Did you know that feelings and emotions aren't the same thing? Most of us believe that these two things are one and the same. But, even though they are closely related, they are not the same. There is actually a simple formula that you can follow to give you an idea how thoughts, emotions and feelings relate and interact.
The Formula goes something like this; Thoughts + Emotions = Feelings. Here is a basic overview of the process: We have thoughts which depending on their subject elicit anemotion, ie: Happy, Sad, Angry, Joyous, etc.. When you add thoughts with emotions you get feelings. Feelings are the state of being we enter in because of the experience of our thoughts combined with emotions.
To make it a little clearer think of it this way. You decide to go to an amusement park to ride a rollercoaster. You have definite thoughts about riding that rollercoaster depending on your opinion of them and those thoughts tend to elicit an emotion or two. Those thoughts combined with those emotions create the feeling of excitement, exhilaration, dread, terror, queasiness, etc. And, once you actually make it onto the ride, your short time on it creates a whole different feeling.
Now, don't take my examples or descriptions of these highly complex processes to be gospel. What I give you are basic stripped down versions of these processes. The idea being to give you a different or broader perspective of what Thoughts, feelings and emotions are and how they work.
The main reasoning behind this blog is to show you a simple example of how these processes function and to let you know that you have control over them. By changing one of the ingredients in the formula you change the entire formula. If you change the thought then you create a cascade effect that changes the emotion and thereby the feeling. If you keep the thought, but change the emotion behind it and you change the resulting feeling.
It has been my experience in the past that you can even change the formula after the fact through the experience that turned out to be different than you thought it would be. How often are we not sure of something or, as is more common, scared of what we don't know or understand and once we force ourself to do it completely change our mind about it. Thus, making retrograde changes to the thoughts, emotions and feelings associated with that experience.
As interesting as this concept is, you maybe wondering why I even brought it up. The reasoning is this: You are not your thoughts, emotions or feelings. The you that is eternal uses and utilizes the Feeling Formula, but is not bound by it. Through practice you can remove yourself from the whole formula and take an observers point of view.
The observers point of view is the seat of the Master. When you remember that you are not your body, its feelings or functions you widen your perspective and scope of view. You are then free from feeling like a slave to those bodily functions. Masters are no more powerful or special than any of us, they have simply understood that they are not what others perceive them to be and act accordingly.
Your path to self-mastery lies in a few simple understandings about your true nature and then acting accordingly. One step at a time, one day at a time, one moment at a time. The past is only a memory, the future is a mystery, the present is a gift.. That is why it is called "The" Present.
Play with this formula in your day-to-day, moment to moment life and you will see it in action and find your power to manipulate it as you see fit. Have fun!
Love and Light to you all!
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