I know I have stuck emotions that need to be released if I've gone a few weeks without crying. I began the series Safe to Cry as a way for me to intentionally reflect on what is on my heart, in my mind, and carried within my body. To become vulnerable to my shadow, I will look into a mirror and repeat affirmations until there's one that is difficult to say with conviction and then repeat it until I believe it. I will listen to music- whatever intuitively feels right at the time and connect the lyrics to my personal life, and then write about it in my journal. Or I will masturbate mindfully by focusing on my breath and imagining myself being filled and surrounded by the energy of pure love. I allow whatever emotions come up to flow through me without judgment. I feel them physically in my body and release them by crying. When I make the photo, I first take deep breaths, look through the lens, and envision my future self looking back at me. True intimacy requires vulnerability.