FINGERHOLDS TO MANAGE EMOTIONS
The Fingerholds are a simple way to work with emotions and to develop emotional literacy. Emotions are like waves of energy moving through the body, mind and spirit. Often we judge emotions as "good" or "bad", rather than recognizing them as wise messages from the body guiding us in our response to challenges, dangers or people in our envi- ronment. With overwhelming feelings, energy can become blocked or repressed, resulting in pain or congestion in the body.
Through each finger runs a channel or meridian of energy con- nected with an organ system and related emotions. By holding each finger while breathing deeply, we can work with the flow of emotional energy to bring physical release and healing. Fingerholds are a helpful tool to use in daily life. In difficult situations when tears, anger or anxiety arise, fingers may be held to bring calm and focus so that the appropriate response or action may be taken. The practice may also be done as a meditation with music, or used before going to sleep to release the problems of the day and bring deep relaxation. The practice may be done on oneself or with another person.
Fingerhold Practice
Hold each finger with the opposite hand for 2 to 5 minutes. It doesn’t matter which hand is used. You can experiment to see which hand feels more comfortable. Children need less than a minute with each finger. Adults usually need 2 to 5 minutes or more to calm and balance their feelings.
Breathe in slowly and deeply; recognize and acknowledge whatever feelings or emo- tions you hold inside yourself. Breathe out slowly and let go, imagining the feelings mov- ing out of your finger into the earth. Breathe in a sense of harmony, strength and healing. Breathe out releasing past feelings, strong emotions and difficult memories.
Often as you hold each finger you can feel a pulsing sensation as the energy and feelings release and become balanced. You can tell which emotions need your attention by the strength of the pulse. Often we think we are dealing with one emotion, but the finger that has the strongest pulse can tell us what we are feeling perhaps unconsciously.
