Emotions and Emotional Intelligence…

Research shows that on an average we get 50,000 thoughts in a day. While this may seem surprising, what needs attention is that, a majority of these thoughts are the same thoughts we have had the previous day or the day before that and so on, so much so that certain thoughts have become like a song we know very well, it keeps playing in the background without our knowledge. The need is to become aware of our thoughts and understand how these thoughts are responsible in how we feel. Thoughts are essential to feeling and feelings to thoughts. In most cases thoughts and feelings are exquisitely coordinated, but when passions or pressures surge, the balance tips and the third aspect of emotions capture the upper-hand. Emotions are Energy in motion. Motion is nothing but action. Any action in the mind which produces a result internally or externally can also be understood as emotion. Our past thoughts have created memories, which drives the way we feel, which gives our emotions the energy to action. Actions maybe based on feelings of compassion, altruistic love, forgiveness and acceptance, which are enabling emotions on one hand or feelings of Jealousy, Anger, Pride, desire, Insecurity, Greed and guilt which are disabling emotions, on the other. Channeling emotions in the enabling path, is the path to inner healing. Our emotions at present might be following a disabling path, this is because we blame the external environment for whatever is happening to us instead of turning internal and understanding the thought which is driving that emotion. The pattern of blaming the external has a long history to it going back to our childhood, where anything that we did contrary to norms and expectations set was a mistake and we were made to feel guilty about it. In the pretext of covering up the mistake we look for excuses all the time and this creates a pattern which we fail to recognize after a period of time. Therefore the path to transformation is to monitor our thoughts and feelings which are responsible for our emotions. This path requires looking at things with a child like innocence; it requires not forming opinions about the anything. We have opinions on everything. We judge others based on caste, colour, region and profession, we pronounce individuals guilty till they prove their innocence. We have opinions on the system, the weather, and even God! Looking at things with innocence requires reprogramming our thoughts. Thoughts of acceptance set the enabling emotions and thoughts of bias and hatred set the disabling emotions. It requires the inner resolve to break free from prejudices and live life. When thoughts are reprogrammed, it brings in awareness which in turn drives our perception. When we follow old thoughts we follow the opposite where perception drives our awareness. 
So, Emotional Awareness is a key part of Emotional Intelligence!