
How many of us truly recognize our emotional responses, not as reactions from the ego, mind, or body identity, but as impulses from a deeper place? A place like the gut feeling, or what some call the zero state?
The Shifting Weight of the Soul
Going through the dark night of the soul can feel unbearable. But as the inner work deepens, something begins to shift. It becomes… lighter. Perhaps that’s not the perfect word, but the weight starts to loosen.
And just when we think we’ve found balance, the old identity—the ego mind-body self—sneaks in unexpectedly. One moment, you’re floating in peace, light, a nirvana-like state. Next, you’re spiraling into a turbulent inner storm: unfamiliar pain, mental noise, emotional pressure that feels like something inside might burst.
Before, I wouldn’t even notice these inner whirlwinds. I’d blame someone or something—the world, life, the air. I’d ignore it. Suppress it. Move on.
But last time, I paused.
It was painful.
I observed.
I sat with it.
There was no clear cause, just a sensation from the past, still resonating in my body. It wasn’t real in the present moment. It was energy—old and unresolved. I surrendered. I prayed. I asked my antaratman—my inner soul for guidance.
There was no yes or no answer. But there was a knowing: this was residual energy clinging to survival. It felt familiar, like the discomfort of hurting someone, or being hurt by words, behavior, or abandonment. All from the past.
Reflecting on Emotional Triggers
- How often do we react in the present from the past?
- How often do we confuse past pain with current truth?
- How many of us realize this pain isn’t real anymore?
- How many of us know what to do with it?
This happens to all of us. We get triggered—at home, at work, while shopping, even while watching a movie. Sometimes it’s joy. But often, it’s pain.
A Moment at Work
Even in corporate settings, emotional pain surfaces.
A few months ago, I was gaslighted by a colleague I barely spoke to. He wouldn’t say hello, avoided eye contact, and projected coldness. I wondered: What have I done wrong?
Later, I learned he was going through a difficult time. And something in me had attracted his behavior. He was radiating low self-worth. At that time, I felt the same. Our energies met in that frequency.
He wasn’t aware of it. But I chose not to judge.
Instead, I turned inward and used the Ho’oponopono method to cleanse what within me had attracted that experience. I took full responsibility—not blame, but ownership of my vibration. Within a week, he changed completely. He greeted me warmly. The energy between us softened. And something in me, my self-worth, healed too.
A Trigger During Meditation
At a Kriya meditation event, I saw a woman I had once connected with, beautiful, intelligent, and radiant. But that day, I couldn’t look her in the eyes. I felt bitterness, jealousy, and fear rising in me.
I withdrew into silence. It took time to understand what was happening. Then it hit me: What if my ex falls in love with her?
The pain of abandonment surged: I’m not enough. I’m unwanted. But it wasn’t about her. It was about my past (At the end, I hugged her and shared my inner struggles with her.)
These emotional flare-ups can happen anywhere, even in spiritual spaces. Old wounds. Unhealed parts. Triggers we didn’t see coming.
Meeting the Pain Differently
It’s not our fault—we simply weren’t aware. But we can choose how to respond. We can learn to recognize and release. These reactions don’t serve our highest self. They are echoes. Old energy fields.
And we are so much more.
I’m grateful that today, instead of suppressing the pain, I stop and looked at it. Yes, it was wild, like an untamed horse. Emotional, energetic, intense. But I don’t get angry at it. I look at it with curiosity: What is this? And the more I surrender, the calmer it becomes.
Surrendering to the Present
I am not always sure whether it is envy, jealousy, or fear of being replaced, but I do know this:
- When we look at our pain without fear, we tame it.
- When we accept it, we transform it.
- When we acknowledge it, we release it.
Yes, it may feel like a long process. Last night, it felt that way for me, too. I stepped away from the conversation. I was given space, without judgment, without questions. I spent quiet minutes surrendering, praying, meditating, until the body, the mind, and the ego… softened.
