UNIVERSAL EMOTIONS
WHAT ARE EMOTIONS? "Emotions are a process, a particular kind of automatic appraisal influenced by our evolutionary and personal past, in which we sense that something important to our welfare is occurring, and a set of psychological changes and emotional behaviors begins to deal with the situation."
- PAUL EKMAN, PHD
In both Compassionate Inquiry (CI) and the practice of decentering, we ask questions such as, "Is that a thought, or is it an emotion?"
I was the same way at first, but I have found that distinguishing between thoughts and emotions is not easy.
For example, if someone says, "I felt that you didn't like me," most people, in both Japanese and English, would consider this to be an emotion, in my experience.
However, "I felt that you didn't like me" actually means, "I interpreted the situation as meaning that you didn't like me," which makes it a thought.
What emotions might arise as a result? Feelings such as sadness, loneliness, or anger may emerge. Often, emotions are accompanied by bodily sensations.
For example, Eckhart Tolle says, "Emotion arises at the place where mind and body meet."
Putting emotions into words seems to be difficult in both English and Japanese. That is precisely why I think it is important to practise putting emotions into words.
Paul Ekman’s research may also be helpful in this regard.
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