BODY WORK

How to Release Painful Memories

 and Emotions Stored in the Body

LUNA & SOL

 Body Work

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page

Introduction 1

What Causes Chronic Muscle Tension? 2

Consequences of Chronic Muscle Tension 3

9 Types of Muscle Tension Caused By Trapped Emotions 3

How to Release Trapped Emotions 7

How to Use the Accompanying Artwork 13

Conclusion 14

LUNA & SOL

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© Luna & Sol

 Body Work 1.

Introduction

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Your body is a map and storage house of every experience you have ever
had.

So many of us carry repressed and trapped emotions within multiple

HOW TO ATTRACT YOUR
areas of our bodies, without even knowing it. In fact, we can go years,
even decades, completely oblivious to the blocked energy our muscles
are holding on to. This repressed energy is responsible for countless
ailments and chronic health conditions that cause us great suffering.

The fact is that your body doesn’t forget.

Your body is the most honest and obvious way to access trapped feelings
and even traumatic memories. No matter how much you try to ignore,
intellectualize or suppress how you feel, your body knows the truth.

If you are struggling with chronic tension in your neck, shoulders, back,
thighs, legs, or any other area of your body, this guide will help you get to
the root of your pain, once and for all.

LUNA & SOL

WWW.LONERWOLF.COM

©
 Body Work 2.

What Causes Chronic Muscle Tension?

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According to various studies and papers, we develop chronic muscle
tension as a result of four different causes.

The first cause is social conditioning. Social conditioning starts in early

HOW TO ATTRACT YOUR
childhood and is reinforced throughout the rest of our lives by our
parents, friends, teachers, family members, and society at large. A lot of
the muscle tension that we develop is the result of unspoken social
beliefs that we were taught to adopt as a way of being “acceptable” or
likable. For example, many of us were taught that “only babies cry,” so as
children, we learned to suppress our tears and sadness in order to “not
be a baby.” Many of us were also taught that expressing anger is a “bad”
thing as we were punished as children for expressing it. This form of
conditioning is strengthened throughout adulthood, particularly in our
workplaces where expressing anger is seen as “unprofessional” and
potentially dangerous to our job security.

The second cause of muscle tension is trauma. Traumatic experiences

can range from being spanked as a child all the way to extreme violence.
Trauma may have been deliberately inflicted on us (e.g. rape or physical
assault) or accidental (e.g. a car crash). When these traumatic
experiences aren’t consciously dealt with, they can result in chronic fear,
stress, and occurrences of PTSD. This chronic anxiety, anger, and grief
tends to get stored within the body resulting in muscle tension which
contributes to numerous other illnesses such as fibromyalgia, digestive
disorders, mental illnesses, and even cancer.
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The third cause of muscle tension is psychological tension.
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Psychological tension is any form of anxiety, frustration, sadness or
anger that we develop as a result of our perceptions. For example, we
may develop psychological tension as a result of our thoughts regarding
our coworker (e.g. they’re lazy) or of us being stuck in traffic (“this
shouldn’t happen). Our automatic tendency to attach to these thoughts
and take them seriously is what causes us psychological tension. The
more negative, fearful or fault-finding our perspective is, the more
tension we tend to store in our muscles.

The final cause of muscle tension is environmental stressors and habits.

For example, our sedentary lifestyles (working at a desk all day) tend to
 Body Work 3.

exacerbate our physical pain because we aren’t giving our muscles a

chance to expel the tension. Other habits such as poor posture, lack of

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sleep, drug use, unhealthy eating, and environmental pollution tend to
increase the likelihood of us developing chronic muscle tension.

Consequences of Chronic Muscle Tension

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The field of psychosomatic medicine has conducted numerous studies
through the years exploring the mind’s effect on the body, and vice versa.

