One of the many reasons we keep our minds closed is to keep a lid on our emotional turmoil. We've had bad experiences of our uncontrollable outbursts which teach us to suppress those urges diligently. These experiences give our irrational side a bad name. We assume anything that is not logical has to be problematic and in need of control. We pride ourselves in being rational at great expense to our intrinsic motivation, empathy for others and personal creativity. We assume self discipline and self control are viable solutions. We don't realize we've gotten out of touch with our feelings just like zombies, ice queens and robots make so obvious to us.
Feelings are very different experiences from our emotions. Emotions are irrational in ways are are incompatible with rationality. Feelings make tons of sense and add a deeper dimension to our logical reasoning. Emotions arise from our primitive limbic system in ways that hijack our thinking mind. Feelings come more from our right brain where we receive inspirations, inner guidance and panoramic awareness of situations. Emotions are a problem that accompanies closed minds. Feelings are solutions which come to open minds. Feelings give our irrational side a good name.
We're in touch with our feelings whenever we:
- bask the beauty, blessings and good fortune of the scene out the window or before us outdoors
- get a sense of the best time to do something to have the best effect
- experience a harmless connection to particular animals or plant life
- happen to be "in the right place at the right time"
- lose track of time when we're immersed in some activity we enjoy deeply
- get more curious, fascinated and full of wonder about something we're exploring
- exude compassion toward those in need of comfort, support or understanding
As you may discern from that list, feelings differ from emotions in many dimensions. In contrast, positive and negative emotions are:
- urgent and driven
- expressions of appetites and hungers
- seeking to control or intimidate others
- reacting to evidence with fear and desperation
- fixated on literal interpretations of evidence
- manipulating the impressions others have of us
- insensitive and inconsiderate of others
Hope you now have a feeling for the difference between emotions and feelings :-)