Emotional Intelligence - how to use and transform your emotions

 

Our emotions are neither good nor bad. They are a source of energy and it is up to us, it is our responsability, which direction we will give them.

This is what emotional intelligence is all about. Learning how to use our emotions and put them into good use.

We can learn a lot from the contemplative sciences, especially from the Tantrayana School of Thought. Their methods and wisdom teaches us how to transform our negative emotions into their pure quality.

It is like alchemy: using the power of the 5 elements (space, earth, wind, fire, water),
we transform metal into gold,
we transform charcoal into diamant
we transform our Ego into a pure being.

We are blinded by ignorance on our true nature, and the true nature of reality, phenomena.
Our wrong view gives our emotions a negative direction; a right view gives our emotions a positive direction. The ax that cuts the root of our ignorance is understanding emptiness and compassion.

By practing daily the Vajra2Yoga ( 5 elements tantra yoga exercise), we do not only acquire a healthier body, but also a healthier emotional mind (we develop our emotional intelligence). Gradually our emotions and view on life change:
- close-mindedness is transformed into equanimity (space element) - daily antidote: tolerance
- pride is transformed into serenity (earth element) - daily antidote: devotion
- jealousy is transformed into love (wind element) - daily antidote: generosity
- anger is transformed into kindness (fire element) - daily antidote: patience
- self-centred is transformed into selflessness (water element) - daily antidote: altruism

To start this changing process, first you need to meditate analitically on the four transformation thoughts:
- life is precious
- life is suffering
- life is impermanente, always changing
- law of karma (cause and effect, "what you sow, you shall reap").

Then, you medidate on the Four Noble Truths that will teach you that life is suffering but there is a way out of this suffering.

 

You will realize that "Pain is Inevitable, Suffering is Optional".

 

Pain is what the world does to you;

Suffering is what you do to yourself.

 

 To Schedule Workshops (fast2yoga@gmail.com)

How is the Internet and our digital age affecting the human mind?

This question was addressed at the recent gathering at the Wisdom 2.0 conference in San Francisco by exploring how individuals are connecting in ways that do not support a deep sense of being seen or felt by others.

As a result of the digital age, we are "alone together", and ironically people feel more isolated than ever.

IPNB (Interpersonal Neurobiology, a term coined by Dan Siegel) views the mind as both an embodied and relational process, and so in many ways these constrained communications are not just shaping the mind, but they are creating a more externally focused way of living that can create more stress, less meaning, and more loneliness in our world.

At this conference, participants were seeking creative ways to alter this trend and help the mind and our relationships become more integrated.

The following citation from Carl Jung shows us the way:

When we look outside we dream;

When we look inside we awake.

 

In my opinion, the best way way is to balance outer networking with inner networking, through meditation.

There are three main types of meditation: Mindfulness, LovingKindness and Awareness.

 “The practice of lovingkindness meditation brings to life our innate capacity for connecting to ourselves and others,” states Salzberg, cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, USA.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has stated, “My true religion is kindness.” Although kindness can be mistakenly seen as simplistic and weak, it has an inherent power to transform our worldview from one of fear and isolation to one rooted in clarity, courage, and compassion.

One of my individual practices is Tog Chod (the Wisdom Sword) - in its first level of practice we develop a state of Mindfulness.