted simply as they are. Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.
At this time of year, the darkness can feel overwhelming. Remember that by embracing both our shadows and our light, we find true balance and growth. Our bodies and minds, in alignment, have the capacity to inspire profound change.
We invite you to join us in this journey of self-discovery and healing.
Together, we can illuminate the path forward, one step at a time.
Azlynn Berry
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