The primary colors of emotion are anger, sadness, fear, and hurt. Anger is very often merely a lid for more authentic emotional states. Anger may appear as resistance (NO!), resentment, or distancing. Sadness may lead to depression or a consistent feeling of melancholy or "heaviness." Fear is commonly experienced in anxiety, nervous behavior, or an underlying feeling that something bad is about to happen (dread). Hurt in a constant sense of neglect, woundedness, or a feeling of not being appreciated.

In spite of the richness of emotional experience that is potential in our psycho-physical organism (the bodymind) many of us have no authentic means of relating to our felt sense or direct experience of emotions. Furthermore, we might not be literate in our ability to express these incredibly diverse feeling states in verbal expression.

The purpose of this BLOG is to give you a leaping-off point for expression and through the expression a fresh new experience of emotions with more vivid intensity. You will also be able to begin to sense and understand how emotions comprise a flow in your body and not merely a static condition.

Let's begin with the first of the primary colors -- Anger.

Raspberry, maroon, rust, salmon -- red has many, many more permutations of its generic redness. Likewise the emotion anger may be expressed as resentment, fury, rage, irritation, annoyance, withdrawal, depression, hate, bitterness, hostility, disgust, dismay, irksomeness, impatience, frustration, or aggravation, among many others.

Play with developing your literacy of these permutations of the feeling state of anger by drawing, dancing, sculpting (perhaps with clay or plasticine), or writing about them. Identify your own expressions of anger, the ones that you habitually experience and demonstrate. Also consider the expressions of anger in those close to you. Some of these permutations of anger will be familiar and vivid to you, others not so much. Work at developing your understanding and emotional literacy in the most creative ways you can find.

Finally, consider what challenges are involved for you in these explorations. Which of these expressions of anger cost you too much now? Which are you ready to release? Which do you no longer wish to tolerate in those close to you? How much of your emotional experience and behavior is reactive and conditioned?

BLOG entry #39