"The first obstacle, the nervous emotional, we may suppose to be removed by the purification of the nervous system. The second obstacle is that of the emotions themselves warping the impression as it comes. Love may do this, hatred may do this, any emotion or desire according to its power and intensity may distort the impression as it travels. This difficulty can only be removed by the discipline of the emotions, the purifying of the moral habits."
- Sri Aurobindo
In the quote above, Sri talks about the purification of one of our lower bodies - the emotional body. With that comes the responsibility for oneself and mastery of our emotional make up. It doesn't mean that we need to be in control over our emotions, but we can certainly play witness to them when they come up to help eliminate the negative ones.
I have often posted the video featuring the scene from "What the Bleep Do We Know" in relation to this very powerful body. All of our bodies effect one another, and when our emotions come into play they can be one of the strongest stimulus known to man. How often have we heard the phrases like "Love can conquer all"."There is no power like a mothers love" or know hatred when someone is enraged or have heard of a jealous lover killing another man?
In almost all cases of our misqualification of the powerful emotional energy, we "associate" the event, person, idea or outside stimulus presented to something we have experienced, been taught, or believe. Catching the emotion and why and when it came into play can be a very powerful indicator to disengage that emotion and start to "uproot" the pattern from its unconsious repetition and into the light of your consciousness for purification.
Recently, I had one such occurrence I'm not so proud of, but will share my story with you for an example:
My son came home from college and became ill. I cared for him for several days, came home early to tend to him, and went out several nights and mornings to clinics, drugstores and for "specified" drinking items as he requested. No big deal. However, after he was given his medication, he continued to lay in bed. He began to exhibit a pattern of calling me to bring him water, aspirin, etc. when he had no problem with walking or getting out of the bed. He repeated the pattern multiple times and when he called for me asking for a different medication again on the fourth day, I became angry. My automatic response went into flight without me catching it and I sat with myself for a while before I could put my finger on why I was angry with my sick son.
As I sat, I searched my mind for any clues. Was I angry because he was taking my time? Because he was sick? Or was it something else?
I was bewildered, and quite frankly, bothered by my response. How could I be so cold to my sick son? When the irritating part hit me. I had to ask "when" did I feel myself get angry and how did the feeling come up. What were my thoughts when it did come up, and that's when I got my answer.
Back in my childhood I had an aunt that used to care for me. Her husband was always laying on the couch. Matter of fact I don't think I saw him up from the couch much and he wasn't sick. He constantly yelled out to my aunt to get him things when he was perfectly capable of getting them on his own. He would bellow "Rose! Get me some ice cream" Five minutes later "Rose! Get me another pillow. Rose! Can't you get me a glass of juice?!" Rose!"
Needless to say he irritated the begeezes out of me. Why on gods green earth couldn't the man get up for himself and get what he wanted. My mind associated my irritation with that man with my son. And in my inner workings I was fearful of becoming "Rose!".
The minute I figured it out I had to tell my son. My response to him came from me, not because of what he was doing, but what I thought he was trying to do to me internally, and he never even knew "Rose". I explained why I became angry with him because now I set off a pattern within him that would make him think that every time he needed me and called for me, I'd get angry. I didn't want him to feel that way, so I had to explain and apologize.
Many teachers have taught us about how our worlds are a reflection of who we are inside. Sometimes, like my story above, it's not so nice to see these kinds of things about ourselves, but we would be wise in recognizing these patterns., For it is these types of patterns that play out every day in our lives without our knowledge. These are the same types of patterns that shape our world.
My son will have children one day as well and when his children are sick I hope he reacts in kindness when they call instead of irritation like his mother once did. Just in making this small change in me, I know I have changed just a little bit of him. Man in the Mirror PROJECT - Let's all do it and begin to change the world.
Please watch this small video clip below to see how these ruts run rampant and how you can escape some of your "personal" ones.
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