Emotion

Recently I was listening one talk in Tamil in which the speaker (Sri Suki Sivam) was explaining about the function of the brain. He said that our right side of the brain is the reason for all our emotions, whereas the left side of the brain thinks more reasonably (or intellectually.  The word ‘arivu’ which he used could mean both ‘intellect and reason’).  After explaining about it, he said that in the early stage of our life, our functions are more based on the right side of the brain. That is why children often make a lot of ‘unreasonable’ sounds and words and behaviour.  But once, we grow up, our left side of the brain helps us to analyse life properly and approach it accordingly. In nutshell, his point is that as we are created with a brain which has both these functions, we will remain emotional one time and reasonable another time and we could never easily dispense emotion as unreasonable.

I too agree with him.  My question on this point to those who always despise emotion as something ‘unreasonable’ and unwanted in life.  But according to my understanding emotion is not only reasonable but the best gift we received in our creation.  No human being can live without emotion. And if anyone claims that she is not that emotional, then she cannot be a living being (human or animal).  This reproach about emotion is based on our wrong understanding about emotion.  In general, those who express their feeling outwardly either through their laugh, anger, weeping etc. are considered over emotional and those who does not react quickly but remain sober are called non-emotional.  But as far as I know, even this so-called non-expression of emotion through outward action and remaining very calm and stone like approach is nothing but another form of emotional expression.  For me, this kind of suppressed emotion is more dangerous than all kinds of outwardly expressed emotion.  Remaining cold and not responding or reacting to anything in life is nothing but expressing one’s emotion in another way and no way could it be called calmness.  Several times, such calmness is like the stillness before the storm hits.

 So when anyone keeps some kind of stoic indifference by not responding to you (to your messages, letters, questions, inquiries, etc. etc.), don’t think that she is a sober and very calm person.  Such indifference is not depicting calmness but actually she might be boiling within and waiting for the proper time to respond in unexpected ways and means.  And be prepared for that also.  At the same time, we need to IGNORE others (their comments, messages etc.) as there is no point of involving unnecessary argument and debate which finally ends up with frustration not allowing anyone to win.  But when to IGNORE  and when and how to RESPOND is the art of living which all can be learned only by living  based on experience and emotion which no one can teach to others.  In general, try to respond to requests, inquiries and important messages, ignore arguments and avoid controversies.

As I often say there is no tasteless food as tastelessness is another kind of taste. Every food (or anything in creation) has its own taste.  We may not be familiar with it or do not like it.

Similarly, there exists no no-symbol in life.  Not having any kind of symbol is another symbol.  There exists no nirgun Brahman (god without attribute).  Because even this so-called nirgun then becomes an attribute to god and she becomes a god without attribute.   There exists no pure water or colourless colour.

Similarly non-emotional is nothing but another kind of emotion sometimes a more dangerous form or expression of emotion.

 7-7-2019###