You know, back in my teens, I remember diving into ancient Chinese philosophy and marveling at how it purported to transform people. Some passages would categorize jealousy and anger as negative emotions to be avoided, and I could grasp that conceptually. But how does one actually avoid such feelings?
Well, that’s where philosophy, psychology, and life experience merge with intelligence. Imagine your life as a jumbled puzzle at the start—your goal is to piece everything together as it’s meant to be. When it comes to negative emotions, simply reading about their negativity won’t magically dispel them. Instead, you learn to recognize and name the range of human emotions, understanding they aren’t mysteries but universal experiences. Every feeling, good or bad, has a name, and knowing them helps unravel their causes within yourself.
Even a baby, seemingly reacting spontaneously, does so for reasons—perhaps a physical sensation or reflex triggering a smile. This realization is the first step: familiarizing yourself with these feelings through journaling. "I feel frustrated, annoyed, angry, bored, worried, confused, happy, excited, tired, hungry, thirsty," and so on. It illustrates the myriad ways we perceive the world at any moment.
It’s crucial to dissect what triggers negative emotions—what thoughts or circumstances provoke them—and how you react. When feeling jealous or angry, delve into the experience. Peel back each layer of emotion that led to it. Often, beneath anger lies fear—the foundation of many negative reactions, contrasting with the joy and happiness of higher vibrations.
Despite anomalies where some find pleasure in negativity, self-destructive behavior strays from the path of self-help. Fear feels muddy, isolating, tense—a disconnect from life’s beauty. It breeds negativity, dwelling on perceived shortcomings or mistakes, fixating on dissatisfaction.
In my youth, I lacked the wisdom to connect these dots directly. I didn’t yet understand the power of breathing—a simple secret to dissipating negative thoughts. Inhale deeply, exhale slowly; with each breath, negativity fades, though it may return. Practice makes it easier, reinforcing the mindset through daily rituals.
Why do we sometimes doubt these sciences or stop practicing? Perhaps it’s natural for the mind to resist change. Yet, through focused breathing, we navigate the internal rhetoric, reclaiming moments of clarity amidst chaos. Once, caught in frustration over being late, anxiety hijacked my thoughts—blaming circumstances, racing through the day. I lost sight of life’s beauty, missing moments like dew on morning grass or the scent of roses.
Through mindfulness, we reclaim these lost moments, integrating them into our lives and sharing them with others. It’s a journey of discovery and rediscovery, guided by the steady rhythm of our breath.