Let’s Talk About Sadness
Let’s Talk About Sadness: Understanding It, Decoding It, and Dissolving It
Sadness is a powerful emotion that can feel heavy, overwhelming, and even isolating. But what if we could understand it better? What if, instead of resisting sadness, we could work with it and transform it into something healing and insightful?
The Science of Sadness
Sadness is a natural emotional response to loss, disappointment, or unmet needs. When sadness arises, the brain’s limbic system, particularly the amygdala, activates, triggering stress hormones and neurotransmitters like serotonin and cortisol. While sadness is a normal and necessary emotion, prolonged or suppressed sadness can lead to feelings of hopelessness, fatigue, and even depression.
Sadness in Psychology
From a psychological perspective, sadness often stems from grief, unresolved emotions, or feelings of unworthiness. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) suggests that our thoughts largely influence our emotions, meaning that by shifting our perspective, we can change our experience of sadness.
The Spiritual and Energetic Meaning of Sadness
Many spiritual traditions view sadness as a call to reflect and heal. It is often linked to the heart chakra, which represents love, compassion, and emotional balance. Holding onto sadness can create energetic blockages, making it difficult to feel joy and connection.
What Sadness is Teaching Us
What I have been learning about sadness is that it always carries a message. When you connect with the message and take action, the sadness either reduces or dissolves. Sadness may be telling you that you have unresolved emotions linked to a past experience, or that you are holding onto grief that needs to be acknowledged. By listening to what sadness is trying to communicate, you can take steps toward healing instead of feeling trapped by it.
My Personal Experience with Sadness
My own experience with sadness has varied. Sometimes, I experience what I would call "situational sadness"—the kind that arises from an obvious event, such as a loss or disappointment. Other times, I experience a deep, unexplainable sadness—the kind that surfaces suddenly, without a clear cause. This can be unsettling because there is no immediate reason for it.
Through my journey, I have learned that the subconscious mind holds the key to uncovering hidden sadness. This is where tools like hypnosis come in. When facilitated properly by a trained hypnotherapist, hypnosis can help access unconscious memories and reveal the root cause of sadness.
Past life hypnosis is another powerful tool that can uncover sadness stemming from experiences beyond this lifetime. Many people who undergo past life regression find that unresolved grief, loneliness, or heartbreak from past incarnations continue to affect them in the present. By exploring these past experiences in a safe and guided setting, individuals can gain insight, understanding, and ultimately dissolve the sadness that has carried over into their current life.
When I work with clients who don’t know the root cause of their sadness, I notice that they struggle to let go of it. However, once they connect with the root cause—often linked to unmet emotional needs or past experiences—they are able to dissolve it. Many of these root causes stem from emotions that were trapped due to a lack of understanding at the time they were first experienced. By addressing these deeper layers, true healing can begin.
How to Work with Sadness: Tips for Dissolving It
The opposite of sadness is joy. When working with affirmations, it’s important to include the word "joy" to rewire the subconscious mind. Saying affirmations in sets of three helps reinforce their power. Try repeating:
"I am replacing the sadness feeling with the joy feeling."
"I am transforming my sadness emotions into feeling joy emotions now."
"I am joyful, I am light, I am at peace."
What If the Sadness You Feel Is Not Yours?
Sometimes, the sadness you experience may not even be your own. You might have absorbed it from someone else. In these cases, affirmations can help:
If you noticed sadness arising around a specific person, say: "I am dissolving the absorbed sadness that I have taken on from [person's name]." (Repeat three times.)
If you realize you have simply sympathized and shared in another’s sadness, say: "I am dissolving the shared sadness emotion with [person's name] now." (Repeat three times.)
When I started working with myself in this way, I noticed that I felt much lighter and not as weighed down after being around certain people.
Protecting Your Energy in Advance
If you know you will be in a space with someone whose energy tends to feel heavy or overwhelming, prepare yourself by saying this affirmation three times before entering:
"I am dissolving all excess energy in advance that is not belonging to me now for the next three hours."
This practice helps prevent energetic overwhelm and keeps your emotional state balanced.
Energy Hygiene: Protecting Your Energy Field
One powerful technique for protecting your energy is using light and visualizing energetic shields. You can imagine Archangel Michael's blue light of protection surrounding you, completely blocking anything negative from entering your energy system.
Alternatively, visualize yourself inside a pyramid, spinning both clockwise and counterclockwise. Picture a radiant white or gold energy transforming around you, spinning so fast that no negativity can enter your space. Another option is imagining a tornado of white or gold energy spinning around you—this creates a strong, protective shield that prevents any negative energy from coming into your field.
There are countless ways to work with energy shielding, and the key is to find a method that feels fun, powerful, and effective for you.
Sadness Reflection Worksheet
Use this worksheet alone or with a partner to explore and dissolve sadness.
What is a sadness trigger you are currently facing?
How does this sadness feel in your body? (Heavy chest, teary eyes, tight throat, etc.)
What thoughts are connected to this sadness?
Is this sadness based on a real event, or is it tied to a past experience or assumption?
What small step can you take to address this sadness in a healthy way?
What would life feel like if this sadness no longer controlled you?
What supportive words or affirmations can you tell yourself when sadness arises?
Who can you reach out to for support?
Final Thoughts
Sadness is not the enemy. It is a messenger, guiding us to areas that need healing, emotions that need to be processed, and self-compassion that needs to be embraced. By understanding sadness—scientifically, psychologically, spiritually, and energetically—we can learn to work with it in a healing and empowering way.
You are stronger than your sadness. And you don’t have to face it alone.