Sunday 27 July 2014

16. Listen to Heart – Do not Let Emotion Overwhelm ….

Hari Bol....

16. Listen to Heart – Do not Let Emotion Overwhelm ….


We all are tied up to each other with emotions. It is very important part of life. All relationship is based on emotions. It is because of emotions a feeling arises for each other. Now a days different emotion symbols are used to express our feeling. This has been discussed in one of the previous article, ‘Listen to Heart - De-Cloud the Cloud of Emotion…’


We have seen that Over Confidence leads to lack of Confidence similarly emotion is good and necessary but if this emotion is overwhelmed it paralyses a person. Everyone experiences this in his lifetime. It empowers a persons’ ability to act and think rightfully at the right time and thus one is not able to reach his desired goal. It may be caused due to stress which people face in todays at work and home. It even may lead to health problem. Generally one finds overwhelmed by emotions because of difficult circumstances in life which one did not wish for.


I was going through an article on unconditional love which I would just like to share. To love and be loved in return is a wonderful state. Reciprocal love is yearned for, dreamed about, craved and cherished when achieved. The ultimate form of love is unconditional love, where the loved one is fully accepted and valued without any preconditions, need to be changed or judgments. Receiving the greatest human gift possible overwhelm some well-loved individuals. Mostly all of us have experienced the unconditional love during our childhood by our parents and all near and dear ones. Nothing was expected of them as they were cherished for ‘just being’. As per Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman state, “Love represents a cognitive, behavioral, and emotional stance toward others that takes three prototypical forms. One is love for the individuals who are our primary sources of affection, protection, and care … The prototype of this form is a child’s love for a parent. Another form is love for the individuals who depend on us to make them feel safe and cared for … The prototype of this form is a parent’s love for a child. The third form is love that involves passionate desire for sexual, physical, and emotional closeness with an individual whom we consider special and who makes us feel special. The prototype is romantic love.” As desired as being loved is, many people become overwhelmed and fearful when they sense their lover’s awe includes viewing them as “perfect”. The best level of unconditional love is the Love by the Lord and by our parents for all of us. When the doctor enters the operation theater he has unconditional love for the patient. By the emotion of love one is overwhelmed.


In our lives, we often focus on the physical and intellectual development, but how many of us are trying to get a complete emotional control. By understanding the emotional system one can try to control the overwhelming emotions. This may lead to a special awakening and perpetual peace of mind. As per another article overwhelming emotions can be dealt in following ways;
·        Recognize that an overwhelming emotion is already engulfing you. It controls your thought and actions. This phase is equal to undergoing a spiritual awakening or waking from a long sleep,
·        Accepting the situation if one has understood that emotion has overwhelmed else it would lead to frustration and would demoralize.
·        Observe the situation once you have recognized and accepted it. Nurture the feeling of inner peace. The observation can be difficult at first, but like many things in life, you’ll get better with time. Create an emotional buffer and don’t attach yourself to any emotion, thought and concerns of possible outcomes.
·        Release the emotions peacefully by accepting it for a while. Convince yourself that the emotion is no longer a part of your mind. You’ll know when it has gone, because you don’t feel the internal pull and experience a noticeable inner calm.


Depending on how well you accept the emotion, how neutral you can observe the emotion and how intense your emotion is, you can start to control your overwhelming emotion for between 30 to 45 minutes. It may not be easy for some people, but you’ll get better the more you practice it. Be positive, both on your mind and your body.


I know a family which is full of doctors. All of them are leading ones in their field. There is a huge line of the patients waiting outside the Nursing for their chance to come. Some get appointment after days and weeks. People still wait for their turn and considers it as an opportunity. This family has third generations of doctors. My friend’s grandmother had to be operated for Cataract. The whole family started discussing about various doctors who could be consulted for the operation.  Finally they decided the doctor and the date were confirmed. Grandma was ready early on that particular day. She was not nervous but excited. All of them moved to the hospital ‘Healthcare’ which was run by them. The Dr. Gupta who had agreed to operate had also agreed to perform the operation in their hospital itself i.e. Healthcare. Dr. Gupta had also reached. All the staffs were more alert as Grandma was the patient. They were meeting her to keep her motivated. In return they all were discussing about her excitement. They had never seen her so excited neither they had seen any patient so excited. Finally Grandma was moved to the operation theater (OT). She called her eldest son Dr. Bharat who was the leading Eye surgeon. She asked, “Everything fine”. In reply he said, “You do not worry, I would be there during the operation”. She asked, “What do you mean by saying that you would be there?” Dr. Bharat said, “Dr. Gupta would be leading the operation but I would be there in the OT”. Grandma replied, “Beta you are not getting me operated by the top most eye surgeon. I have all respect and love for Dr. Gupta because he is also like my son to me and he equally qualified but he is not at the top. I want the leading doctor to operate. I have taken so much pain and did sacrifice to make you a doctor. I am happy today that are at the top and I want you to operate.” Dr. Bharat said, “No son operates his mother, in fact not even any of their relatives”. His mother replied,” I am not asking you operate your mother but I as a patient is requesting a leading doctor to operate me. Please doctor I beg you to operate”. This discussion went on and on. Finally the operation date was postponed and it took place after two days by Dr. Bharat. His mother thanked Dr. Bharat as a patient for accepting her request. She said, “Today I am satisfied that I suggested you to be a doctor and today was your real test as doctor when you operated your mother as patient. Do not allow the emotion to overwhelm you else you will not be able to perform your duty as a doctor i.e. Karma, because every patient is as important as your family member and even your family member should be treated as a patient by you in Healthcare. This was also my duty to prepare you for such a situation. I feel satisfied as mother by doing this karma also. Remember sometimes one has to be cruel to be kind for his duty. “


Emotion had overwhelmed Arjuna. He tells Krishna that he does not find any good in fighting the battle with Kauravas. He says that Kauravas have become blind in their greed to acquire kingdom, wealth and power and so they cannot see the effects of the battle. He says that if Kauravas cannot see the effect, at least he himself can see the effect of the battle. Arjuna sees evil in the destruction of family and so he wants to be away from this sin. Well knowing the effect of the battle he tells Krishna that he wants to withdraw from the battle and was ready to refuse the challenges of Duryoudhana. Obligation is actually binding when the effect is good, but when the effect is otherwise, then no one can be bound. Considering all these pros and cons, Arjuna decided not to fight and forgot the karma of a Khashtriya. This was his narrow vision of life. Generally an ignorant people are very adamant about his opinion. At this moment of war which was just to explode, Arjuna’s proposal of turning down the challenges by Duryoudhana was escapism. No leader or warrior can run away from the responsibilities. This would amount to cowardice. It was all due to emotions which had overwhelmed Arjuna.


All Glories to Lord Krishna & All His Loving Devotees….. Hari Bol……
Courtesy : Bhagavad-Gita As It Is (by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ) ,  Srimad Bhagavad-Gita ( by A. Parthasarathy  & www.gitadaily.com ) Chapter 1 : Text 38 & 39


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