Catharsis, a Path to Self-Realisation

“The method of repression is to not express. If you feel angry, you don’t express it. You suppress it, you don’t allow it to come out. My method is quite the contrary. If you are angry, express it.” ~ Osho

Powerful negative emotions, if not released, remain trapped in your body forever, and this in turn, leads to disharmony in the body, pain, malfunction and eventually disease. Catharsis is a powerful tool for accessing and releasing pent up emotions; a process of healing, cleansing and purification that affects us on both, emotional and cognitive level.

Originally, the term was used as a metaphor in Poetics by Aristotle to explain the impact of tragedy on the audiences. Catharsis was also used in psychotherapy practice – Freud & Breur described catharsis as an involuntary, instinctive body reaction for example crying.

Reenacting scenes from one’s past, dreams, or fantasies helps the person bring the unconscious conflicts into consciousness and eventually experience catharsis. With increased consciousness comes more relief and positive change (Moreno, 1946).