Every once in a while, something hits me during a session with a client, prompting me to explore a concept I call the “emotional cloud.” It’s an idea many of us can relate to: being so overwhelmed by an emotion that its intensity makes it nearly impossible to recognize or consider any logical choices in the moment. The emotional cloud descends, obscuring our clarity of thought and leaving us at the mercy of our feelings.
Recently, I had a thought during a session: the reason we tend to “hear” our feelings more loudly than our logical thoughts is because we’re more in tune with the physical than the mental. Throughout our lives, physical sensations come easily to us. We don’t need to meditate, perform a body scan, or practice breathing exercises to know how we feel physically—our bodies tell us. If we’re in pain, we feel pain. If we’re sad, we feel sadness. But the messages these physical sensations send us are often vague; they don’t explain why we feel the way we do. As a result, it becomes challenging to respond to our emotions with logic.
It’s important to remember that all emotions are, at their core, physical sensations. The only reason we experience emotions is because our bodies release hormones and chemicals that allow us to feel them. Yet these sensations don’t come with an instruction manual, making it difficult to decipher the message they’re trying to convey.
The word “in tune” means being aware, connected, or more involved with something—in this case, our bodies. If our emotions are physical sensations, and our awareness of the physical is why the emotional cloud feels so loud, then it follows that if we were more in tune with our minds, our logical thoughts would at least be at the same volume as our physical feelings.
But where’s the evidence for this theory? It’s actually all around us, especially in practices like meditation. Anyone familiar with psychology or mindfulness-based treatments knows that meditation is one of the most effective ways to manage impulsive behavior. Why? Many assume that meditation is solely for relaxation, and while it certainly serves that purpose, it’s also an opportunity to practice a skill: learning to identify thoughts and bodily sensations without reacting to them. In this way, meditation becomes a rehearsal for real-life situations.
So, here’s something to consider: do you meditate? If so, what are some of the benefits or drawbacks you’ve experienced with meditation or other mindfulness practices? It’s worth reflecting on how these exercises might help you tune in not just to your body, but also to your mind.
Navarro Counseling 