How to Refine our Emotions?
Last week, we saw what these emotions are and how they can be accessed at our own will by taking the reins in our hands. Let us now look at some of the refined emotions and how we can refine each and every emotion.
The basis of purification of emotions is a complete and intense seeking for Delight, Peace and Bliss. Emotions in their truest form are the abundant source of light, love and delight. It is only due to degradation that emotions of jealousy, anger, fear, attachment, hatred, etc take birth. It is almost like the creation of hatred was actually through the path of love. Imagine loving someone with all your heart - we tend to carry expectations, have an attachment that eventually becomes possessiveness and if love is not reciprocated, end up further degrading to fear and anger and further to hatred.
One of the very first steps is to instill calm in the mind and silence in the heart. It is of utmost importance that we do not associate or identify ourselves with our emotions. Our outlook should be pragmatic and looking at our impulses from a little distance.
Once we start observing these from a distance, we can easily identify how our mind itself is creating a mirage in the form of a story that might not even exist in the first place. This awareness in itself is like equipping oneself with the sole control over their emotions and how we would want to “feel” at a particular time. In all circumstances, we should seek to establish a state of deep calm and quiet, not letting out our reins in the hands of these sentiments, but cautiously guiding them, navigating their path, course-correcting as required. Some easy ways of achieving this could be through connecting to music, art in any form or poetry that have the potential of touching and transforming our inner selves effortlessly. The refinement of our emotions is further facilitated by the intensity and steadiness of the flame of our Bhakti towards the Divine.