This week we did a heard a teaching about emotions and how positive emotions strengthen our mind and build our confidence whereas negative emotions undermine our mind and weaken our confidence. We usually attach our emotions to an object, such as the person whom we think triggered the emotion, so we feel ‘she made me angry’ or ‘he upset me’. If we can look directly at a negative emotion, using the technique we learned using thoughts, then it’s as if we cut off its power supply and it becomes much less frightening.
However, with positive emotions, such as love or kindness, focussing on both the emotion and what gives rise to it helps to strengthen the emotion so it’s a bit like a water wheel where emotion and object both increase the volume of positivity. Perhaps you have a better image for this? Please post your ideas below.