The Purpose of Emotions: Are We Missing the Point?

Feeling our way to freedom!

Shubhada
Know Thyself, Heal Thyself
6 min readMay 19, 2024

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Photo by Tengyart on Unsplash

Current Emotional Landscape:

Emotions are our minds response to external and internal circumstances which reflect as physiological responses in our body, following this is a conscious or unconscious reaction in order to either change the state of our being and get back to our normal state or avoid it all together. Unfortunately, these are the only coping mechanisms we currently use.

We seem to be hesitant to embrace the full spectrum of emotions. It’s not just the “bad” feelings we shy away from — often, intense joy or excitement can feel overwhelming too.

This is because any unexpected feeling, good or bad, can trigger a sense of loss of control. Our minds and bodies perceive this as a potential threat, a deviation from our familiar state.

Imagine someone perpetually on edge. Fear becomes their baseline state. So, when they encounter stability, joy, and peace, it feels foreign, even uncomfortable. They struggle to accept it, despite having always desired it. Conversely, someone typically calm and content might find even a slight tremor of fear disruptive and unsettling. Their baseline of tranquility makes even minor anxieties feel amplified

More importantly, our emotional conditioning, which starts early, plays a major role on how we interpret and respond to emotions today. Was it presented as a means to an end, or was it framed as a way to enrich the experiences we were having?

From a young age, positive emotions often act as rewards, motivating us to behave in certain ways. Conversely, negative emotions serve as deterrents, steering us away from undesirable actions. This early experience can lead us to view positive emotions as something to be pursued relentlessly, while negative ones become something to be avoided at all costs. Unfortunately, this simplistic good-versus-bad approach often carries over into adulthood, influencing how we respond to our emotions today.

The need to Change:

Emotions aren’t simply instructions to act upon, nor are they signals to ignore or avoid. They are experiences we’re meant to traverse. We get stuck with our emotions either by believing the stories they tell or by trying to shut them down completely. Both approaches leave us feeling powerless, making life feel unpredictable and draining.

By accepting our emotions and allowing them to flow through us without judgment, we liberate ourselves from their control.

It’s like encountering traffic jam, when driving. You know you need to get through it to reach your destination, but you might be tempted to take a detour, hoping to avoid the congestion.However, you might still not reach your destination on time. This frustration can lead to self-blame, a desire to fix the situation, or a sense of helplessness. But the only way to get past the traffic jam is to drive through it.

Similarly, when emotions arise, we might try to distract ourselves, find a way around them, or fix the situation that triggered them. However, these strategies often prolong the experience. The key is to acknowledge and navigate the emotional landscape, just like driving through traffic.

Driving solely on freeways in perfect weather conditions wouldn’t make you a good driver. Similarly, experiencing only the emotions you are comfortable with wouldn’t give you emotional intelligence.

It’s facing the challenges — driving through traffic, bad weather, or unfamiliar roads — that allows you to grow and become a more capable driver. Similarly, navigating the full spectrum of emotions, both positive and negative, allows you to develop emotional maturity and resilience.

We choose this earthly existence to encounter this broader range of emotions. In realms beyond our 3D reality, only love exists. While that may seem ideal, here on Earth, the rich tapestry of human emotions serves as a way for the universe to understand and integrate aspects of itself that it isn’t. Through these emotions, the universe experiences the full spectrum of its being.

From Suppression to Exploration:

Our bodies and minds possess incredible intelligence, yet we often become so consumed by the external world that we neglect to explore the vast landscape within. Instead of approaching our inner world with curiosity and a spirit of experimentation, we become rigid, trapped in repetitive patterns of behavior and living according to external expectations. This disconnection from our inner selves creates the illusion that we’re at the mercy of external forces, perpetually caught in a cycle of desire and suffering with no apparent escape, a cycle that can feel like a life sentence.

The truth is far more empowering. Similar to a mighty elephant, capable of breaking free from countless ropes, yet held captive by a single tether because it believes escape is impossible. We’ve been falsely trapped in this cycle, convinced there’s no escape

It’s time to shed these outdated limitations, the “3D shackles” that no longer serve us. Let’s break free from the cycle of chasing or suppressing emotions. Instead, let’s embrace them as allies, valuable tools for self-discovery that guide us towards our authentic selves.

You don’t need to do anything drastic. The next time you feel a surge of anger, sadness, or any other emotion that makes you want to numb yourself or take action to avoid it, simply acknowledge it. It might feel challenging at first, but with consistent practice, emotional awareness becomes second nature. Once you recognize the emotion, you can try the following:

  • Instead of the usual judging or suppressing of emotions, get curious about them. Even if you think you understand what you’re feeling, take a moment to ask yourself, “What emotion is this?”
  • Approach it with a sense of exploration. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to gain a deeper understanding:

What triggered this emotion?

What message is it trying to convey?

What needs or desires might it be highlighting?

What are my beliefs around this?

By exploring your emotions from different angles, you gain valuable insights.

  • Once you have a better understanding, acknowledge the emotion and its presence. Thank it for trying to communicate something important.
  • Reassure yourself that it’s okay to feel this way, even if the situation seems difficult. Let the emotion know you’ve heard its message.
  • Finally, after some exploration, allow the emotion to move through you. You can visualize it softening or fading away. Remember, emotions are temporary states.

You can do this through journaling, meditation, or any method that feels comfortable. It’s okay if you don’t have all the answers during this process. Be patient with yourself. By acknowledging and processing your emotions, they lose their power to control you and become messengers of valuable information.

Remember, emotions are energy in motion. They need to flow through you to dissipate. If you ignore or suppress them, this trapped energy can manifest in physical symptoms or intensify the emotion itself.

You don’t need to control the emotion or make it disappear. Just listen.

Closing Remarks

Here are some common emotions and the underlying messages they might convey. Remember, this is just a starting point, and your own experiences may cause you to interpret them differently. Explore these messages and see what resonates with you.

  1. Shame : I am not “enough”.
  2. Guilt : I’m struggling with doing what I need for myself and meeting everyone’s expectations.
  3. Fear: I am not in “control”.
  4. Sadness : I lack “something”.
  5. Jealousy: This isn’t fair.
  6. Anger: It is usually a secondary emotion masking one of the above or other emotions. Dig deeper to understand the root cause.

Every emotion you experience, whether positive or negative, holds valuable information about yourself. They’re like built-in signals guiding you towards understanding your beliefs and unconscious patterns.

By acknowledging our emotions and exploring their source, we unlock a deeper understanding of our authentic selves. This can include exploring past experiences (shadows and traumas) in a healthy way, leading to a more integrated and authentic sense of who you are.

Lets feel our way to freedom!!

Thanks for reading!

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Shubhada
Know Thyself, Heal Thyself

Inspired by the power of shared experiences & connection,I write to create a space where vulnerability & authenticity pave the way for collective transformation