In terms of muscle tension caused by mental and emotional factors, we

tend to experience many health issues, examples including:

- Mood disorders (anxiety, depression, SAD)

- Joint pain and increase chance of injury
- Dysmenorrhea (menstruation problems)
- Insomnia
- Skin problems (acne, psoriasis)
- Asthma and hayfever
- Headaches and migraines
- Palpitations and chest pain
- Nausea
- Fibromyalgia
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- GI issues (diarrhea, bloating, constipation, cysts)
- Hypertension/High blood pressure
- Sexual dysfunction (premature ejaculation, painful sex)
L-UIncreased
N A & tendency
S O L towards addictive behavior
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This list is by no means complete – it simply gives you a snapshot of how
deeply our minds can physically impact our bodies. Amazing, right?

9 Types of Muscle Tension Caused By Trapped

Emotions

According to a study conducted in 2012, 25.3 million Americans (11.2%)

suffer from chronic pain every day and 17.6% suffer from severe levels of
pain. This single study reveals a grim reality: so many of us are suffering 
 Body Work 4.

from muscle tension on a daily basis. Surely there must be a better way
to live.

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As a person who has struggled with chronic neck and shoulder pain for
many years, I was lucky to discover the source of my pain thanks to a
healing method known as “floating.” Thanks to my experience in a float
HOW TO ATTRACT YOUR
tank (also known as a sensory deprivation tank or isolation tank) I was
able to discover that my muscle tension was intimately linked to old
memories and repressed emotions. Lying in the dark, with no sound or
sensory input on top of 800 pounds of dissolved Epsom salts, I gradually
started feeling my muscles unwind. As each muscle group relaxed and
spasmed, thoughts and emotions fired through my head. For example, as
my spine let go into the water, I could feel grief pour through me and
memories from childhood run through my mind. I could feel my upper
thighs release their contraction as anxiety and loneliness bubbled up
through me. I could feel the fear and burden be released from my
shoulders and neck area.

Although everyone is different and there are no (known) absolute places

in the body where outright emotions are stored, there are certain places
which tend to accumulate specific types of emotions.

Below, I want to share with you nine of the most common types of
muscle pain and what underlying emotions are connected to them.

1. Shoulder Tension = Burdens and Responsibilities

L U NweAfeel&weighed
When S O L down by the stress of life, we tend to accumulate
these
WWW feelings
. L O N Ewithin
R W O Lour
F . Cshoulders.
OM Ever heard the expression “carrying
the weight of the world on your shoulders”? Shoulder tension seems to
be intimately linked to social and emotional responsibilities, including
unconsciously carrying the burden of other people’s pain. As such, many
healers, caretakers, and sensitive/empathic types of people struggle
with chronic shoulder muscle tension.

2. Neck Tension = Fear and Repressed Self-Expression

Neck tension is often connected to throat chakra issues such as the

inability to communicate clearly or be your authentic self around others. 
 Body Work 5.

Fear and anxiety are also frequently stored in this area, particularly as a
physical response to danger (as the neck is a vulnerable area) or strange

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environments. Neck muscle tension is also related to trust issues.

3. Upper Back = Grief, Sorrow, and Sadness

HOW TO ATTRACT YOUR

Unexpressed and unreleased sadness tends to build up within the upper
back region. As this area is close to the heart, it is also where emotions
connected to heartbreak and loss are stored. For instance, if you carry
around grief regarding a loved one or your family at large, you will likely
feel tense in this area.

4. Middle Back = Insecurity and Powerlessness

Healing traditions such as reflexology link middle back pain to feelings of

helplessness, hopelessness, and insecurity. If you’re feeling unsupported
by other people or life, you probably carry tension here.

5. Lower Back = Guilt, Shame, and Unworthiness

Lower back issues often correlate with feelings of low self-worth and
lack of self-acceptance. Feelings such as guilt, shame, and even sexual
inadequacy or trauma can be stored here as well.

6. Stomach = Inability to Process Emotions

The expression “I can’t stomach it” appropriately describes stomach

L U Ntension.
muscle A & IfS your
O L stomach feels stiff or sore, you might struggle to
process both negative (and even positive) emotions.
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7. Inner Thighs = Fear of Vulnerability

Are you nervous and untrusting around other people? If you struggle
with social anxiety, you might also have inner thigh pain. Because our
legs are biologically programmed to run when we first spot danger, fear
towards others is often stored here.

