Mindfulness of Emotions

In the Asheyana path, Calm Abiding practice is supported by one's work with the Eight Renunciations, having developed some space of mind in stepping back from bivalent perceptions.

Here is an extension of the Calm Abiding practice to deepen one's work with the step : "5. Open the Mind." This extension can be used during Calm Abiding practice or outside of defined practices sessions.

Called here "Mindfulness of Emotions," this extension is inspired by the third of the Nikaya Buddhist Four Establishments of Mindfulness, called "Mindfulness of Mind."

During a session of Calm Abiding, while working with the 'Five Points of Practice,' Location, Physical, Sensory, Attention, and Mind, one begins to focus more on the fifth Point of Practice, that of the Mind. One brings one's attention to the emotional aspect of the mind, allowing emotions to arise or to subside for as long as arising or subsiding naturally occurs.

• • Drawing back from evaluations or judgements of what emotions may arise in one's mind, one simply connects with the emotional expression of mind.
    
    

  • If what arises in one's mind is accompanied by strong emotion such as anger, hatred, aversion, or disgust, one draws back from evaluation or judgement and simply connects with the basic texture of the arisen state, gently returning to openness.
          

  • If what arises in one's mind is accompanied by strong emotion such as attraction, lust, greed, or desire, one draws back from evaluation or judgement and simply connects with the basic texture of the arisen state, gently returning to openness.
            

  • If nothing seems to arise in one's mind, and yet this is accompanied by indifference, boredom, distractability, or impatience, one draws back from evaluation or judgement and simply connects with the basic texture of the arisen state, gently returning to openness.
        

  • If one becomes absorbed into or detached during this Mindfulness of Emotions practice extension, one briefly returns to the general Calm Abiding instruction until they are ready to continue working with this Mindfulness of Emotions practice extension. 
    
    

• • Notice the texture rather than the content of the arisen emotional state.
    
    

  • Notice the texture of mind before the arising of the emotional state.
    
    

  • Notice the texture of mind when the emotional state has fully arisen.
    
    

  • Notice the texture of mind when the emotional state has subsided.
    
    

  • Notice the difference in the texture of mind between when the emotional state has arisen and when the emotional state has subsided.
    
    

  • Notice if there is an intuitive meaning that can be discerned from the arising of the emotional state, such as an unmet need or an unfulfilled desire.
    
    

Following a session of Calm Abiding, one can extend Mindfulness of Emotions into daily life by:

• Bringing the Mindfulness of Emotions developed during practice to the periods of one's day--waking, preparing for the day, morning, noontime, afternoon, evening, nighttime, releasing from the day, sleeping.
  
  

  • Notice the texture of the emotions throughout the day. Is there anxiety? Is there relief? Is there clinging? Is there openness?
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind has shifted emotional states related to the period of day--was there a discernible trigger?
    
    

  • Notice if there is an intuitive meaning that can be discerned from the arising of the emotional state during the day, such as an unmet need or an unfulfilled desire.
    
    

• Bringing the Mindfulness of Emotions developed during practice to one's own activities during the day, as well as transitions between activities.
  
  

  • Notice the texture of the emotions when relating with one's activities. Is there anxiety? Is there relief? Is there clinging? Is there openness?
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind has shifted emotional states when relating with one's activities--was there a discernible trigger?
    
    

  • Notice if there is an intuitive meaning that can be discerned from the arising of the emotional state when relating with one's activities, such as an unmet need or an unfulfilled desire.
    
    

• Bringing the Mindfulness of Emotions developed during practice to activities involving others during the day, as well as transitions between activities.
  
  

  • Notice the texture of the emotions when interacting with others. Is there anxiety? Is there relief? Is there clinging? Is there openness?
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind has shifted emotional states when interacting with others--was there a discernible trigger?
    
    

  • Notice if there is an intuitive meaning that can be discerned from the arising of the emotional state when interacting with others, such as an unmet need or an unfulfilled desire.
    
    

• If one becomes absorbed or detached during this Mindfulness of Emotions practice extension, one can return to the mindfulness and awareness of daily life until they are ready to continue working with this Mindfulness of Emotions practice extension.
  
  

  • Notice if one's habits of mind in daily life reflect one's Mindfulness of Emotions in meditation practice--Be curious what might explain the difference between the two.
    
    

By practicing "Mindfulness of Emotions," one can begin to see through direct experience how one's emotions may strongly arise and subside like internal weather, yet there is intelligence to be discerned. One can also begin to see for oneself the seeming solidity of strong emotions, and their ephemeral quality once the mind inevitably shifts into another emotional state.

The fruition of Mindfulness of Emotions is called Poise of Emotions--a good relationship with the emotions, neither too reactive nor too repressive, with attention to the emotions as emotions, spaciously allowing for the arising and subsiding of emotional states such that emotions appear responsive, genuine, and free of contrivance, aligned with a fullness of intuitive intelligence.

May these words help the good Asheyana practitioner to genuinely hold the Poise of Emotions, with full mindfulness. May it be of benefit.