Releasing the Past
Murray M. Fuhrer Self-Esteem & Personal Empowerment Coach
There is no pill, lotion, potion, energy balancing, psychic reading, or affirmation that will change the past. Most, if not all of the obstacles in our path to personal development are the result of unresolved experiences and issues from our past. The past can be a wonderful, empowering source of knowledge and inspiration or a millstone we tied around our waist and drag behind us everyday. Are you dragging the past behind you?
When you think back over a past experience, do you feel pain, regret, or anger? When you review a perceived failure, does that little voice in your head chastise you? You have surrounded that incident with emotional energy – energy that must be released.
Part of the pain associated with the past is the "if only" game. If only I had listened to my intuition. If only I had said “I love you” before it was too late. If only I had said “no” instead of “yes” – “yes” instead of “no.” But a mistake is just that – an error in judgment at the time. Remember, we make our choices and decisions based upon the information available to us at the time. In other words, we did the best we knew how in that moment. We are not perfect and will make mistakes throughout our lifetime.
It may help to think of releasing the past in the following manner. Imagine yourself standing in a dark, unlit room. On the other side of the door is a room filled with sunshine. When you open the door the light streams into the dark room – the darkness does not overshadow the light. So it is within us. Releasing the past will bring light and peace to those dark places kept hidden deep inside. Guilt, shame and blame fall into the category of dark places. We all have dark places that need light.
When emotions from the past begin to overwhelm you: stop, take a deep breath, and ask yourself the following questions. Could I allow myself to feel this emotion? Will I and when? Often, we don’t feel our emotions, but suppress them– placing them in that great subconscious pressure cooker. Emotions we suppress do not go away, but continue to assert themselves – more aggressively each time. The resulting stress can be overwhelming both emotionally and physically. The answer to WHEN may be now, later today or in a few days time. If the answer is now – allow yourself to feel the emotion completely. Now comes the crucial part – ask yourself: Could I release this emotion? Will I and when? If the answer to when is now – allow the emotion to dissipate. Close your eyes – breathe deeply. It may help to visualize a great wind blowing the emotion away – perhaps seeing the emotion as dust, leaves, or snow. Visualizations are powerful – use one that works well for you. You may need to move through this process several times. Should the emotion return, repeat the process. You will soon discover that each time you do, the emotion is less potent and the releasing process more effective.
Releasing the past can be a challenging yet immensely rewarding experience. As a result, you will become more aware of the love, harmony and peace that surround you everyday! Be courageous – the results will be worthwhile.