8. Outer Thighs = Frustration and Impatience

How fast do you live life? The more quickly and mindlessly you live, the
 Body Work 6.

more likely you have frustrated and impatient energy stored in your
outer thigh muscles. Our jobs and personal lives can also contribute

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greatly to muscle tension in this area.

9. Buttocks = Anger and Rage

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How often do you have to deal with people who are a “pain in the bum”?
Anger and suppressed rage are often stored in the buttocks. Pay
attention next time you feel your head boil: is your but tensing up as
well?

LUNA & SOL

WWW.LONERWOLF.COM

©
 Body Work 7.

How to Release Trapped Emotions

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Now you may be wondering how to release the muscle tension you have.
Here are some tips:

1. Allow yourself to “feel it to heal it.” One of the easiest ways to let go of
HOW TO ATTRACT YOUR
muscle tension is to actively feel and let go of emotions when they come.
Of course, this is not always possible, so at the end of every day, make
sure you allow yourself the space to feel the emotions you’ve had
through the day. Feeling these emotions might involve crying, punching
or screaming into a pillow, or any other form of catharsis.

2. Adopt an attitude of non-judgment. When we judge our emotions as

something “bad” or “wrong,” we actually deepen our suffering and
solidify the tension within our muscles. Instead, simply realize that an
emotion is an emotion. It doesn’t need to mean anything about you
unless you let it. 

3. Journal about how you feel. Let all of your emotions out in a journal,
completely unfiltered. This is a very healing practice if done regularly.

4. Be gentle with yourself. Muscle tension tends to add to our negative

inner voices which cause us even more tension. To break this cycle of the
body feeding the mind and the mind feeding the body, be kind towards
yourself. Treat yourself as you would a child or best friend. This practice
is a simple but profound way to relax.

L5. U N A your
Stretch & Smuscles.
O L Do simple stretches or try yoga to relax your
muscles. Even just five minutes a day is beneficial.
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6.  Breathe deeply. Shallow breathing causes a restriction in air, blood

flow, toxin removal, and increased anxiety. Deep breathing stimulates the
vagus nerve which calms the mind.

7. Try floating. Unless you can afford to go into outer space or an anti-
gravity chamber, floating is the only opportunity there is on this planet
to experience total weightlessness. “Sensory Deprivation Tanks” may
sound daunting, but actually they’re immensely healing and calming.
People with claustrophobia frequently have no issues with floating. Some
of the main benefits include reaching deep states of peace and bliss,
 Body Work 8.

muscle relaxation, enhanced magnesium, better sleep, improved skin,

mental clarity, and improved focus. To get the most out of floating, try a

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minimum of three sessions.

8. Get a massage. Seek out a licensed massage therapist to reduce your

muscle tension. Alternatively, use something like the Acuball to give
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yourself a deep tissue massage or an electric muscle massager.

9. Meditate. Meditation is a great way to become more present and

conscious of muscle tension as it arises.

10. Art therapy. Express how you feel through painting, drawing,
sculpting or any other method of self-expression.

11. Practice the SOAR technique.  SOAR is a technique we have

developed which stands for Stop, Observe, Allow, and Release. This
mindfulness and body-oriented practice involves stopping, locating a
source of pain in your body, observing it, and then giving space for it to
release. Here is how to apply the SOAR technique to release painful
memories and emotions trapped within your body:

Stop: Stop what you are doing and find a quiet place to focus your
attention inward. If you notice any tension, take a deep breath and
loosen it. Let your body become as limp and relaxed as possible. It's okay
if you can't fully relax, just do your best.

Observe: Begin paying attention to your body. How does it feel? What
L U N areas
specific A &feelS tight,
O L stiff, contracted, numb, or otherwise
uncomfortable? Gently scan your body from head to toe and note the
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location where the most intense physical feelings of discomfort are.
Sometimes, you may find that you have a full-body feeling of pain and
uneasiness. If this is the case, try to focus on one specific part of your
body, such as your stomach, shoulders, legs or chest.

