Cry for catharsis

There is a store of anger, hatred, jealousy, frustration, repentance, greed etc. in your mind. It stores a lot of pain like separation from school friends, teachers, houses and cities, pain and repentance of leaving subjects of your choice because either your parents’ dislike them or they have little professional value. It contains frustration of not getting a job of your choice or promotional problems. It contains shock of death of someone dear to you. It might have anger due to helplessness and sufferings of handicapped or aging grandparents or parents or relatives due to some painful disease. It may store experiences of unnecessary humiliation by teachers or senior students during ragging. Mind has a store of innumerous unexpressed or unreleased feelings and unfulfilled wishes.

This storage in the mind affects the development of your personality. It also affects your likes and dislikes, habits, thinking, behaviour, interaction and understanding of persons or situations and even your efficiency to work.

Releasing of repressed feelings from the mind is a necessity, as bathing or brushing your teeth is a necessity for the body. The mind knows how to clean itself. It knows that crying is a good method to release the pressure of repressed feelings but you are told not to cry. Crying is considered a sign of weakness. However, we know through experience that we feel much better and lighter after crying and releasing a lot of tension through it.

Crying is a natural function of the mind. It is a natural defense mechanism. It acts as a safety valve, which protects the body from innumerable diseases. In the absence of crying the body becomes highly prone to every ordinary disease.

Crying should not be considered a weakness. It is not a weakness. As tears come, they wash and clean the eyes, so crying automatically cleans the mind. Cleaning of the mind by crying is not an indication of strength or weakness of the mind.

There may be many methods that help you to cry or release your repressed feelings. You may read some literature which arouse your repressed emotions and make you cry. You may listen to some songs, bhajans or instrumental music or watch a drama or some good emotional movie.

You may also try meditation. Sit silently for some time in loneliness in a silent and dark place. Recall any past experience of anger or grief. Get lost in that experience to such an extent that you forget the present time and get lost in your past totally. Now release your repressed feelings by crying. Live this state totally. Keep releasing your repression till you have the energy to release. Make your mind empty of that feeling. Then rest or sleep for some time.

Next day recall again another experience and repeat the process. Keep crying everyday or weekly until you empty your mind of all repression.

Crying will release the pressure from you mind. You will feel extremely light and calm. You will find an altogether different mind in you and you will see the world and the things in it with a new perspective. Now you will live in the world more deeply and will not complain about it or run away from it.

Crying makes your mind stable, concentrated and calm; and your body healthy and energetic. It removes anger, hatred, prejudices and complaints from your heart and sharpens your intellect.

This article by Pavan Jain was published in his fortnightly column titled “Mind Mantra” in the Hindustan Times, Lucknow edition.

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