Emotions and their identification with the thinking process
When
there are not strong emotions associated with the thinking our
identification with the thoughts is very weak. In this case the thought
process subsides very easily only by giving attention to it.
But
when there are emotions or a desire behind the thoughts, the
identification is strong and becomes difficult to us to stop the
identification and the thinking process.
Thus it is necessary to investigate not only the thoughts but what emotions, desire, need and belief is behind these thoughts.
When
we are in the self-observation mode (we must be always or as much as
possible we can) we must also focus our attention to our body in order
to discover what emotions, sensations, impulses are functioning in
relation with the thoughts that appear in the mind.
By
being conscious of our emotional and mental patterns we have the
opportunity to free ourselves from its dominion. We cannot free
ourselves from something that we ignore or we do not know well enough.
Then with the power of laser like attention, discrimination and enquiry* we must stop the identification of emotions or the desire with the particular thoughts which of course are related with some object or situation aw well as we must apply some ´technique´** in order to eliminate the emotional or desire energy.
Then with the power of laser like attention, discrimination and enquiry* we must stop the identification of emotions or the desire with the particular thoughts which of course are related with some object or situation aw well as we must apply some ´technique´** in order to eliminate the emotional or desire energy.
This
is the only way to free ourselves from the egoic tendencies and enjoy
the peace and bliss of our true nature (Atman, consciousness).
NOTE:
attention, discrimination and enquiry*:
ENQUIRY
BY QUESTIONING: Appropriate questions are perhaps the most helpful way
(especially in the first period of our sadhana) to stop our
identification with the thoughts and the emotions and also to
disassociate the emotions from the thoughts (viz. to perceive thoughts
and emotions as separate). By questioning what we feel and think we take
the energy from the mental and emotional stuff and also we gather our
attention and we become alert and self-aware. From that state (of
self-awareness and alertness) we can take farther 'steps' to eliminate
the emotional energy (of course the dissolution of all egoic tendencies
and emotions needs a more holistic approach). Together with questioning
is also necessary a focused discriminative attention.
The
energy of emotions or the desire starts to fade out already by
disidentifying from the stream of thoughts and the emotions and much
more by perceiving the emotions or the desire (which nature is also
emotional) as separate 'things' from the particular thoughts that are
associated. We can manage to perceive the emotions and thoughts as
separate by putting full attention on them alternately (on the thoughts
only and then to the emotions only) and by the capacity of
discrimination.
In
the case of desire in order to stop identification with it, perhaps the
most powerful way is to change the imagined image of the desired
object. The desire always in order to delude us projects itself on an
image. By the power of imagination the desire makes this images to
appear very attractive. So if we change this image with a disgusting
image then the attraction fades out and the desire subsides. Together
with this we can apply a ´technique´** (see below) to dissolve the
desire energy.
For example if the desire for sex arises in us and is projected on an
image of a woman with blond hairs etc. then we must change this image
and imagine this woman without skin, seeing the flesh, the blood and the
bones behind the skin or we can imagine how this woman will be at the
age of 80, with a wrinkly skin, without hairs etc.
Another
way is to think about the momentary nature of pleasure and that one day
we have to abandon it any way as well as the suffering that is
associated with pleasure. Of course a tamasic and rajasic mind cannot do
these reflections; it sees the pleasures as paradise on earth.
´technique´**:
We can pray to divinity or the Divine Shakti to dissolve this
particular energy.
We can also repeat a mantra of God or the Divine
mother (Om, Om Sri Durgaye namaha, Om Jesus Christ namaha, Om nama Shivay etc.).
Another
more advanced way (if we are capable to do so) is to 'download' the
power of the silent space within on the emotion by focusing our
attention in the source of the silent space and then without to lose
connection with it to put our attention also to the emotion.