CRYING PATTERNS

Crying is one of the most intimate human experiences you can have with yourself. It’s your body's natural response to the emotion you feel. It’s similar to sweating when you’re hot or shivering when you’re cold. It’s like when your skin regenerates itself with a scab. It’s this uncontrollable release stemming directly from your heart. As much as crying may be triggering to me - it's also a point of truth that can no longer be escaped. I used to cry a lot. I cried about being overwhelmed with situations that were difficult to handle. Or - I would cry if my feelings were hurt and I felt betrayed or unseen. But as I get older, tears are more seldom than ever. When they come they serve as a rush of truth and my knowing to accept certain truth. The tears come from a place of realization and the internal work that needs to be done. I rarely cry tears of joy. Mostly when I cry, it's when I understand that I’m not in control. I cry when it doesn't matter how smart or clever I am and none of my “solutions” or answers will work. My cry is final cooperation with life and what it calls to be my reality. It’s calling me to the center of my world to surrender and take my hand off the wheel. 

One of my mentors told me something that sticks with me everyday. He says to “flow like water” and to “take the path of least resistance”. This idea resonated with me so deeply because my tears arrive when I’m NOT flowing like water - when I’m taking the path of MOST resistance. This is something I personally have to be aware of because I like complex things. Something in me enjoys understanding the intricacies of life - so much so that I can sometimes become preoccupied with things that aren’t aligned with my mission. I find it interesting to know my tears are mostly a result of the same emotion. I also find it useful to understand that if I find myself in a crying season - it is because I won’t submit to my flow. That perfect mixture of introspection and aphorisms helps me understand how to grow and shift perspective. 

What is your relationship like with tears? Whenever you cry - what is it often about? What is your crying pattern?