The emotions
by Aart Jurriaanse

Emotion is the relation between feeling and thought. In other words, when
feeling is encountered and is subjected to mental consideration and the
reaction is radiated into the astral body, 'emotion' is generated. This process
may proceed consciously and deliberately and thus with a somewhat retarded
and discriminative effect, as for instance when savouring the palatability of
food. The more usual occurrence, however, is that the procedure is largely
automatic, with the reaction instantly flashing from the sensed area to the
brain, and from there to the emotional body. An example of the latter is where
physical harm is suffered, followed by an immediate chain of reaction,
ranging from a feeling of pain, followed perhaps by rage or fear, or a
combination of these effects.
Emotion may also evoke desire. When the mind recognizes the feeling
produced in the astral body, and the resulting emotion is pleasurable, then
desire for the continuance or repetition is created. If on the other hand the
sensation is painful, then the mental reaction would be for desisting the causal
agency.
Through the presentation of facts the mind may succeed in subduing
emotions. So often the problem is how to induce the individual under
emotional stress to summon his mental powers, which would enable him to
assess the situation and to subject it to calm and dispassionate scrutiny.
Health conditions may be seriously affected by emotional attitudes. This is
because man's vital body is still primarily governed and swept into activity by
his emotional vehicle. When the latter becomes violently agitated and is for
instance disturbed by excessive temper, intense worry or other continuous
irritation, then a stream of emotional energy will be poured into the etheric
body, galvanizing such centres as the solar plexus into intense activity. This
will be reflected in the endocrine and nervous systems, as well as in the blood
stream, causing indigestion, biliousness, other gastric disturbances, or
headaches and related complaints.
Similarly bitterness, disgust, hatred, or a sense of frustration, are apt to induce
many of the prevalent toxic conditions of the physical system, evoking a
general state of ill health. Or ideals may have exceeded accomplishments,
leading to frustration and suffering. The cure for many of these conditions lies
in the simple word acceptance — that is the positive attitude of accepting
conditions which, notwithstanding our best efforts, seem to be unavoidable —
but with the determination to bring the emotions under closer control, and to
do better next time.
The ideal should be to achieve perfect poise — this involves the complete
curbing of the astral body and overcoming or minimizing emotional
upheavals. To be relieved of excessive emotional reaction must lead to
considerably improved mental clarity and therefore clearer discrimination.
Now a closer scrutinity will be made of some of the emotions which are daily
encountered, and which as a rule are so difficult to command.
Fear
Fear — that dark, depressing cloud which in some form or another
overshadows every human life! Fear is evoked in the first instance by
ignorance. Where wisdom rules, where there is real knowledge and
understanding, and where astral influences therefore no longer dominate, fear
disappears. It is based on instinct and plays a predominating role in the
animal world where instinctive fear is a prerequisite for survival, because the
mental equipment to foresee impending danger is lacking. In the human being
traces of this animal instinct are retained, but paradoxically the power of fear
is enormously aggravated by the same quality which should guard him from
fear — the power of the mind. The problem is that knowledge is still
incomplete and the mind is wrongly harnessed; past pain and misery are
remembered and projected into the future in anticipation of what might
happen, thus building an exaggerated thought-form depicting all our worst
fears. By paying attention to these thought-forms they are further embroidered
and magnified, for 'energy follows thought', till the individual falls a complete
prey to these fears, often suffering excruciating mental pain.
Fear is a feature which all human beings suffer in common. It is the dominant
astral energy, and is created by the interaction of the emotional and mental
planes. It ranges from the instinctive but relatively simple fears of the savage,
arising from his ignorance of the laws and forces of nature and his consequent
fear of the unknown, to the prevailing gamut of fears of modern man,
resulting from the complexities of a more competitive existence together with
the increased responsibilities and sensitivity associated with an evolving
consciousness. There are the fears of loss of health and eventually of death;
fear of the future, including loss of property and money, of status, popularity
and friendships; fear of loneliness, of retribution, of darkness, of the
unrevealed, of the great beyond... and so the list of fears may be extended,
which seemingly multiply in direct proportion to man's development, until the
stage is reached when understanding of the self and the soul gradually exerts
mastery over the lower vehicles. 
The statement that fear is an illusion, is quite correct, but how difficult to
dismiss this illusion and to relieve the tortures of premonition, doubt and
uncertainty. Undue and unreasonable fear has already withheld opportunity
from many a man, so let life's activities be guided by common sense, facts
and reality, and not by fictitious imaginings.
Next month a closer consideration of some aspects of fear will be made.
[see "Fear of Death" by A.J.]

Aart Jurriaanse, wrote a number of compilations from the books of Alice A. Bailey. Among these are: Of Life and other worlds; Prophecies; Ponder on this; Serving Humanity; The Soul; The Quality of Life; and he is also the author of Bridges which is a Commentary on these teachings.   

Directory of articles by Aart Jurriaanse

 

 
"To wash one's hands of the struggle between the poor and rich is not to be
neutral. It is to side with the rich."    (Brazilian educator Paulo Freire)

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