Recognizing the emotion and the feeling
Full of emotions, he wasn’t able to be himself.
Caught up in words and definitions, a difference between emotions and feelings could be made.
Some talk about “positive and negative” emotions when making a distinction as to what is “good” and what is “bad.” A feeling then, becomes some sort of “good” emotion…
Mary’s husband, John; had an affair. As he shared that episode of his Life to his friend Tracy , who was a potential lover once the marriage got dissolved; the label “cheater” was used by Tracy to “classify,” John’s action in the past.
In John’s mind, he didn’t have any other viable option according to the circumstances, although; he suffered the consequences through his own guilt.
When John and Tracy got together, John’s guilt resurfaced as an emotion which disabled John completely from loving Tracy.
That blockage is an emotion. That emotion is neither positive nor negative, for that depends on the circumstances and our viewpoint. Emotions tend to manifest in our bodies and influence it.
John could have been angry with Tracy and used that anger as a sexual energy towards Tracy.
That anger was another emotion. According to Tracy’s sensibility; she could have translated a sexual encounter with the energy of anger as “great” or “bad,” which in turn will set another emotion from Tracy towards John.
A manifested emotion will trigger different emotions on another invididual as long as there is receptivity.
Guilt, shame, anger and fear are emotions for they will manifest in our bodies to disable or enable some functions at a particular time. The “I” is at stake.
A feeling is the source without that “I” which will be “transformed” into an emotion due to an “I.”
For example, love is a feeling. When filtered through the experience of the “I” it becomes an emotion, such as attraction, lust, attachment, jealousy, even anger.
We could catalog “lust” as a “positive” or “negative” emotion according to a moral standard, but the label only inflicts acceptance or rejection which will create further emotions in us, which will not allow us to see things with clarity but clouded with guilt, shame, self-righteousness, etc.
Therefore, what is important is not label our emotions, but merely to be aware of them, without any judgment, but to be aware of what is continually being emitted by us.
For example, to qualify the label “lust,” as “good” or “bad” does not do anything to the fact of its existence. To become aware of it, is the key to go into its source and to find out about the “I” and his own experiences of filtering a feeling into emotions.
Many times we could perceive emotions from others and the environment.
For instance, Heather may feel grief in her heart. That grief could be perceived by Ron who is standing by.
According to Ron’s awareness, he may say: “I feel grief,” or he may be able to pinpoint the source: “It is Heather’s grief.”
However, the point is not to be caught up with pointing a finger at “me” or someone else, but rather to see that unless I have space in my heart for a particular emotion, that emotion has no way to stick with me.
Ron was able to perceive the grief, for there is grief in his heart.
The world is a mirror, manifested through relationships. The one who is aware will be able to perceive that what is outside is truly inside.
When we realize this, we could observe that “fixing the world” or changing someone may be just an egotistical activity, when we could be still in peace as the surface of a lake, without emotional ripples, so others could see themselves.
To be peaceful is to be empty of emotional ripples.
When we find the feeling of peace, we find the feeling of love.
Exploring the Depth of Living 