KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

28 Mar 2012

Handling emotions

Every emotion has a definite sensation in the body. Many a times, we get carried away by thoughts, or feelings and we do not observe the sensations. One should learn how to handle one’s self.

We make so many affirmations: “Oh! I will not do this. I will do this.” But, when the storm of emotion rises in us, we find ourselves lost. There is a strange relationship between thoughts and feelings. Thoughts provoke feelings, and feelings, in turn, can bring about some thoughts.

Feeling is subtler than thinking. You cannot have the same feeling all the time, feelings change. When we feel high, we have no problems. The problem comes when we feel low. When one feels low, then the more one tries to feel high, the more the low feelings persist.

When you feel low, jump into the lowest. Be like water. The nature of water is Humility. It always goes down. Water means acceptance with motion, with dynamism, with readiness to jump up.

The ocean is the lowest. How has the ocean become an ocean? It has accepted the lowest. All rivers from the mountain flow down to the ocean. The ocean is full. The humblest is the greatest. Have you ever loved your low feelings? You have always fought with them.

Just close your eyes and go into that low. Do not do any action but just agree. How far will you go down? You will find the ocean there. You will start rising up in no time. Depression and low feelings cannot touch you.

However big the clouds are, they cannot overshadow the sun. It could be the darkest day, but still it will remain day, and those clouds can never make it night. Just go deep, observe and you will see a lot of sensations rising up. Some fears come up.

Fear is just a sensation in the body. Agree to it. An amazing thing happens within you. If you try to fight with your feelings, they take a longer time to clear.

There is only one way, “Let go” or “Surrender”. Surrender means that which you cannot handle, keep it on a plate and offer it. You cannot handle your own feelings, you cannot handle your own thoughts, your own confusion. When we are aware of our confusion, we offer it. That is what is called surrender.

|| Jai Guru Dev ||