Emotions - The Way Out

As human beings we experience various types emotions throughout the day. Sometimes we are happy, sometimes sad, sometimes joyful, sometimes blur etc. 

On one level, when we are unconscious, we act according to our emotions and that in turn fuel more of such actions that bring about the emotions. For example, whenever there is a feeling of fear or anxiety, some tend to eat or cry or go exercise to escape from the emotions and hopefully other pleasant emotions will be experienced. So in a way, we are led by our emotions.

I notice that about myself when there is no awareness, things can spiral downwards very easily with non beneficial consequences. A month ago I got a parking ticket and I did not pay it immediately. It remained as a nagging thoughts so 2 days ago I decided to go online and made the payment, feeling rather pleased with myself. Then I went out to run some errands and parked my car in a housing area. When I came back in 45mins time, I saw I had another summon flapping on my windscreen and the amount was RM100. Arghhhhhh :(

The first thing I notice was anger arising and thoughts of self accusation and poor me run through the mind. I sat in the car observing the gamut of emotions and thoughts and when there was relatively some calm, I decided that I will go over to MBPJ and just settle it. While driving there, I kept making the wrong turn eventhough WAZE was guiding me. That is when, I noticed that there were anxiety on finding the place, the embarrassment if people found out and anger and frustration for not being careful. 

I stopped the car as I know the mind was experiencing wrong attitude and view hence its suffering under the view that I am not a good person because I have broken the law. When this is seen, the emotions settled down and I went into the parking to find a spot to park and lo behold someone infront of me, just pulled out. The whole process of making payment was quick. But I notice, what slowed me down me was the fact that I was reacting with aversion to what had happened hence creativity in finding solution was automatically out of the window.

Hence, its not the situation that makes me angry, more true is the thoughts and views that I am believing in that are making the anger/emotion arise. If there is no awareness, I would be lamenting that what happened to me is bad luck or I am being punish for something I did wrong. Its very liberating when emotions are not seen as the enemy but as a friend that encourages us to be aware so that it finally wisdom shows another way of living.