Written by Sherrie Locke on 11 Ajpu and 7 Toj, June 2014.
The key definition of “recapitulate” is to briefly restate something. Today’s post on recapitulation refers to two other definitions: to give new form or expression, or to repeat the principal stages or phases of something.
There are many techniques for recapitulation. It can be done in a controlled setting rather than being triggered by a NDE (near death experience) or trauma.
Ever hear what happens in a NDE? Your life passes in front of you. You “re-live” certain powerful emotional experiences.
Recapitulation is a process of working through, actually “breathing” through certain emotional trauma until it has no more emotional charge. It is an integral part of Toltec shamanic practice.
Even when our assemblage point (read my post) IS centered, there are still certain types of people, places, things or situations that can trigger a strong emotional reaction. When we are doing the work and tracking our thoughts we are diligent in not allowing those thoughts to move into uncontrolled emotion (with the exception of joy).
When we do get caught in this mental trap, there is a way out. A way to clear the emotion and even the underlying causation, over time, rid it forever.
Recapitulation Technique
In this exercise visualization is key; bringing up the “feeling” assists in eradication.
Note: Some people say this exercise should be done from left to right or past to future. Others say it’s best from right to left, future to past. I say any way you do it is a plus. For one you are holding attention and focus with intention. Hopefully you are also “holding cleared space” (read my posts).
Standing or sitting in a straight back chair, hold your arms outstretched, like the scales of balance, shoulder-high, with your hands palms up as if you are holding something in your hands. Take several deep breaths to clear your frenetic energies.
Begin by turning your head all the way to the left, looking directly at the up-facing palm of your left hand as if you are holding a hologram. Let the image appear. The image may be anything you are working on to re-frame or clear energy and thus clear “the field.” Letting go of past emotional trauma stored in background programs. You might choose a subject, or a subject might just come up after you have been doing this practice for a while.
When you have the image “playing” in your hand, let the emotion of the perceived situation come in and over you. Sometimes it will feel as if it “descends” on you. However it comes, ‘feel’ it, let it rage, bring tears if you can. Experience it as you remember it.
Suck or “breathe in” the image from your hand until you can breathe in no more air, then hold that breath and turn your head full stop to the right and exhale blowing the image out through/over your other open palm until all the air is evacuated from your lungs. Turn your head back to the first position. Repeat as necessary. Each time you do this, the emotional charge will be less. Sometimes it clears in one breath other things require more passes. Keep going until you no longer see the image.
Visualize, feel, hold and turn, let go and blow it out. Kiss it goodbye.
As I stated, each time you do this, the image and emotional charge will dissipate, more and more, until the field is clear.
Recap: You are technically running this energy through your heart field to be cleansed, clarified, thus expanding and uncluttering the field.
You can use this technique if someone has agitated you. You can use it to clear past trauma, or to “reframe” past events.
Reframing
Reframing is a way of seeing a past event in a new light, a new vision, and thus a new history. Reframing an event causes us to let go of past trauma and unpleasant events particularly from childhood. Reframing can remove insecurities and disruptive/destructive patterning.
When we are children, we do not possess the capacity of discernment. Some children are more empathic than others.
So you see, the environment we are raised in has a huge influence on us. If we cannot free ourselves from its grip through some discipline or shamanic practice, then we are doomed to repeat it over and over and have emotional response come up at the most inopportune times, hamstringing us yet again.
Recapitulation and reframing allow us to clearly view a past situation in a new light, devoid of emotional response and with our current emotional and knowledge base.
When we view trauma through this process, we may have memories we had previously blocked out, like the person who came to the house and caused the disruption, rise to the surface. We likely as children assumed “we” were the cause of the situation, since a child’s experience or world is limited by his or her level of experience and is self-centered.
The practice can free you from the past by letting you “off the hook” for poor decisions or lack of boundaries of the “adult in charge.” Seeing things in a new light, thus a new and updated story and way less trauma. Heck, it might even turn out to be the story is a comedy.
These sessions cannot only be enlightening, but liberating for yourself and others. The techniques can also be used for recovery from extreme trauma, but let’s keep things a bit lighter for now.
Just try the technique, see what comes to the surface, cross it over your heart field and gently blow it away. It’s that simple.
Experience the expansion.
With love and blessings. ~SL 2014
Sherrie Locke 