Emotions To Behold
I believe all of us have our fair share of emotional upheavals one time or another as we sail along life experiences. As always, whilst in it, it is never a pleasant experience to be in, and we tend to get trap in it. In some cases, these emotions can continue for a little while, or even for years. In cases like depression, it can seriously take a toll on our lives and that can propel us into suicidal thoughts. How can we avoid facing such emotions? That being said, we are aware that we can't dictate what is going to take place in our lives that may stir up deep negative emotions but we can do something about how we address it, stoically or in an equanimous way. Obviously, we need to prepare ourselves beforehand for such an event that, as always, can strike unexpectedly. It will be better off to do something now instead of hoping or expecting such events will not occur in our space. Unprepared, we can be facing an emotional pain that we cannot get out from.
Any situation can cause us to be emotional. The departure of our loved ones, which may also include our beloved pets, our expectation unmet, severe illness, defamation, jealousy, or even losing our sense of control can stir up instantaneously deep emotions. How we cope with it can vary from throwing tantrum to blaming another, self-blame, self-pity, retaliation, covering up, denial, grief, silent protest or crying. Are all these expressions uncontrollable or is there a way out of it?
What if we were to be given a crucial piece of information that all these emotional expressions are not a result of what is happening in our space? Another way of describing it is that the cause of our emotional outbreak is not coming from without, or "out there", rather from within? It may sound a little absurd at this point to imagine such, more so when we do not know how our own mind works. Before I came to know my mind, I would have vehemently disputed this information, or rather, fact, since most of the negative emotions I have ever experienced comes from some kind of ill-gotten events. But somehow as I journey long enough in observing and understanding my own mind, I soon came to realize that the above information is the truth – the truth of how our life's suffering begun.
Years ago I was deeply surprised by the verse found in A Course in Miracles that says "I am never upset for the reason I think." I was intrigued by such information and for a brief moment, I thought I read it wrongly. That embarks me on the process of finding out whether is it true that all the reasons I have about my emotions have nothing to do with what I think it is. After much fact-finding, through awareness of my own emotions, be it pleasant or unpleasant, I came to realize that statement is entirely true.
There is something within our mind that brings up the emotion. It takes a kind of meditation to unravel that insight. It is not something you can imagine until you have a direct experience of it. Suffice to say, this journey can be taken on by anyone, irrespective of age, so long as the person can comprehend what is being shown. WISE is offering such a course as to support one to come to his or her own realization about the reality of their minds. Upon taking on this meditative journey, they are able to address the negative emotion better than before and in some cases need not even experience them. Join us in exploring your own mind. After all the quality of your life is dependent on the quality of your mind.
In grace,
Tuck Loon
Newsletter 28 April 2021