Our emotions, guide us in facing predicaments and tasks too
important to leave to intellect alone —danger, painful loss, persisting
toward a goal despite frustrations, bonding with a mate, building a
family.
Shaping our decisions and our actions, feeling
counts every bit as much—and often more—than
thought.
Each emotion offers a distinctive
readiness to act.
Our emotions have been wise guides in the evolutionary long run.
Each emotion plays a unique role:
With anger blood flows to the hands,
making it easier to grasp a weapon
or strike at an enemy.
With fear blood goes to
the large skeletal muscles.
Put the body on general
alert.
Happiness offers the body a
general rest, as well as
readiness and enthusiasm.
With love the body has a set of
reactions that generates a general
state of calm and contentment.
The lifting of the eyebrows in
surprise allows the taking in of a
larger visual sweep.
With disgust something is
offensive in taste or smell.
Sadness brings a drop in
energy and enthusiasm for
life's activities, slows the
body's metabolism.
Rational mind:
Thought is essential to
feeling.
It is the mode of comprehension we are
typically conscious of: more prominent in
awareness, thoughtful, able to ponder and
reflect.
Emotional mind:
Feelings are essential
to thought.
Impulsive and powerful,
sometimes illogical.
Our deepest feelings, our passions and
longings, are essential guides.