Emotional States: Do Our Emotional States Control Our Life?

[ File # csp10479857, License # 2425095 ] Licensed through http://www.canstockphoto.com in accordance with the End User License Agreement (http://www.canstockphoto.com/legal.php) (c) Can Stock Photo Inc. / Andres

Dr. Purushothaman
January 13, 2014

 

There is often talk around the power of ones thoughts and how these need to be changed in order for one to live a better life. And what this means, is that emotions are often overlooked.
This could be due to a number of reasons and one of these reasons is because of the emotional repression that takes place. With emotional awareness often being the exception and not the rule in the modern day world. What is normal is to live in the mind and to repress or run away from any emotions that arise. This is often described as acting in or acting out.
However, while one may try to repress or run away from certain emotions, they are usually still in control and are having a massive impact on ones life. And although one can use their mind to think differently, a lot of these thoughts are nothing but reactions to how one feels.
Either one can rationalise what they are feeling or they can think in a way that denies what is truly going on at an emotional level. This can create: resistance, struggle and strain; with there being a battle between the mind and the body.
A Metaphor
So with the mind out of the way and emotions being the focus, it is clear that emotions have a lot more power than the minds thoughts do. To use a metaphor: the emotions are the engine of a car and the thoughts are the chassis of the car.
And no matter what chassis one uses for the engine, if the engine is not good; it won't matter. It may look like a Ferrari, but if it has an engine that doesn't work, the Ferrari is not going to get very far.
The Power Of Thinking
Now, it could also be said that one can change their emotions through thinking differently. And while this is also true, it can depend on how strong the emotions are. If one has a lot of repressed emotions in their body or has emotions that have become frozen in their body, thinking differently may not be enough.
What it may do is just lead to one being in denial and living on the surface of themselves; never really embracing their true nature or their true depth of being. So to become a whole human being and realise ones personal power; one may need to leave the positive thinking and deal with their emotions.
Different Experiences
For some people, it may be that they have felt a certain way their whole life or perhaps something happened in their life and triggered a certain emotional state. This could be due to some kind of loss or set back.
Here one can be consumed by one or even a combination of feelings. If one has felt this way there whole life, it might not even by noticed, it can then become normal and how life is. But for someone who feels this way due to a loss of some kind as an adult, it is more likely to be noticed and therefore stand out.
But this is purely secondary, as it ultimately doesn't matter how it came about or how long it has been there for. Being at peace within or neither feeling up or down, can then become impossible and elude ones grasp.
Examples
There are many emotional states that one can have, and some of these are:
· A perpetual feeling of being powerless
· A perpetual feeling of emptiness
· A perpetual feeling of loss
· A perpetual feeling of rejection
· A perpetual feeling of abandonment
· A perpetual feeling of worthlessness
· A perpetual feeling of hopelessness
· A perpetual feeling of aloneness
· A perpetual feeling of not being good enough
· A perpetual feeling of shame
These feelings may drop or lessen from time to time, but they can be so strong that they are never too far away.
Reality
And although these just are feelings that exist in the body, they can completely take over. How one thinks, sees themselves, sees others and behaves can then be defined by them. The mind can then be kept busy trying to either cover up these feelings or by acting on them.
If one were to regulate these emotions and feelings, by not reacting to them or trying to deny that they exist, it might help. But as these feelings are often so powerful, it is not always possible to regulate them.
Feeling or emotions that are not too powerful can be regulated and yet if one is experiencing extreme emotions or feelings, outside assistance may be needed.
Awareness
Often, feelings and emotions that have become overwhelming are the result of emotional repression. And through repression and avoidance, they can build up. So at first it may have just resulted in the emergence of slight pain, but now they have taken over.
This could be due to moments in ones life where they didn't grieve and allow themselves to feel their feelings. At one point these could have been something that one felt, but through their accumulation they have become who one is. And so, these need to be released with the help of a good therapist or a healer.
If the body is calm, the mind is also likely to be calm. And through having this inner peace, the need to constantly think positive is unlikely to be there as much.

Read Related Recent Articles