Word of the Day: Dissolve
Last week there was a new moon in Pisces. During our New Moon circle we held a very Piscean ceremony involving water. There was a large, clear vessel of water in the center of the circle. Each member of our circle held a small dropper full of water. One by one we shared intentions for anything we wished to surrender or create during this new moon cycle. We then dropped the water from our droppers (representing our intentions) into the larger vessel, watching each drop merge with the pool of water.
Symbolically, we were witnessing each other surrender our worries, fears, and uncertainties to a collective consciousness that was beyond our own limited perceptions. Our dreams, hopes, and visions also merged with the water in our circle, opening possibilities we might not see yet.
A friend shared that she had a tendency to grip tightly in uncomfortable situations. She shared about experiencing some emotions as “good” and some as “bad.” In the experience of “bad” emotions she tends towards patterns of control, hoping she can will the problems to go away if she exerts enough force. Her intention was to surrender control when “bad” feelings show up.
She gripped the water dropper tightly which was symbolic in itself. We laughed. She then focused this intention of letting go into the water inside of the dropper. As she dropped the water into our larger collective pool, we watched ripples and bubbles form before the drops disappeared, dissolving into the larger vessel. As I witnessed this merging, a light bulb went off for me. Contained within the word dissolve is “solve.” My friend was viewing uncomfortable emotions as a problem she needed to solve. Surrendering to what she experiences in the moment without force, causes the emotions to dissolve.
There’s nothing to solve. No Problem.
To expand upon this, let’s explore the etymology of the word dissolve.
dissolve (verb) -
(of a solid) become or cause to become incorporated in to a liquid so as to form a solution
to seperate into component parts
to cause to disperse or disappear
close down or dismiss (an assembly or official body)
Dissolve comes from the Latin word dissolvere meaning “to loosen up, break apart.” Dis- means “apart” and solvere means “to loosen, untie.” A related use comes from the 14th century - dissolven meaning “to break up, disunite, separate into parts.”
I love that the root word dissolvere means to loosen up. In our modern usage, “loosen up” often means to relax. If we want uncomfortable emotions to dissolve, or to disappear, then we can take advice from dissolvere and lighten up. A common human instinct in discomfort is tension. We tense up or grip. Dissolving big feelings begins with relaxation or loosening up. Making space for rest, joy, and playful awareness can help uncomfortable feelings to dissolve.
In the sense of solving problems, we can also look to the etymology of dissolve for wisdom. Another early definition of dissolve is “to break up or separate into parts.” Sometimes we don’t see the big picture. We have a limited amount of information available to us and we try our best to make decisions with what we know or perceive. One method in problem solving is to break the problem up into parts. What feels manageable in the moment? What can we do in this moment to invite comfort or relaxation until the bigger picture is clearer?
To dissolve in the sense of a solid includes within its definition “to form a solution.” The solution forms when a solid is incorporated into a liquid. Solids are generally denser than liquids because their particles are more closely packed and rigid. I may be stretching here, but this seems to be a metaphor that sometimes the ideal solution appears when we become less rigid. We surrender.
If you’re struggling with big emotions or frustrating problems, perhaps take a cue from this wonderful word of the day. Loosen up and break the problem up into manageable parts. By becoming less rigid, a solution may appear where we didn’t see one before.
