Personal trainer ROSHAN ABRAHAMS shares tips on how to release negative emotions through conscious daily exercise while saying positive affirmations.
Ramadaan is here and Muslims globally are required to fast for a month.
It is also a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, and heightened devotion and worship.
The focus is on holistically improving oneself mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally.
However, not everyone deals well with emotions and some may ignore negative feelings which can lead to physical illnesses.
Anyone can benefit from this practice for the next four weeks and you can continue the exercises after Ramadaan.
Every week we will cover a different exercise: which one can do in the morning before suhoor (breakfast) on the bed or in the evening before bed time or after taraweeg (night prayer).
We spoke to Rhushana Kamaldien, emotional release coach, mindset coach, and wellness practitioner, who is dedicated to empowering individuals towards emotional freedom and holistic well-being.
Q: What is the definition of an emotion?
An emotion is the body’s response to an experience, thought, or memory. It is a combination of physiological reactions (heart rate, breath changes), mental interpretations, and energy movement. Emotions are designed to flow, but when suppressed, they become stored in the body.
Why do we store emotions, and how can we release them?
We store emotions when we don’t fully process them. This can be due to trauma, stress, cultural conditioning or even just being too busy to pause and reflect. The body acts as a container for these unprocessed emotions, leading to muscle tension, energy blockages, and even illness.
Releasing stored emotions requires a combination of therapeutic touch, bodywork, and movement (exercise). Releasing Stored Toxins and Trauma Massage (RST) helps the body process deeply held emotions by working with muscle memory and energy points.
Can our thoughts affect our feelings?
Yes, our thoughts have a direct impact on our emotions. The way we perceive and interpret a situation determines how we feel about it. Negative thought patterns can trigger stress responses, while shifting our mindset can create emotional balance and reduce anxiety.
I had the privilege of experiencing a lymphatic drainage massage, one of Rhushana’s methods of releasing stored emotions. She massages the parts of the body where emotions are usually stored after traumatic experiences.
Rhushana says the body holds emotions in specific areas, each linked to different psychological and emotional states.
Understanding these connections allows us to release stored tension with greater awareness. Each of these areas provides insight into our emotional well-being. Through targeted bodywork, touch therapy and movement (exercise), we can help the body release these stored emotions and restore balance.
Rhushana says, for example, the hips are known to store deep-seated emotions, including past trauma and suppressed feelings. The lower back often holds financial stress or feelings of insecurity.
Sometimes we use exercise as a stress reliever but quite often the exercise is done without consciousness as our mind wanders or we listen to music, so we don’t feel the movements. Make time to fully be present when doing your workout and feel the difference.
This week we focus on the glute bridge exercise which is designed to safely and effectively exercise the gluteal muscles, allowing for better activation of this muscle group, particularly the gluteus medius muscle. This is helpful for proper glute activation and core activation; they stabilise the hip, help us balance and decrease lower back pain and hip pain.
How to do a glute bridge with affirmations
Lie on your back with your feet flat on the ground and spread hip-width apart.
Make sure your knees are in line with your ankles.
Arms on the side with palms facing down.
Breathe in when you're flat on your back.
Breathe out and lift your pelvic area making sure your torso makes a straight line from your shoulder up to your knee and don’t arch your back.
Once you reach the top of the glute bridge, squeeze your glutes as tightly as possible and hold for a few seconds while saying positive affirmations, “I release tension and stress” and hold for 10 seconds.
When you lower down, make sure your back is flat on the ground and affirm: “I am grateful for releasing pent up emotions.”
Repeat the exercise 10 times a set. You can do two or three sets when you feel comfortable over seven days.
Next week we will focus on leg raises to help release anxiety, fear and unresolved worry stored in the stomach and gut.
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