The Lymph and Emotions
Hello and welcome! My name is Stephen, and I’m honored that you’ve found this space. If you are seeking a deeper answer to your lymph nodes, you are not alone! There is another way, and I hope that my experiences are illuminating for you.
“I wonder if there is an emotional cause behind my lymph challenge?”
I whole-heartedly believe that bringing peaceful, full-bodied resolution to core of emotional conflicts, gets to the core of healing. I have experienced this for myself and with others again and again. And it’s nurtured a steadfast belief that empowers our body’s ability to heal naturally.
My name is Stephen (I also go by Steve). I guide healing in partnership with your body & inner wisdom, to ignite freedom and authentic connection within yourself. I believe we are meant to embrace, not bypass, our emotional sides and human experiences as part of our healing paths. We’re on this planet, in this body for a reason! My values honor the full integrity of our human + divine nature, the inherent intelligence of the body, and the emotional strength within.
I experienced a chain of lymph nodes swollen over 5 times their size on the right side of my neck. After 2.5 years, I hit a healing plateau. Everything stopped working…acupuncture, massages, an extremely limiting diet, loads of supplements and herbs.
This is when I was awakened to the world of energy, emotions, intuition, and the mind-body connection. I finally realized that my body was speaking to me, so I dug in and learned to listen. And I learned how to cultivate a newfound partnership with my body.
When I started to hone my focus on the emotional tensions and trauma patterns held within, that’s when I experienced a breakthrough. And the swelling in my lymph nodes cleared in less than 3 weeks, and I felt a sense of inner freedom I never experienced before.
My health challenges were blessings in disguise, and when I realized that, it led to a whole new relationship with my body. My journey opened me to a profound discovery of the interplay between the body, mind, and spirit and the healing power that lies within. I cultivated a deep love and appreciation for myself, and my body…and it brought me back home to myself.
While it wasn’t easy and certainly challenged me, ultimately, I'm extremely grateful for the experience with my swollen lymph nodes because it was the catalyst for my true calling as a healing guide for others. If someone would have told me that would all happen because of swollen lymph nodes…I would have never believed it.
Looking back, it’s clear that I traveled that winding, confusing healing journey to arrive in a place where I get to help others embark on a direct path. If you’d like my help with that, I would be honored to assist.
Now, let’s get into how emotions connect with and impact the lymph system.
Lymph and Emotions
All fluids in the body, including the lymph, are connected to emotions. (Anne wrote an article about this in regards to the bladder too).
Emotions are meant to be felt so they can flow.
Imagine your lymph as a river. It’s intelligently designed to flow and nourish the body.
Now…imagine throwing some boulders into the river.
Add some more.
Little by little, they create rapids…creating more turbulence.
Photo by Andrew Bertram
Now, keeping adding more and more boulders. What happens?
Eventually they dam up the flow.
These boulders are suppressed emotional energies.
If the lymph isn’t flowing, it indicates that emotions aren’t flowing (or have been suppressed).
Lymph, Emotions, and The Spirit
Emotions are expressions of the spirit, and the spirit is critical to overall health. The spirit is defined as “the nonphysical part of a person that is the seat of emotions and character; the mind and ego.”
Reflect on these statements: “He's in low spirits. Her spirit is broken. My job is soul-crushing.”
If we are disconnected from our spirit, we experience discord…physically, mentally, and emotionally.
When we discount our feelings or experiences or try to avoid them or tuck them away, it creates disconnection and discord. And those emotions…they aren’t going anywhere!
I tried to “fight” my lymph nodes for a long time, believing that was the way to solve it. What I didn’t realize was that I was deeply conflicted inside myself and the lymph nodes were just the messenger.
For a long time I didn’t know how to deal with emotions, so I suppressed and avoided them…eventually becoming numb and disassociated.
Avoiding emotions is avoiding a whole part of yourself. It’s like turning off a whole sensory experience we are designed to have as humans.
Discounting or rejecting how we feel…stuffing down those feelings…is self-rejection.
This is abandonment of a whole, beautiful part of the self.
And that takes a toll on overall well-being in body, mind, and spirit.
At the time I was experiencing swelling in my lymph, I was burnt out, hyper-critical of myself, and my body was telling me that it was time for a new way.
I reached a point in my own journey after 2.5 years with swollen lymph nodes where I hit a healing plateau. Everything I was doing seemed to stop working…acupuncture, massages, a super limiting diet, loads of supplements and herbs.
Herbs, supplements, diets, medications, and surgery do not address emotions. In fact, if these methods aren’t working, it can even make us feel like we aren’t doing “enough” or doing it “right.”
And dry brushing and massages (unless you have a very specific energetic release) most likely aren’t going to address the suppressed emotional issues. That’s like trying to push water through a clogged drain.
This does not mean these physical methods can’t be supportive, but they will not address the emotional and spiritual roots underneath.
My family is my happy place, and I feel so grateful for their love and support. This is me, my wife Anne, and our dog Ferne. Anne does this healing work with people too and she is brilliant at it if you feel more drawn to her energy. :)
When I focused my attention on bringing peace to the areas of conflict within myself, the swelling in my lymph nodes cleared in less than 3 weeks.
Beyond my lymph, turning my healing inward sparked a deep connection with my spirit to discover who I truly am and my healing gifts started to surface. I felt so much lighter as I allowed the years and years of pent-up emotions to melt. People started commenting on how peaceful I was, how I had a glow about me, and how I just looked content and more confident in myself. I felt freer and more expressed…more creative and alive.
My body led me there, and I listened. I’m in awe that the wisdom within knew what was possible for me all along.
I tried to fight my swollen lymph nodes for 2.5 years with a host of external treatments, believing that would solve it. When I addressed the emotional trauma patterns my body pointed me to, my system found calm, and the swelling in my lymph nodes dissolved for good. I felt a sense of unfiltered freedom I had never experienced before.
There is a different way to heal. One where you can partner with your body instead of fighting against it.
I’ve learned how to help myself and others feel confident, peaceful, and free in their bodies again. And I would be honored to help you too. ↓
Ready to nourish your lymph & build yourself up to new heights?
Let’s begin! I invite you to book an initial appointment to get started.
Over a connective call, we’ll get to the heart of the matters your body is expressing that you would like to bring ease to. You will consult directly with me so I can provide pinpointed intel and clarity to best serve your unique situation and help you find relief. Use the scheduler below, and I truly look forward to assisting you. ~Stephen
