Meditate with Urmila: Purpose of emotional experiences

In the column ‘Emotions and physical pain are related.’ (December 12, 2020), I received several e-mails. Inspired by the queries and comments, in this column, I am tracing little more on the root aspect of physical illness; emotions.

So, how do emotions arise and how can they best be dealt with?

Every experience causes an emotion to take place and is felt within the body-system; psychological, physical, physiological. Some experienced emotions make us feel good and some don’t. The idea then is to transmute such emotional experience to that which feels good.

Before we get into the how of it, know that all emotions are useful, purposeful and they happen for you to learn the contrasts. How would you know calmness, if chaos didn’t play its part, how would you know the feeling of joy, if despair didn’t play its part, trust, if betrayal didn’t exist, purity if impurity were absent, compassion if unkindness wasn’t experienced? Nature itself functions within this paradigm; day and night, light and dark, hot and cold, birth and death.

In the earthly realm, dualities will always exist for the purposes of learning and involution. It then becomes our job to balance all emotions. This is the most fulfilling job one can do internally. Benefits will accrue.

Use Daily Dose of Energy Wisely

A discordant emotion can become the catalyst for the best growth and learning, if handled in balance. This balance often leads to adjustments, the state of equilibrium will require for you to expend certain amount of energy. Hence, it is advisable to use your energy wisely. Extreme emotions consume a lot of energy. Know that the emotional states can be changed. In balance, energy is preserved, which can then be utilised for higher purposes.

One can ask as to why do we have to experience discordant emotions for they create havoc in physical wellness. Physical illnesses are also not without purpose. It teaches you something, isn’t it? People who have been ill got to be spiritually “present.” Not-so-good emotions are required to know how balance feels like so that you can make your emotional adjustments, these are necessary.

If you are pained by certain experience, understand what is that pain causing you to do, to be, or behave? You will do and behave, entirely the opposite when the pain goes away, isn’t it? But between the period, humbleness is created. This is balance. One also gets a knowing that things have the tendency to change as well. This is a mental plane knowing. (through thoughts). When mental plane adjustment is done, body also complies.

Role of Discordant Emotions in Our Lives

Thoughts (and emotions) are created by experiences and experiences create thoughts (and emotions). The real balance is then to be attained between thoughts and actions. And the body will comply as such. Know that you hold the power to change, through the means of your choice. Sometimes, if choice isn’t available, use your better judgement.

Helping and serving others will put you in touch with different emotional experiences too, without you having to experience them to learn them to balance. In reaching out to help others, you also get the perspectives of other people, their lives, this helps you to deal emotions better. Utilise each experience-emotion for positive change. This can be done by being an observer to emotions. An observer position will help you retain clarity without being embroiled in the misery or excitement of an emotional intensity.

Disclaimer: Urmila Rao is a chakra balancing meditation coach, Theta Healer and a sound therapist. All the ideas expressed herein are her own and not professional advice or medical prescription. She can be reached at milarao2018@gmail.com