Next, see if you can give an image to this physical source of pain. If you
were to describe this pain, what words would you use? What colors,
textures, scents, tastes or sounds would this pain have? Examples of
descriptions you may give might include the following: rough, blurry,
salty, sharp, cold, loud, black, dark, raw, hard, soft, hot, sour, bright red
 Body Work 9.

sucking, empty, jagged, angry, twisted, high-pitched, and so forth.

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Ideally, you will benefit from stacking these words on top of each other
and painting a clear image in your mind about your source of pain. Here
are some examples of physical pain that has been given a face:
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- A black sucking vortex
- A twisted rope that is about to snap
- A heavy and stiff plank of wood
- A red-hot cascade of lava
- A cold and blurry cloud
- A shrill scream
- A sharp shard of glass
- A ghostly sigh or whisper
- A tight balloon about to burst

Be as creative as you want! There is no right or wrong way of describing

your physical pain. The above descriptions of pain are written in the way
I would personally describe pain – but it's perfectly okay for you to be
different. Find the image or description that suits you the best.

You might be wondering what the point of painting an image in your

mind is all about. The reason why it is so important to construct a mental
picture is so that it makes your pain more tangible. When our pain is
vague it cannot be pinpointed and dealt with in a direct way. However,
once you can locate your pain and give a face to it, then the deep healing
work can begin!

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Once you have found the image/description that suits your pain the
most, simply observe it. Can you feel the pain fluctuate? Breathe deeply
and observe what happens now that you have put a face to your pain. It's
important that you connect with your breath and keep returning to it
when/if the sensations become too intense. Think of your breath as your
home base.

Allow: In order to fully acknowledge and hold space for your physical
pain, it is necessary to permit it to be in your body without trying to
avoid, judge or suppress it. As humans, we have the tendency to
automatically and unconsciously resist anything painful and run towards 
 Body Work 10.

pleasure instead. By mindfully allowing your pain and gently observing it,
you can learn a lot from it. We'll explore what exactly you can learn more

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about from your pain soon. In the meantime, try to notice any time your
mind or body starts to contract, pull away or try to avoid the pain. What
happens in your body when you start resisting your pain? What happens
in your body when you allow the pain to simply be? Keep connecting
HOW TO ATTRACT YOUR
with your in-breath and out-breath to ground yourself. It's normal and
natural to try and resist pain. However, see if you can keep returning to
your pain with gentle awareness.

By allowing the sensations in your body - by giving them the permission

to be there without trying to change, judge or avoid them – you are
experiencing the true essence of body work. Facing and acknowledging
the (often) harsh sensations in your body is a form of self-love. Your body
wants to be heard, it wants to be seen, it wants to be felt. Now that you
are giving it attention, you can begin dialoguing with it.

Renown psychologist Carl Jung once used a technique called active

imagination – also known as inner dialogue – to communicate with the
inner self. I will borrow this technique here for the purpose of body
work and use it for the intention of healing.

Now that you have given your pain a face, have observed and allowed it,
permit it to have a voice. In other words, if your pain had a voice what
would it tell you? What feelings would it try to communicate with you?
What messages would it try to send? What memories surface? What has
your body been trying to tell you all along? 
LUNA & SOL
WConnect
W W . L O with
NERW your
O L breath
F . C O Mas your home base and observe your pain. See
if you can allow a voice to arise. It's important here to understand that
your pain may not literally communicate with you in words (although
that is often the case for many people). Your pain may also communicate
with you through feelings, pictures or other sensations. See what you can
intuitively pick up on. Allow a message to arise whenever you feel ready.
Words and messages don't always arise immediately, so if that is the
case, be patient. Sometimes inner dialogue requires time and practice. 

I also want to mention here that everything which arises needs to be

taken seriously and noted. Even something which seems completely 
 Body Work 11.

irrelevant or unrelated to the pain you're experiencing might contain

tremendous insight. Remember that the body is non-verbal, so the

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impressions, thoughts or images you receive will likely have a fleeting
and symbolic quality. Be very observant. Take note of anything that
flickers in your mind as you are dialoguing with your pain. Other times,
the message may be loud and clear but you may be resistant to
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acknowledging them. 

