In my BBTRS (Biodynamic Breathwork & Trauma Release) training, I learned a powerful insight that has continued to shape my healing journey. It’s something I’ve seen again and again in my practice of meditation, breathwork, and psychedelic medicine work:
The key to healing lies in being with your feelings, emotions, and sensations in your body—but not getting tangled in the thoughts and beliefs that often come with them.
Investigating Triggers
I’ve come to realize that when you take the time to investigate a trigger—whether it’s an emotional reaction like intense anger or overwhelming sadness, or even a pattern of avoiding vulnerability—it’s almost always rooted in the past. Our system reacts not to what’s happening right now but to echoes of earlier experiences.
In those moments, we don’t respond to the situation itself but to our mind’s interpretation of it, shaped by past wounds and insecurities.
For example, someone once made a casual comment about how I looked. Their words weren’t negative, but my mind jumped to harsh conclusions: “They think I’m ugly. They don’t like me. I need to hide.” A wave of shame and discomfort rushed over me, and I noticed myself pulling back, avoiding eye contact, and retreating inward.
Later, I recognized that their comment was neutral—it didn’t carry the weight my mind gave it. My reaction wasn’t about their words at all; it was tied to old insecurities I had been carrying, fears of not being good enough or being judged.
This is how triggers work. They reveal unresolved feelings and beliefs from the past but disguise themselves as reactions to the present. Recognizing this is the first step toward transforming our relationship with triggers. Instead of being consumed by the story our mind creates, we can pause, notice what’s happening in our body, and meet it with curiosity. Triggers become less about what someone said or did and more about the opportunity to heal what’s still unresolved within us.
It’s not easy, though. At first, it can feel like these thoughts and feelings are so clear, so real, that they must be true. It’s almost as if my system didn’t want me to see the deeper truth. Habitually, I found myself repressing these emotions, brushing them off as if nothing was wrong, even when I was clearly triggered.
Dr. Gabor Maté, a trauma expert, explains this beautifully: emotional triggers are deeply rooted in past experiences, especially those involving unresolved pain or trauma. Our reactions feel so intense and disproportionate to the present situation because they are tied to these wounds. But by recognizing and exploring them, we create the space to heal and respond more authentically to what’s happening now.
If you’re truly willing to investigate your triggers, you can experience profound change. Ask yourself:
- Who would I be without this trigger?
- How would I feel?
- How might my behavior or relationships shift?
This work takes honesty and patience. The mind is powerful and often resists acknowledging what’s uncomfortable. It might convince you that nothing is wrong or that you’re not triggered at all. But if you can stay open and curious, and gently explore even the things you’ve been avoiding, the changes can be life-changing.
Imagine a life where those triggers no longer hold power over you. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.
The Connection Between The Body Sensations and Thoughts
During my journey of healing, I practiced allot with meditation, breathwork and medicine. There is always a point when I’ve experienced intense sensations in my body—this could be: feeling like choking, intense pain in spine and neck, feeling like there is a stone on my chest— After a while I started to note that these sensations rarely exist in isolation. When I look closely, there are always thoughts reacting to the sensations.
These thoughts often carry an emotional tone. For example:
- Fear might accompany a tight sensation in the chest.
- Anxiety might arise with a buzzing or restless feeling.
- Control might come in as an effort in your mind to “fix” or push away what’s happening.
This cycle of sensation, thought, and emotional tone creates resistance. Over time, these patterns become ingrained, locking us into a state of avoidance or disconnection.
Working With These Patterns
To interrupt these cycles, it helps to recognize the patterns for what they are:
- Sensations in the body.
- Thoughts and beliefs reacting to those sensations.
- Emotional tones fueling the resistance.
Here’s how I’ve learned to work with them:
- Decouple Sensation and Thought
Begin by focusing on the sensation itself. Notice where it is in your body. What does it feel like—tight, warm, heavy, sharp?Then, gently observe the thoughts that arise around it. These might include beliefs like:- “This is too much.”
- “I can’t handle this.”
- “I need to fix this.”
- Treat the Thoughts With Compassion
Imagine the thoughts as scared children trying to protect you. They may be saying, “I don’t want this!” or “This is dangerous!” Ask yourself:- What does this child need right now?
- Can I offer it trust, safety, or acceptance?
- Stay With the Sensation
As you separate the thoughts from the sensation, stay present with the physical experience. If you feel overwhelmed, you can ground yourself by placing your hands on a safe or neutral area of your body, like your belly or chest. - Ask Gentle Questions
Questions like these can help:- Can I allow this sensation to be here?
- What happens if I stop resisting?
- Can I trust my body to process this naturally?
- Pendulation and Resourcing
Find a safe or pleasant sensation in your body—perhaps warmth in your hands or a feeling of stability in your feet. If that’s difficult, you can imagine a safe space.Shift your attention back and forth between the intense sensation and the safe sensation (or resource). This process, known as pendulation, can help regulate your nervous system and make the intense feelings more manageable. - Surrender and Let Go
Sometimes, there’s an even more magical trick: try to let go of all the mind’s actions—its need to heal, fix, resolve, or even attempt to release. Instead, allow yourself to just be. This act of surrender can be profoundly liberating, as it allows your body and mind to simply exist without interference.
Remind Yourself Why
Being able to navigate deep, ingrained patterns—such as fear, anxiety, and control—brings tremendous benefits to daily life. I’ve come to see how these patterns continuously drive so many of my actions, reactions and decisions in daily life. So learning to stay with these sensations and allowing them to process naturally has brought more freedom, ease, and authenticity to my everyday experiences.
This is making a change, this is being brave and courageous, this is healing, this is moving trough the difficulties and conditioning that is the source of your suffering! Through the wounds and cracks is where your light will eventually shine trough.
These is often those patterns that have been empathically transfered on from your upbringing to you. I have come to see the more I am able to cope with these difficulties, the more peace, openness and clarity will come.
Consider Processing These Sensations With Help
Processing these feelings with someone else can provide an extra layer of safety and trust. Having a witness—a therapist, coach, or guide—creates an environment where it’s easier to let go of resistance.
Think about it: how did these feelings get stuck in the first place? For me, it was because I didn’t learn how to deal with them. I didn’t have someone there to help me process them, so I repressed and avoided them instead.
Having someone hold space, witness your emotions, and guide you through the process can be a vital step in healing.
Final Thoughts
The body and mind naturally know how to complete and heal themselves. If we can only start to feel—and stop resisting—our systems will do the rest. Often, our resistance is a learned response from our upbringing.
Letting go of that resistance and trusting your body’s natural wisdom can open the door to profound healing.