STEPHANIE LUCAS: “The Zen of Crying — 5 Reasons it Can Save the World”

For being such a natural act, there are a lot of negative connotations associated with crying.  As children, our parents fuss at us for crying.  Women are called overly emotional, fragile, and that they are making a big deal over nothing.  Men, well, they get a raw deal all around and have it pounded heavily into their minds that crying is a sign of weakness, vulnerability, and that ‘real men’ don’t cry.

So, science and our common sense tells us that all that aforementioned societal programming is total BS, and that crying is not only healthy, but that it is a vital component of physical and emotional health.  Take that Mom and Dad!  While crying may not directly save the world, it certainly has the potential to preserve our personal wellbeing, foster positive relationships, and it could even save lives — and one of those lives just might save the world some day!

Get out your tissues, forget about programmed concepts like ego and pride, and let’s explore the Zen of crying…

1. Crying Frees You of Control

I’ve read a few studies purporting that the need to have more control is correlated to the incidence of more men ‘losing their minds’ and also why their life span is 5 years shorter, which I find kind of hard to believe.  Because if you live in the same world I do, you know darn well that today’s women have just as much tendency to be controlling as men — if not more so — under their own ego’s need to crash through the glass ceiling, and have their ‘roar’ heard.

What does this have to do with crying?  If crying isn’t the norm for you, just letting the act occur is freeing yourself of control — at least temporarily.  Crying aids in letting go of the ego as it frees pent up emotions that may be subconsciously feeding your need to be in control at all.  Repression sources discomforts and fears that drive control issues, and a few tears could very well begin a metamorphosis that helps one regain alignment with free will choices.  How in alignment are you? Click the previous link for a fun assessment quiz.

2. Bottom Out Stress with a Few Tears

Without a doubt, stress kills and can be a major player in our lives when we allow its presence to overcome the senses.  However, the Zen of crying, is that it works hand in hand with number 1 — it relieves stress — stress that is often (okay, mostly) sourced by one’s need for control whether it concerns work, home, relationships, a car accident, or what to cook for dinner.  If a few tears can reduce my chances for a stress-related death, I say bring ‘em on!

3. Crying Enhances Connections

Certainly, if you open the faucet in front of someone with programmed beliefs that crying is for pussies and pansies, well, it may not strengthen that bond.  However, if you crying in front of — better yet WITH — someone who’s compassionate and supportive, it can be a powerful experience.  Crying alone can also create a stronger bond with your own SELF, as your mind is totally in the NOW moment — disconnected with programs — giving you the opportunity to tap into the true essence of your spiritual being.

4. Grab a Handkerchief… and Move On

In a bad relationship?  Tired of your peers or boss making you feel like crap?  Did you best friend let you down?  Maybe you received some hard to handle news… whatever it may be… the Zen of crying can assist.  Remember, everything in our perception of reality is transient and it is constantly changing, so learning to cope is essential.  As you cry, try to acknowledge each tear, each of those deep, noisy breaths, and allow each sound free you one by one of the anguish you feel over the hurt.  As they purge from you, a sense of calm and peace follows.  Take those moments of being in the present moment to recognize that you are now free — and make a conscious choice to let go.

5. Profound Moments of Clarity

Maybe it’s only me, but I have finished many a good cry and had to most prolific “AHA” moments of my life.  Through tears of joy, pain, and even those ‘I have no idea why in the hell I’m crying moments’ some end with great clarity.  Whatever the situation that brought me to tears may be, I am left with a sense of purpose, with solutions, or with insights as to WHY I am having that particular experience.

Maybe it’s not only me… but I confess to being quite the cry baby that Janis Joplin once screamed for, and I am grateful!  I will cry just about any time the need overwhelms me, anywhere, and in front of most anyone… Sometimes it makes connections stronger, sometimes it scares people.  Sometimes people still call me overly emotional and try to take away my power by demeaning me, but I do know this… crying seems to raise vibrational frequencies and I ALWAYS FEEL BETTER AFTER A GOOD CRY!

 

 

 

 

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MYSTIC BANANA: “Healing with Tears: Magick of Crying”

Crying is our natural reaction when we feel pain, disappointment or sadness. Science tells us that it is completely normal and healthy to cry, but some cultures take a strong stand against crying, most especially for men. Some parents teach their male children not to cry saying that it is a sign of weakness or vulnerability. However, what these parents fail to realize is that crying has plenty of benefits that can contribute to the overall well being of their children.

Crying can help you connect with others

You might be uncomfortable to reveal how you truly feel to others but being vulnerable is the best way that you can show someone that you are open to establishing a deeper connection with him.

Crying can help you to move on

Sometimes relationships can go downhill, whether it is a relationship with your family, friend or a special someone. When you are suffering from the burden of sorrow over the loss of a person dear to your heart, crying can help you move forward. It allows you to confront your feelings without fear. Sure, you might break down for a while, but in you will gradually feel relieved and when you do, you can move on with your life.

Crying flushes out toxins from your body

Science actually tells us that crying can help our body flush out harmful toxins. Dr. William H. Frey II at the St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center discovered that stress-related tears help your body to get rid of toxic chemicals that raise cortisol or what is generally called as the “stress hormone.” This explains why we feel better after crying.

Crying can help you with stress

Our emotions work like ropes. When we let our emotions to take over us, it is the same as allowing ourselves to be tied up with ropes. We are incapacitated. We cannot move and we feel helpless. There are many reasons to be emotional and it does not only involve romantic affairs or family problems. It can also involve issues at work or with yourself. Whatever the reason is, crying can help you deal with stress. Professor Roger Baker, a consultant clinical psychologist at Bournemouth University, supports this notion. He asserts that crying allows us to transform our sorrows into something tangible and that significantly helps with reducing trauma.

Do not be afraid to cry. Crying is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign that you are strong enough to face what is eating you up inside. It is a sign that you are not running away from the things that should be confronted. Cry and let your tears heal you from negativity.

I would like to end my article with this small quote from talks given by a wise mystic Osho:

“Tears have to be given a new meaning, a new poetry and a totally new dimension – which they have lost because humanity has lived in misery and tears have become part of that misery. Secondly, because humanity has been dominated by man he has made it a point of his ego and pride that he will not cry. It is feminine to cry, it is womanish to have tears. It is not true. It is an ugly, male chauvinist idea – not only ugly, but unnatural and untrue, because man’s eyes have as many tear glands as women’s eyes have. Nature has not made any difference in tear glands.”

More men go mad than women, for the simple reason that man goes on controlling. A moment comes that the repression becomes too much and there is a breakdown. The woman does not control; when she feels like crying, she cries. She is more natural than man. That has given her a few more experiences that man has missed. The woman is healthier; she lives longer, five years more than man. She is more calm and quiet.

It has been told to us that tears are a symptom of weakness – they are not. Tears can cleanse not only your eyes, but your heart too. They soften you, it is a biological strategy to keep you clean, to keep you unburdened. It is now a well-known fact that less women go mad than men. And the reason has been found to be that women can cry and weep more easily than men. Even to the small child it is said, “Be a man, don’t cry like a woman!”

“But if you look at the physiology of your body, you have the same glands full of tears whether you are man or woman. It has been found that less women commit suicide than men. And of course, no woman in history has been the cause of founding violent religions, wars, massacres. If the whole world can learn to cry and weep again it will be a tremendous transformation, a metamorphosis. … ”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~via MysticBanana.com