Stiff Upper Lip

In the beginning was the word. - John 1:1

I was speaking to a fellow esoterician about a client that I referred out to her. There was a Neck / Jaw issue that was holding up the work on my end.

Her note to me: “Axis for mandibular motion originates between C1 and C2, so as long as that is (held) straight, her jaw will continue to create disfunction.” We continued to discuss how the emotion of anger (liver, wood) is often expressed in the jaw. From my experience with this client, I thought there might be be some sadness mixed in there as well. I pondered the clients jaw and emotions while on a walk. Maybe it was always having to hold it together, even though the client was sad and wanted to fall apart. Possibly resentment. Certainly fear of showing the emotion, whatever it might be.

So I did what I often do, I tried to run the pattern and emotion through my body. You, the reader, can also try and see what you can feel. How do you feel when you embody this phrase?

Run this through your body:

Imagine something traumatic, possibly sad, something that might make you want to fall apart in tears.

Now embody the phrase “Stiff Upper Lip.”

Don’t let your tears fall, don’t let your lip quiver, don’t let snot drip from your nose. Steel your face (sorry dead fans, only off by one letter) , so that none of the emotion bubbling below can be seen. What do you feel?

I did above. I felt the emotion, then chiseled my philtrum in granite and gave myself a stiff upper lip. Instantly my C1 & C2 went on lockdown. I could instantly see just how energetically expensive and exhausting this must be to carry for decades. After a few minutes , I let it go and allowed myself to fall apart for a moment. Once I got my footing, I pondered phrases that might help anyone holding a stiff upper lip let go.

The path is now laid clear for me and my client, who originally came in for knee and hip pain.

The world is made of language. - Terence McKenna