Manipulation of Emotions

I used to beleive that we had No Control Over How We Feel. That Happiness, Anger, Sadness, Pity, etc. was simply our reaction to environmental stimuli, and that we can't help how we feel.

But, because of many recent revelations, new ways of thinking, and research I have done on new sciences and philosophies, I now beleive that we Can Control the way we Feel.

Emotions are rather easy to manipulate. The simplest thing/s can make one happy or unhappy.

People have claimed that through Meditation, they have taken better control of thier minds, and therefore more control of thier emotions. They had kept up this personal practice until they reached a state where they were constantly calm and content, able to better deal with all stresses and negativity that had some thier way.

What is your opinion on this ?

Of course we can control them. Though, you're right, most don't realize it and merely react to their surroundings.

It doesn't even require meditation. Just a realization that all emotions are arbitrarily assigned by the mind, and that at any moment we could be happy instead of sad, joyful instead of angry, etc.

It doesn't always work, nor should it, but a steady realization of this can work wonders for an overall outlook on life.

Originally posted by DigiMark007
Of course we can control them. Though, you're right, most don't realize it and merely react to their surroundings.

It doesn't even require meditation. Just a realization that all emotions are arbitrarily assigned by the mind, and that at any moment we could be happy instead of sad, joyful instead of angry, etc.

It doesn't always work, nor should it, but a steady realization of this can work wonders for an overall outlook on life.

With practice, it does work though. The more you practice summoning happiness into your mind, the more easily you can summon it later on.

one question. from a buddhist stand point, how can you control without exerting will{or how can you discipline yourself without will}. and how can exerting will be positive in buddhism as trancendance from the illusion of a conciounce{will being a major and often negetive egotistical component} and ego is the central criteria for reaching nirvana?

personally, for me, it is better to slowly come in contact with our NATURE, untainted by the negetivity of this world. which is our buddhahood{nirvana i suppose} and our nature that we have strayed from. it doesnt require will to force you to follow a path, but requires concentration, to find and understand/comprehend/remeber our former natural path, and without willfullnes/egotistical forcing/control. reverting and returning back to it spontaneously. as i think in reality going back to our budhahood is ease{even though taint can cloud our sense of what is truly easy for our core} and infact we wud realise one were on the path that staying AWAY from it was putting us at unease{causing suffering which we didnt recognise in its fullness} in our former ignorant position.

i think you shudnt manipulate emotion, but try and understand them and yourself. and then, without having to manipulate them, understanding would make you naturally see what is good and revert to it. emotionally.

what do u guys think?

are you guys differentiating between physiological affective response and subjective reporting of mood?