The popular concept of emotional intelligence only begins to scratch the surface of understanding the true nature and power of the human emotion.
Emotions can uplift and heal and transform a life or relationship. They can also inflict and become self-destructive; lead us to either our salvation or downfall. Some people believe the emotion plays a central role in human evolution. Why is an energy so powerful and personal often so unpredictable and seemingly hard to manage?
A clue is in the word: “emotion” comes from a Latin derivative meaning “energy in motion”. Emotion isn’t static; it creates energetic pathways connecting people with themselves, with one another, with their communities, and the universe. The real emotion problem is not emotion itself; it’s how we use the most powerful energy naturally generated by our human design.
In this new episode of “Current Openings: What the World Doesn’t Quite Get Yet”, Aviv Sha har and David Price Francis delve deeper into the nature, mystery, and larger potential of human emotions. The conversation adds a new chapter to the unfolding story of the human predicament.
Among their insights:
This conversation builds on concepts and insights first explored in The Energy Problem. It is part of the continuing Portals discovery into what is emerging on the frontiers of human experience in this time of profound change. Information about upcoming special events can be found on the Events page. Also visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
“One way I look at human beings is as having three major channels or pipes for energy. There are three major expressions: energy in, energy out, and we're always in process. So those are the three things I look at in us: we have mental energy; we have emotional energy, whatever that is, and we're going to get into it; and we have physical energy, which is inside the physical energy.” (David)
“It's so when there's an empathy flow, there's very much that connection between the two people between whom the energy is flowing, and there's a very interesting difference there between the person whose energy primarily flows about themselves for themselves, which is more where we get these expressions like narcissistic c rage or narcissistic display, and so they're still emotions, but the emotions stay inside that person's field and are held for them, and this is where you get the person who's able to act emotionally.” (David)
“So a compass is something that goes 360 degrees. So it's almost like you take the compass and you have your center point, and you can draw a circle, and the idea of real compassion is that it doesn't just go to a person who's your friend, or it doesn't go to a particular cause. But to release suffering in the world, it takes a 360-degree approach, like the sun shining on everybody at once. So that, to me, is very much the seat of that devotional practice, and we're both wearing what appears to be what looks like regulation blue.” (David)
“So you can take your emotional fuel and burn it up very rapidly with a bout of hot anger, you can be in the car, and someone comes past you, and you start yelling, and you go into road rage. But then, is that the best use of that fuel? And I think that's a kind of wisdom about the person, so I have the right to it. Well, yes, you do. You have the right to eat coal. You have the right to do many things. With that permission, you can go for it. But just have that pause. Is it really the best thing to do for your life? Or is there a better way to use it?” (David)