The inside of our being always governs the outside, so for well-being to be complete, the whole needs to move forward in an integral way. Our emotions have a crucial role in this process. Properly channeled, they elevate us to new heights, but if distorted and downgraded, they lead us to the depths of depression, disorder or revolt. Emotions need to be organised around our true centre to assist the whole being to expand and move forward. Sri Aurobindo termed this entity the ‘psychic being’.

Emotions mirror the level of our consciousness. This consciousness is almost separated by two hemispheres. Characterised by ego, they are split between dualities. Likewise, our emotions veer harmfully from one extreme to another.

The psychic being has a decisive influence on our emotions and works through harmonisation. It alone can embrace and reconcile the discords of the lower hemisphere. It lifts them up and unifies everything into a state of oneness. It nurtures the higher ranges and transforms every feeling into a sense of overwhelming gratitude. When our emotions base themselves on thankfulness, we know we’re on the right path. It brings illimitable happiness and provides the perfect fuel for our growth and progress.

But we need to watch disruptions arising from deep inside; we can learn to ‘catch’ our emotions. Outside disturbances will always occur, but how we react is critical for it is the responses we catch. For that, we need to be connected and aligned to our centre. need to watch everything.

Take anger, for instance. Really though, the same applies to every negative formation. Anger seems spontaneous but it amounts only to habit. Habit engrains our whole emotional nature, like everywhere else. A spark outside might activate a deep-seated memory and trigger a recoil so our well-being falls into nosedive. The process is unconscious and our equilibrium gets shattered. The question is, was any part of us ‘connected’ at the time? Were we sufficiently awake to observe the familiar reaction repeating? If there is a strand of consciousness, that would be enough to save us. The only way to completely short-circuit anger is by defusing it the very moment it surfaces. We have to catch it as soon as it shows its face. Our consciousness can give spontaneous insight into the root and cause. What we observe gives knowledge; what is known becomes resolved. What we observe transforms and changes. It is a panacea for all negative patterns, not just our emotional states.

It’s not so simple because we get caught within the drama and before we know it, the fire blazes. The more unconscious one remains, the more the problem will persist. The connection to our true centre is the only way. The gap between trigger and response needs to be constantly narrowed. The true response, founded securely on the Truth, is our destination, but the present is usually different and we find ourselves playing catch-up and belatedly offering our negative patterns time and again. An unyielding persistence is required.

Lastly, we need to know from where our emotions come and to where they lead. We heal through knowledge. Initially, we trace them at more conscious levels. We then allow the practice to evolve, deepen and work through us. With surrender, this will happen. Eventually, the work can take us right down to the subconscious itself, the cesspit of our emotions. So with torch in hand, we work downwards and catch whatever appears before our gaze