One big form of resistance is feeling silly or foolish about giving your
pain a voice. A part of you may be skeptical or doubt the strength of this
practice. If it is of any consolation, inner dialoguing is used by countless
psychologists and therapists all throughout the world. But ultimately, it is
up to you to take the messages expressed by your body seriously.

Once a thought, feeling, memory or sensation has appeared in your

mind, wait a little longer. See if your pain would like to express anything
else. Once you feel that this practice is done and no more information is
coming through, stop and thank you body. You might even like to give
yourself a hug or a pat on the back. It takes courage and inner strength
to face your pain – this is no small feat! 

Here are some examples of messages your pain might communicate.

Don't be concerned if your personal message is not included on the list –
this list simply features examples and possibilities:

- A memory from childhood may emerge (signifying unfinished business

or the need to deal with your emotional pain in order to release your
Lphysical
U N A pain)
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- A voice or sentence may appear in your mind saying, "You need more
sleep," "You need to stop working so much," "Your work chair is bad for
your back, get a new one," "You need to apologize to your friend," etc.

- A symbolic image may arise such as a love heart (the need for more
self-love), a cup of tea (the need for more relaxation), a treadmill (the
need for more exercise), a bowl of salad (the need to eat more healthy),
people laughing (the need for more fun and play), etc.

- A scene may emerge in your mind which could be literal or symbolic. 

 Body Work 12.

For example, a scene of people fighting and screaming at each other may

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emerge. This may literally mean that you have too much anger inside
which is causing health issues and needs to be dealt with. Or a scene may
arise of a frightened puppy cowering in a corner. This could be symbolic
of your scared and abandoned inner child, and the need to do inner child
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work to release certain chronic pain in your body which has been stored
since childhood.

Once again, this is just a limited array of examples to illustrate what

types of responses you might get from your pain. 

You can experiment with passively waiting for a response or directly

asking your body (mentally or out loud) "what do you need to tell me?"
"please talk to me" or "how can I help you feel better?" When you have
received some kind of message, you can either pause to note it down
briefly on a notepad or hold it in your mind to explore after this SOAR
exercise. If you received a symbolic answer, some reflecting and
introspection will be necessary. Think about what the symbol, image,
color, etc. means to you. Write down some possible meanings in a
journal. Whichever meaning gives you goosebumps, a surge of energy or
an "aha!" moment is the right meaning.

Release: Finally, we come to release. Release can be passive, as in

reconnecting with your breath and ending the exercise. Alternatively,
release can be semi-passive, as in doing a visualization in which you
imagine your pain melting away. Or release can be active, as in doing
Lsome
U N physical
A & Scatharsis
O L which may involve jumping, shaking, running,
screaming, laughing or crying. Pay attention to what type of release your
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body needs the most. You might even like to ask, "Pain, what type of
release do you need?" Wait for an answer which may come subtly (or
loudly) through the mind, heart or body. 

Generally, for mild-moderate pain, passive or semi-passive release is

fine. For strong pain, active release can be quite helpful. However, if you
have a muscle injury use your common sense and stay away from
vigorous cathartic exercise which may make the pain worse. Jumping,
stretching, running, walking and emotional forms of release such as
screaming, laughing or crying are all helpful forms of active pain release. 
 Body Work 14.

Conclusion

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We hope this guide has helped you to better understand your own
muscle tension. Please remember that muscle tension has many causes,
and emotions aren’t the only source – there can also be environmental,
biological or hereditary factors involved. It's important for you to explore
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and tune into your pain and see whether any suppressed emotions,
stress or memories may be the root cause.

Also, the list presented in this guide isn’t definitive or set in stone. Every
person varies, meaning that it’s important that you explore which
emotions are stored in the muscles of your unique body. For example,
tension in your shoulders might mean sadness for you personally,
whereas in this guide shoulder tension generally means feeling
burdened. So it’s important that you explore the meaning of your muscle
tension for yourself.

To close, here is a prayer:

May you be healthy and strong.

May you be peaceful and at ease.
May you treat your body with kindness.
May you release all pain.
May you honor the wisdom within you.

With love,

LLuna
U N&ASol & S O L
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