Page 35 - NAMAH-Jul-2017

Namah Transmuting the emotions

be no more perfect channel for love than the give no leverage for the rumblings of the
heart. However, we need only observe how lower hemisphere. Our growth, however, is a
easily love can change into rancour and even journey from outside to inside and not all our
hatred. Behind the heart, though located much nature wants to collaborate in this process.
deeper, is surely found the voice of truth. The ego depends always on the outside for
its sustenance and certain parts of our nature
Emotions mirror our levels of consciousness. will remain obstinately stuck to the façade.
In The Synthesis of Yoga, Sri Aurobindo refers
to the “double character of the human emotive The trigger, though not the cause, for discord
being (2).” It’s as if they are divided between is circumstance. Fortunately, the very discords
two hemispheres. They are separated by we experience offer an opportunity to also
duality. We have to keep propping these unearth the cause. We will find eruptions
emotions up. The mind can’t achieve this occurring particularly if we are not truly
unaided and tries to instil stoicism. Can connected inside. But when that happens,
anything truly refine and change them? everything depends upon how much of our
nature is correctly aligned. Take anger for
For our well-being to become complete, the instance. The specific emotion is not relevant
growth needs to become integral and whole at all as the process can be applied to any
and the emotions play a crucial role in this negative emotion. On the surface, anger may
movement. They need to be organised and appear a quite spontaneous outburst but
refined around our true centre to supplement really it is a matter of habit. Habit engrains
and support this upward momentum. It is our whole emotional nature as well as
the centre itself that alone can achieve this. everything else. A spark from outside might
Indeed, it provides the key to all our growth. activate a deep-seated memory or association
and trigger a recoil and our well-being will
Our centre then fall into nose-dive. The process is totally
unconscious and our equilibrium will be
This centre, which Sri Aurobindo termed the temporarily shattered. The question is, was
psychic being, has an executive power. It can any part of our nature ‘connected’ at the
embrace and reconcile the discords of the time? Were we awake enough to observe
lower hemisphere, lift them up and harmonise this familiar reaction repeating? If there is a
everything into a state of oneness. It nurtures strand of awareness, that was enough to save
the higher ranges and transforms them into a us. The only way to completely short-circuit
sense of overwhelming gratitude. When our the anger is by defusing it the very moment
emotions base themselves on thankfulness, it surfaces. We have to ‘catch’ it as soon as
we know we’re on the right path. It will bring it shows its face. Our consciousness is all
illimitable happiness and provide the perfect that is required. The consciousness gives a
fuel for well-being, growth and progress. simultaneous insight into the root and the
cause. What we observe gives knowledge;
But we need to be attentive and listen to it may well be unspoken but it is definitive
the promptings from deep inside. If we are and known. What we observe transforms
awake and maintain a watchful poise, we and changes. It is a divine reality, the eternal

35