The Wise Path/Emotion (Feeling)

—Recognizing, Interpreting, and Responding to Emergent Subjective Sensations.

The Nature of Emotions

Emotions describe particular mental states that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort and engage both our minds and bodies. This mental state is accompanied by subjective feelings that we may judge as pleasant or unpleasant. Emotions are often accompanied by physiological changes that may increase or decrease our alertness and arousal level.

At their best, affective (emotional) skills require a gentle peace, compassion, and understanding based on empathy for others.

Stages

Emotional growth progresses through the following stages:

• Compassionate—Joyously Radiating Calm and Compassion
• Emotionally Talented—Naturally Warm and Constructive Emotional Responses
• Emotionally Competent—Deliberate and Constructive Emotional Responses
• Reactive—Impulsive and Destructive Emotional Reactions
• Apathetic—Without feeling