“What difference do it make if the thing you scared of is real or not?”

- Toni Morrison, The Song of Solomon

We all accumulate beliefs as we move through the world. Over time, with healthy curiosity, education, and exposure, many of our beliefs evolve and adapt. When someone holds rigid beliefs that don't change even after being challenged or contradicted by direct personal experience or education, we recognize that there is a problem, and we see every day in the news how harmful and misguided this can be on the social level. And yet many of us are not aware of the rigid and outmoded beliefs we hold about ourselves and how they impede our health and well-being.

In my work I often see beliefs show up in people's fields as knots, like a big tangle of wires or a tightly clenched fist. Health and vitality require flow, and these knots block the natural flow of energy. This is why deeply held beliefs about ourselves are often found at the root of much of our physical, emotional, and spiritual pain; they are constricting where we need to be open and flowing.

Many of us become aware of these knots when under stress: in the throat, if we believe deep down that it's not safe to speak out; in the chest, if we believe we're unlovable; in the gut, if we believe we're not smart/strong/capable enough to accomplish our goals. Whether or not we're aware of these knots, they reside in our fields and literally distort our perception of the world.

No matter where a belief came from or why we're holding it so deeply, energy healing can bypass the rational mind with all of its defenses, and many times in a session those knots gently untangle and release simply when seen and held with compassion. People often experience this as a weight being lifted. Sometimes we are able to identify the outmoded belief, sometimes it just leaves behind a sense of freedom and ease.

If you are curious to begin noticing whether and where you might be holding some of these knots, mindfulness practices are a great way to start building self-compassion and awareness. I like and recommend Tara Brach's RAIN approach, and there are many others.