Mastering your emotions

            Much like the laws of physics or nature, emotions follow basic spiritual/scientific "laws" or patterns. The problem is, is that these patterns are mostly unconscious in ourselves. Much like a computer will follow whatever program you install on it, your life will follow whatever beliefs you install on it, or the beliefs of society you've unconsciously accepted. The trick is to be aware of these patterns. We can be however, be mindful of our own feelings and consciousness. Then we can begin to "install" empowering programs in our life.  

            It is not about using positive affirmations to counter negative affirmations, although positive affirmations are useful. It is not about trying to "make yourself" happy (Although we do want to be happy). It is about being more aware in life. It is about aligning with the "attractor patterns" or patterns of success, that empower us (both as an individual and as a collective).

             It is not about trying to "resist" suffering because suffering is resistance! Suffering, correctly interpreted, can lead to the birth of insight. Suffering can lead to contemplation which leads to insight. Self-insight can lead us to realizations we never imagined.

            The trick is to ask why we feel the way we do. Then, without trying to deny, repress, not acknowledge, distort or indulge in, we merely become a witness to our thoughts and emotions. We can merely witness them, and choose which ones we want to select. This is not avoiding life, but rather taking responsibility for our thoughts, and choosing which ones we want to respond to.

            By seeing them in our mind, and not automatically/habitually responding to them, we become aware that we are not our thoughts. By mentally pausing before we respond to our negative emotions, and learning where they come from, we can arrive at self-insight and learn to enter into better relationships with life.

            We can also ask questions in our consciousness of problems we have, and without trying to solve them, but just holding them in the back of our mind, let intuition solve them. Intuition is usually a lot smarter than your conscious mind. Intuition works by a feeling presence in our body. Does your body feel tense and tight when it thinks of a particular thing (usually in stomach and chest), whereas other thoughts give you a lightness of being, and more of a mental clarity? By narrowing down on what exactly it is that registers in your consciousness, you can arrive at the answers. Or sometimes you just need more information. Intuition can also point the way in that direction.

            We use both reason and intuition in order to arrive at self-insight.