Emotions

Preface

Emotions! Every one of us has experienced the roller coaster ride of emotional highs and lows: deliriously happy at one moment and at other times somewhat depressed. In any event, we end up being exhausted and there will come a time when we want to get off that ride and say, “Enough!” To do that, however, we first have to understand where these highs and lows come from and what sustains them. The authors in this book help us to understand our emotions so that we can lead well-balanced lives, least affected by the upheavals of emotion.

      In Part One, authors discuss where emotions originate and how they affect our wellbeing. The first few articles describe the mind-body connection: how every part of our body reacts to a happy or sad state of mind. The other articles in this section discuss how the understanding of our emotions can affect the way we deal with them in life. They point out that expressing emotions is the beauty and glory of man, but if emotions overwhelm us we become their slaves.

      Hence in Part Two, various practices to help keep the emotions in balance are suggested so that we may learn to rise above the overpowering effects of negative states such as anger, lust, and greed. When positive qualities, such as gentleness and joyfulness predominate we find ourselves more peaceful and balanced. Through the various processes of purification, our tendency to cling to the past or to be anxious about the future is reduced. And once the mind becomes tranquil it begins to search for God. Then we are in a position to further fine-tune our emotions through the practices of contemplation and self-inquiry. This becomes the topic of Part Three.

      Thus the authors in this book affirm that when emotions are understood and directed towards the Higher, our minds become peaceful and happy. To sustain this quiet and joyous mood throughout all our activities is the essence of spiritual living.