Some of us recall few experiences of happiness (light). Thus many people who have had terrible events occur in their lives in their physical bodies, in their minds, in their emotions (feeling a lot of darkness).
Many of us passionately avoid “negative” feelings or thoughts. I say these things because I myself did this the first 30 years of my life. And because nearly most people I know talk about the unhappy emotions as obstacles against enlightenment. “Have a great day…Don’t cry–it’ll be okay…She’s always complaining…He never smiles…Be happy…”
When we are not happy, there are reasons. Many of these reasons are not in our control; many of these unhappy sensations we actually repeat or intensify, unconsciously. Our “negative” emotions are instinctive reactions to what is happening around us, and inside of us. Those instincts are part of our human nature–which includes our animal nature.
Working for many years as a counselor and bodyworker, my goal is to focus on the ways our physical sensations (our “animal” nature), our thoughts (with our big brains), our images (pictures we have in mind), and our emotions influence each other. As we become more aware of these connections, we are a bit more able to make choices, and actions, that loosen the grip we have on the things we truly do not like, or need. We needed them in the beginning, but not any more.
Other blogs, like “Somatic Experiencing” and “Trauma,” describe with a bit more detail of how this works.