I felt calm. Reassured. Safe. And I reminded myself: This was just the memory of an old experience. Today is a new day. Now is the only real moment.
If we keep reacting to the past, our future will mirror it. But if we surrender to the now—the unknown—then tomorrow becomes something entirely new.
To surrender to the now is to surrender to the divine within, because the divine doesn't exist in the past or future. It lives only in this moment.
And that still, quiet voice…
That deep, gut-level knowing…
That is the antaratman.
That is the divine within.
A Few Tips for the Journey
🌿 1. Talk to someone who understands. A friend or spiritual guide can reflect truth back to you. In sharing, you may help each other align with the antaratman—faster than you realize.
🌿 2. Meditate or surrender. When emotional waves arise, bow your head and surrender to the love within. Remind yourself: I am safe in surrender. The ego will attempt to protect you and pull you back into the past, but it doesn’t need to do that anymore. You are safe now.
🌿 3. Allow time. Give yourself permission to process, feel, understand, and let go. The “old” may resist. It may push or battle for space. But reassure it: You are safe. And keep surrendering.
🌿 4. Eat light. Support your emotional process with clean, simple meals. Listen to your body. Trust your gut. Listen to your cravings, even if it’s for something you wouldn’t have considered eating before.
🌿 5. Drink pure and natural. Opt for water or herbal infusions. Teas that support emotional healing include:
- Lavender – calms the nervous system »
- St. John’s Wort – lifts emotional heaviness »
- Mint – soothes digestion and clears the mind »
🌿 3 More Herbs to Support Emotional Healing
🌼 Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) »
- Known for: Calming anxious thoughts, easing sadness, uplifting the heart.
- Why it helps: A gentle nervine that regulates the nervous system—perfect during spiritual shifts or emotional overwhelm.
- How to use: Add a few drops of the lemon balm extract to your tea, or brew lemon balm leaves as tea before or after meditation. It blends well with lavender or mint.
🌿 Holy Basil (Tulsi) »
- Known for: Grounding, heart support, clearing mental fog.
- Why it helps: Tulsi nourishes both body and spirit during stressful times. It reconnects you with your center.
- How to use: Sip as tea throughout the day or take in capsule form as part of your morning ritual.
🌸 Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) »
- Known for: Calming the mind, easing emotional tension, aiding sleep.
- Why it helps: Helps release racing thoughts and supports emotional rest, especially when grief or turmoil disturbs your peace.
- How to use: Drink as a tea or take a tincture in the evening.
And If You Get Triggered Again…
If next time you get triggered by a colleague, a loved one, or even through silent energy—pause.
Don’t judge.
You are triggered for a reason. Recognize the emotion. See the mirror it reflects.
Let it go.
Forgive yourself. Acknowledge the feeling. Then release it. As soon as you do, you begin to heal. And you help the other person heal too.
Because while you are learning to observe and understand your emotions, many people aren’t yet aware. They still believe the emotion is who they are. But once we let go of the old experiences, the old self—something beautiful happens: ✨ The light being within emerges.
Will it hurt again?
Maybe. But it will be different, lighter. Quicker. A flicker, not a storm. Because now, we know better. Now, we remember: ✨ We are divine light within.
This body is the vessel that collects, stores, and remembers all we’ve experienced. That is karma. And now, it’s time to create new karma, consciously, lovingly, based on our dharma.
In the end, learning to recognize the difference between thinking from the head and thinking from the gut is not about denying our thoughts; it’s about honoring the truth beneath them. The head analyzes, argues, and replays the past. It pulls us into cause and effect, into stories of fear, defense, and survival.
Remember: the ego-mind is noisy, reactive, and often lost in loops.
The gut—the soul within—is silent. It knows.
When we pause, feel, and surrender to the present moment, we begin to shift from mental noise to intuitive clarity. That’s where healing begins. That’s where the divine within speaks. One breath at a time.