Meta Theory of Emotions

• The Rasa Theory ( Natya shastra- Bharata Muni)

• Guna – Theory ( Bhagavada Gita)

What are Emotions?

• Transitory ,Sensory ,Physiological & Cognitive perceptions are Emotions

• They leave a lingering effect called Feelings

• When emotions become enduring and stable they become Attitudes

Contemporary views

• Nuero –biological

• Social – Constructionist

• Appraisal – Cognitive

• Ontogenetic – phylogenetic

• Psycho- Spiritual

• Emotions are natural predispositions, multifaceted in nature , context dependent, and monitoring, regulating and expression of emotions is context dependent involving five components.

Process approach that is not linear but with co processes with feedback loops

• Cognitive system- appraisal

• Autonomic nervous system- arousal

• Motor system – expression

• Motivational system- action tendencies

• Monitor system - feeling

NAV-RASA

Love –Rati Positive Emotions

( Satwic & Rajasic )

Wonder- Adhbhuta

Mirth- Hasya

Quiet- Shanta

Heroic- Veera

Fear-Bhaya Destructive Emotions

( Rajasic & Tamasic )

Grief- Soka

Anger-Raudra

Disgust-Vibhatsa

Effect of Consciousness

• Positive emotions lead to vikasa ( development) , Vistara ( expansion) of consciousness

• Negative emotions cause , viksepa ( distortion) of consciousness

How emotions are caused- 7 aspects

1. Permanent disposition-Sthayibhava

2. Determinant cause-alambana vibhava

3. Excitatory cause-Uddipana vibhava

4. Accompanying cause-Anubhava

5. Transitory emotions-Vyabhichari bhava

6. Gunas and effect on consciousness

7. Impact on self and others

Etiology of Anger1. Permanent disposition-anger2. Determinant cause- Enemy, prowess,

vindictiveness, enimty, learned predisposition.

3. Excitatory cause-Attack, abuse , challenge, difficulty

4. Accompanying cause-Exertion, excitement, delusion, vituperation, striking

5. Transitory emotions-Contentment, intoxication, fierceness, cruelty etc

6. Gunas and their role consciousness- dominantly rajasic and tamasic

7. Impact- harmful to self and others

Etiology of love 1. Permanent disposition- rati2. Determinant cause- young male and

female , isolation3. Excitatory cause- moonlight, fragrance,

dressing up4. Accompanying cause- looking at each

other, being coy, teasing5. Transitory emotions- blushing ,

happiness, jealousy, anger 6. Gunas and their role consciousness-

dominantly satwic – rajasic 7. Impact- beneficial for self and others

Sattvika bhavas- organic manifestations of emotions

• Inactivity- stambha• Perspiration-Sveda• Horripilate- romanc• Voice change- svarbheda• Trembling-vepathu• Color change-vairvarna• Tears-asru• Insensibility-pralaya

• By working and letting sattvikas subside we can stop the onset of full blown emotions .

• When anger drink water , count ten,

• When afraid breathe deeply

• You may increase satvikkas to enhance emotions as in sringar

Managing emotions• Avoid all determinant and excitatory causes of emotions

• Recognize the onset of emotions – anubhava by observing the sattvika bhava, and immediately withdraw like a turtle

• Increase the sattvic gunas and reduce the rajasic and tamasic gunas

• Break the power of sanskars

• Do pranayama

ENERGY - Gunas

SATWIC RAJASIC TAMASIC

Equilibrium

Support

Essence

Holism

Happiness

“We”

Dynamic

Focused

Restless

Seeking

“ I”

Inertia

Narrow

Unchanging

None

Dynamic Systems View

• Emotions self organize

• Basins - Attractors

• Repellors

• Moods

• Personality Change

Brain and Emotions

• Shrunken Amygdala -aggression• Hippocampus shrinks when depressed• Left frontal – positive emotions & reasoning• Right frontal- negative emotions• Prefrontal-regulates emotions• Underdeveloped frontal-lack of impulse control• Stem cells –replace damaged cells

Ethical framework

1.When we respond to physiological experiences we act in ways that are individualistic and selfish

2.When we control and contain emotions we act beyond the self and for general good- loksangrah

3.we are able to control emotions and become calm and serene – we are able o revitalise positive emotions and can work for cosmic harmony , and order

Case of Arjuna

• Stage 1 : Arjuna was worried about selfish love and loss of life ( selfish ethics)

• Stage 2; Krishna exhortation was that Kshatriya has to protect society and not deviate from duty because of personal attachments ( social ethics)

• Stage 3: Krishna revitalises Arjuna heroic emotions ( veer rasa) to make him fight valiantly ( cosmic good)

Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your

seafaring soul

Kahlil Gibran

BHISMA

Bhisma’s DharmaBhisma was a stoic. Lacked the milk of compassion

and the sting of anger. All his life he suppressed emotions and thus there was never much wind in sail of his boat even though the rudder ( knowledge of dharma ) was in his hands.

His interpretation of dharma was mechanical , and thus truth and justice was denied many times in Mahabharata.

Draupadi’s disrobingAmba’s humiliation

Vow of celibacy

• Bhisma just suppressed the most natural states of consciousness – sthayibhava.

• Thereafter nothing ever though there were enough triggers for anger (alambana vibhava ) he did not respond to them .

Yudhisthira

Yudhisthira - The Recalcitrant King

Strong on dharma he was guided by purohitas like Krishna , Dhaumaya, Kunti and Bhisma

An inner Sage but poor outer king who was unwilling to use danda

Flawed by the gambling sanskara

Loosing twice in the dice gameDwaipanya lake episode

Always willing to forgive Kauravas

• Like Bhisma Yuddhisthira also lacked milk of compassion and the sting of anger. Suppressed sthayibhava

• He was unable to react to alambana vibhava – blatant cheating which then led the Pandavas to disasters

• That he was only suppressing anger is revealed in the heaven incident

Duryodhana- The Outer King

• Never listened to purohita hence weak on dharma

• Guided by people who were not Inner Sages ( Shakuni, Karna and Dhritarashtra) who fuelled by destructive emotions like hatred and jealousy ( rajasic – tamasic guna ) .

• Let emotions take charge of his life.

• Everything about Pandavas was alambana ( rajsuya yagya ) and uddipana vibhava ( the embarrassment of maya sabha ) his friends also excited him on negative emotions

Drona• All through life he was victim of destructive

emotions:

• Bhaya – fear

• Raudra - anger

• Even after he got everything in life he suffered and committed dishonourable acts ( Eklavya, animosity towards Panchala , disloyalty towards Duryodhana , partiality towards Aswathama)

Dhritarashtra- The Blind King

Victim of excessive Vatsalya , Bhaya and Raudra rasa

No knowledge of dharma and misused danda (

Varnavarta incident) As a kshatriya he rejected advice of purohita (Sanjaya and Vidura)

Excessive Sringara begot him hundred sons

Kunti

• Kunti kept negative emotions on check ( Anger and Fear ).

• Unlike Bhisma and Yudhisthira she leveraged on the negative emotions to take decisons and actions that saved Pandavas many times

Emotional strength ,Resilience and Psychological Well being

• Kunti was emotionally balanced and thought with both head and heart.

• Draupadi was heroic and anger against wrongdoers sustained her motivation to win the war.