ACTIVE EMOTIONAL AWARENESS HELPS US TO IDENTIFY THE TRIGGERS OF OUR STRONG EMOTIONS AND FREE OURSELVES FROM THE TYRANNY OF THEIR CONTROL. IT ALSO GUIDES US TO GAUGE WHETHER WE ARE THINKING CLEARLY AND FEELING POSITIVELY TOWARDS OTHERS.
Living in the moment enables us to create a framework for effective action. To cultivate active emotional awareness is to live in the moment.
We have the capacity to differentiate between a feeling getting up on the back of current events and one that is compounded by emotional memory. An emotion triggered by the mind or emotional memory intrudes upon us in a flash, seemingly out of nowhere. Being calm and in control in one moment and suddenly transforming into a crazed angry maniac for a small infraction in the next moment, and being scared to death in a situation, where no real threat exists, is a sure sign that we are in the grip of the past and its emotions.
Bringing into focus the burning heat of angry feelings at the pit of the stomach is a prelude to recognising the old feelings at its core, and to cultivating the presence of mind to realise that our current irritation and emotions exacerbated by anger from the past are disproportionate to its trigger or current events. Breathing and focusing on the strong feeling until it subsides enables us to respond constructively. With consistent practice, we can reduce the intensity of our troubling strong emotions, transcend our fear of them and gain control over the emotional charge connected to our emotional memories.
A stiff neck after stressful encounters could be traced to a childhood bedevilled by an exacting teacher who pressured one into stiffening the neck to compensate for the stress. Active emotional awareness helps us to identify the triggers of our strong emotions and to free ourselves from the tyranny of their control. In the aforementioned case, the trigger could be a situation where one has to give an answer to a question or make a presentation. Active emotional awareness also guides us to gauge whether we are thinking clearly and feeling positively towards others.
A heavy feeling in the legs could be speaking for exhaustion, while the feeling of having cotton between the ears could be pointing to a lack of mental clarity. Resentment of those around us or in our thoughts could plague us as an itch between the stomach and the chest. Staying in touch with our emotions helps us to take advantage of the information that they bring along.
The three most important benchmarks of wellbeing are energy, mental clarity and positive regard for others. Following a life path that optimizes all three of them is the right course that will bring true satisfaction to us.
