Thoughts and emotions as gateways to liberation

Read time ~6 minutes

This approach is rooted in somatic awareness and nervous system work, which recognises that many patterns live beyond the level of thinking.

Overthinking, overfeeling, being stuck in the mind or stuck in the heart. Quite often, the source of suffering is self-inflicted, and we seek to get rid of these “bad” thoughts or feelings.

And there are times when destructive thought patterns or emotional reactions need intervention and to be dealt with, for sure. But in this article, I would like to offer an alternative piece of contemplation.

What if your thoughts and your emotions can be a gateway to your liberation, rather than being an obstacle?

Ganesha, from the Hindu pantheon, represents the aspect of our Self that both places obstacles on our path of self-realisation, as well as the capacity to remove these obstacles, to experience our true Self.

The body is the offering 

2.8 Shiva Sutras

Cognition is food 

2.9 Shiva Sutras

In non-dual tantra, we are guided towards the realisation of our true nature through the very aspects that make us human. We don’t need to transcend our thoughts and emotions or restrain ourselves from worldly life and all its pleasures.

What often becomes problematic are not the thoughts or emotions themselves, but the way we relate to them. The way we assign meaning and importance. The way we allow them to define who we are and inform our decision-making.

The mind is simply doing its job by generating all kinds of thoughts, often unpleasant ones. It is wired to come up with the worst-case scenario for survival.

And that cannot be changed.

What we can do instead is shine the light of awareness. We can pay attention to the thoughts, but pay no heed to them. You don’t have to believe everything you think.

So next time you notice yourself overthinking or fixating on a single thought, see if you can approach it with curiosity and softly say to it:

“Hmm, that is interesting.”

Witness it, but do not become it.

And with the emotions taking place in the body, the approach is similar, and yet different. Often, we want to rationalise feelings that are meant to be felt, meant to be experienced. And this is a tough one. Most of us perceive it as much safer to exist in the mental plane. Going into the bodily experience does require more patience, time, openness, and courage.

But with the right tools and guidance, this journey can become more available.

So next time you notice yourself experiencing an emotion that you want to rationalise, define, or run away from, see if you can sit with it. See if you can take a deep breath in, exhale softly, maybe do a few more of these, and just be. Notice where in your body the emotion feels located. Are there any sensations? Do you sense a temperature, a texture, a colour?

With time, this practice helps to build your capacity to sit with emotions without being overwhelmed by them. But it takes presence and effort.

I hope this article offered something for you – an insight, an inspiration, a glimpse into the possibilities.

If you feel curious to explore this kind of work with me,

I am offering 1:1 somatic coaching and private meditation practice.

I also offer guided meditative journeys & somatic practices to help you put to use what you’ve just read about. You may start with a guided meditation for working with thoughts and emotions.