EP 457: How to Process - NOT Prevent - Your Negative Emotions

As I thought about yesterday’s post, the concept of allowing our emotions to arise and then letting them go, I realized I waded into potentially troubling waters. So I wanted to be super clear on some details. When we try to bypass our negative emotions, we open ourselves up to consequences far stronger and damaging than the original emotion ever was! Now, to be sure, positive psychology and the purposeful cultivation of positive emotions is real and very valuable. And, as I explain in today’s episode, our negative emotions, like the stress response, are very useful and beneficial in the right doses. But like stress, too much negative emotion can impede our happiness and functionality in our lives. So when we bring a curious, non-judging awareness to our emotions, we can explore until we find the source. This source will invariably be one or more of Delusion, Clinging, or Aversion. And when we see this source, we learn a lot from it. But we also gain the power to regulate the emotions and reactivity we experience. Please let me know if you have ANY questions about this crucial topic! And if you’re around tonight, I invite you to a free group meditation and discussion. Click here to register: https://www.meetup.com/learning-to-surf-talks-on-buddhism-meditation-mindfulness/events/276652871/ And check out my new podcast: Learning to Surf with Adam Asdel: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/learning-to-surf-talks-on-buddhism-dharma-riding-waves/id1512499997