AS THE SPIRIT GROWS – “Some things we must accept, others we can change. The wisdom to know the difference comes with growth in our spiritual program.” “This is the emotional stability that we so baldly need.”(The Basic Text, p. 95)
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“EMOTIONAL STABILITY”, FAITH & WISDOM BLOOM –
” … [W]e discovered the best possible source of emotional stability to be God [or our H.P.] … .” “These were the new attitudes that finally brought many of us an inner strength and peace that could not be deeply shaken by the shortcomings of others or by any calamity, not of our own making.” (12 & 12 p. 116)
“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” – Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC) Chinese philosopher
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What wise revelations have you experienced lately and did they occur thru reflection or experience?
The Wisdom of Emotions
by David Coppolla
One of the keys to developing emotional stability, wisdom and insight is
expressing negative emotions and then consciously moving on to a more
peaceful state. No matter how much pain and anxiety we are feeling, these
emotions are a consequence of how we are perceiving our world.
Pay attention to how you feel. If you are stuck in negativity, change your
thought patterns. Shift your focus from the negative emotion to the countering
positive emotion. When you feel angry, shift to thoughts of what brings you joy.
When you feel anxious, shift to thoughts that make you feel calm. I will not
provide examples of what those thoughts might be because what makes you feel
joyful is not always what makes others joyful. The same is true for what is
calming to you.
We are all individuals.
Along those lines, when we feel scared, we know that not everyone in the
whole world is scared. Some people may be scared when an earthquake erupts
or when a hurricane is approaching and that emotion may seem overwhelming,
but there are many other people acting out of courage and bravery during these
trying times. Again, it is up to us to shift our thoughts to the positive polar
opposite of whatever negative emotion we are feeling in order to alleviate the
pain and imbalance associated with the negative emotion.
A few other examples of shifting our emotions to positive from negative
include: acceptance is the opposite of frustration; clarity is the opposite of
confused; and flexible is the opposite of stubborn. Think about some situations
that would help bring you out of negative emotion. What are you more accepting
of in your life when frustration abounds? What are you very clear of as far as
direction in your life when you get confused?
And how can you be more flexible when you realize you are being stubborn?
As we take responsibility for our emotional stability we will find that we are
increasingly able to shift to thoughts of things, people or events that make us
happy. As we continue on this path, we will start to embrace a belief system that
builds genuine happiness. While we work to find the good in every situation and
shift from negative to positive emotional states, it is important to remember that
we live within relationships—spouses, parents, children, siblings, friends,
classmates, co-workers… Our changes will affect those who are close to us, who
may be willing to make these changes as we do, or who may challenge us.
Remember that we all need each other for continued learning and growing.
Most of us need to cultivate a better understanding and appreciation for
knowing we are all different, and that is a good thing! Cooperate and
communicate by sharing views and beliefs that enhance each other’s spiritual
growth. We can make life and our relationships much more fulfilling by believing
in ourselves, believing in each other, and being creative with our challenges.
Most importantly,
we must be patient and tolerant while being authentic with
respect to our partners and to ourselves. In your own life, allow the positive
energy to flow and transform you with the awareness that everything is love. And
know that love is expressing itself the best way it can under the circumstances.
There will always be challenges in relationships. Our task is to look for
ways to be more creative, to grow, and to allow for better and deeper ways of
enjoying togetherness. We should not look at situations as hopeless, but as
challenges that we are perfectly equipped to handle. Above all, we should not
blame our negative emotions on our partner—we alone are responsible for our
emotional state.
Be honest with yourself. If a romantic partner doesn’t have a particular
quality you want in a person, but has twenty-five other good qualities that you
value, and you abandon the relationship, are you being realistic? It sometimes
appears during emotional setbacks that the grass is greener on the other side.
Remember, when you are entrenched and obsessed with negativity you should
not make arrangements to escape. Make the shift and move to the polar opposite
emotion. What makes you happy? Think about it… Now, feel it! (www.DrDavidCoppola.com)
