Most of us learned only two ways to deal with painful emotions: suppress them or explode. Both keep us stuck. In this episode, Charla sits down with Marty Simon, retired NYU professor, spiritual teacher, and author of "Spirituality for Effective Living: Teachings of the Masters Through an Unenlightened Disciple," to explore a third way: releasing emotions.

Marty explains how unprocessed emotions become energy blocks that get triggered by everyday events, why the exact same phone call can make one person furious and leave another unbothered, and how these blocks may drain our vitality as we age. He walks step by step through the releasing practice he learned from Mickey Singer, shares how he used it for four days after discovering his wife's affair, and offers a powerful reframe: the only thing any of us are truly afraid of is our own emotions.

IN THIS EPISODE:

- The difference between emotional pain and suffering

- What energy blocks are and why they cause overreactions

- Why suppressing and expressing emotions both fall short

- How to release emotions: relax the body, open the chest, witness

- Why "staying busy" makes grief harder

- The biggest mistake beginners make with this practice

- How gratitude dissolves resistance

- Why you keep repeating the same relationship patterns

- How emotional release can lead to a life with less fear

KEY QUOTE:

"Pain is natural. Suffering is optional."

📖 ABOUT MARTY SIMON

Marty Simon is a retired NYU professor of education (mathematics) who has spent more than 20 years as a spiritual teacher and meditation group leader. He teaches people how to apply spirituality to everyday life, writes "Spirituality for Effective Living" on Substack, and leads a free meditation group open to everyone.

🔗 CONNECT WITH MARTY

📚 Book: Spirituality for Effective Living: Teachings of the Masters Through an Unenlightened Disciple – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FVG4KJ4Y?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

✍️ Substack (always free): https://substack.com/@martysimon

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This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care.