Anxiety is a state of physical, emotional, and/or spiritual imbalance that lets you know that there is valuable information that you need to pay attention to and act upon to improve and enhance your life.
Your anxiety signals where there are energy blocks (physical or emotional pain) in the body, mind, and spirit. Whenever there are energy blocks in your body, you become vulnerable to physical or emotional disease, especially when those blocks are produced by excessive negative thoughts. Your anxiety lets you know what unresolved issues need to be healed and what feelings need to be released. This healing can lead to personal transformation and ultimately, making healthy life changes.
When you lean into your anxiety, you can notice where your body is holding tension and creating energy blocks. Ask yourself: “What is the root of the anxiety being triggered? What spiritual information am I being guided to see? What is my anxiety showing me about myself or my life?”
For example, my client, Ellen came to me suffering from severe anxiety including panic attacks. She was having trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, heart palpitations, shortness of breath and fatigue. She was also crying all the time, depressed, and feeling overwhelmed even doing the simplest tasks. And, she excessively worried about the littlest things.
From the viewpoint that anxiety is part of our spiritual guidance system, Ellen’s anxiety was not trying to upset her or make her life miserable. On the contrary, it was trying to get her full attention. Her anxiety was trying to make her aware of her unresolved feelings about staying in a “soul-sucking” corporate job that was draining her life force energy and keeping her from spending time with her young child. It was illuminating her internal conflict about staying in a job she disliked or spending more time at home.
Ellen had felt restless, uninspired, and stagnant in her corporate job for some time. These were the subtle spiritual signs that she was out of alignment with her soul’s path. Her anxiety was trying to alert her that her indecision was creating spiritual discord.
With this new spiritual information, Ellen went to her HR department several times requesting a three– month sabbatical from her current position. Each time she allowed herself to be talked into staying. And each time her anxiety flared up right afterward. Her indecision was due to her fear of losing control and the need for the familiar comfort and structure of her job. It also was showing her that her self-worth was attached to her job rather than who she was at her core essence.
Ellen’s anxiety was trying to be her ally not an unwelcome guest. It was illuminating a spiritual crisis in her life. She was out of alignment with her soul’s desires and it was time to make a change. Finally, her anxiety encouraged Ellen to dig deep and resolve her spiritual conflict.
As difficult as it was to let go of her job, she chose to take a sabbatical for three months and stay at home with her son for the summer. She also began to explore new career opportunities where she could channel her talents and interests more authentically. After she made those decisions, her anxiety symptoms were significantly reduced and she felt lighter, happier, and more in tune with her true being.
I encourage you to dig deep here and give yourself time to do the following exercise: When you lean into your anxiety, you will begin to notice where your body is holding tension and creating energy blocks. It’s important to take time to have a “Sacred Chat with your Anxiety” by journaling the answers to these questions: “What is the root of my anxiety that’s being triggered? What spiritual information am I being guided to see?” What is my anxiety showing me about myself or my life?
Such a simple lesson that takes so long to learn: our bodies are wise and they’re really on our side! Another excellent post, my friend.
I have learned over the years that if we don’t listen to the messages our body is trying to send us, it will keep reminding us in unpleasant ways until we do!
I had that soul-sucking job. Actually, several of them. Once I listened to my inner guidance and ended my employment, everything in my life came into balance. Our intuition knows what is best for us. As always, thank you for the pearls of wisdom to guide us along the way.