Emotion is simply a power, neither good nor bad. It is important to know how to use that power. First we must learn not to create any divisions of positive and negative. Secondly, let us look upon others in the same way that we look upon ourselves. Let us not force others to be like us and to realize that we cannot be like someone else. Lastly, we must learn to ‘divinize’ our emotions. Take the example of an ordinary wire, and what happens to it when an electric current passes through it. It becomes charged and is suddenly transformed. Even though the wire looks the same, a different quality has entered it. In the same way, emotions bind us, but if divinized they can elevate us. Attachment is a wonderful quality for it gives us energy, but the attachment for objects or sense pleasures binds us. On the other hand, attachment for higher ideals or for wise people who represent those ideals, leads to spiritual fulfillment. In this attachment, there is no bondage. The wise master loves us without attachment and also helps us realize our true Self.

Thus the solution is to ‘divinize’ life! The desires we have can be divinized by turning them to God with a prayer, ‘O Lord, I want You! My eyes are longing to see You only!’ Our scriptures teach us to divinize all aspects of life. We are enjoined to look at our parents and our teachers as God and to see the same divinity in all elders and guests. With such an attitude, we slowly change from within. Narada Bhakti Sutra says that if we must have desire; let it be desire for God. If we have to get angry then it is better to get angry with God. Express all emotions to Him, pray to Him and He will liberate you. If there is greed transform it to greed for the name of the Lord. Instead of counting your money begin to count the name of the Lord. This is the divinization of emotions. That devotional desire will uplift you.

Simply telling ourselves, “I should not be negative, I should be positive!” is helpful; but eventually we have to elevate our thinking to see all as our own self. Slowly rise to this level of thinking, “It is Divinity alone that is present everywhere!” Feel the presence of God everywhere, and rise above duality and the pairs of opposites. Eventually it will become a way of life. As we have seen, there is really no question of positive or negative emotions. It is only a matter of vision and understanding. How emotions present themselves will depend upon our attitude and circumstances.

We may feel jealous of a successful person, but we are never jealous of the success of our own children, even though they are someone other than us. On the contrary, we are proud of them and rejoice that they have surpassed us. We do not feel envious or resentful, we feel happy because there is love. It is because, we are able to see our Self in them; and that is called pure love.

When we see ourselves in the other person, love comes naturally. And where there is love, there is no room for violence, hatred, enmity, or jealously. Love alone is a substitute for everything, but there is no substitute for love. And when that love becomes divine, there is no further need to say anything! Once Mahatma Gandhi was asked, “What is God?” He answered, “God is Love!” “And what is love?” He answered, “Love is God.”

It is very important to understand the place of emotions in our life. But that alone is not enough! We also need to bring harmony and integration to our thoughts and emotions, and further to our emotions and actions. If emotions are not understood properly and we do not know their origin, we will continue to see differences. We will experience a sense of alienation and the rise of negative emotions. But when we are able to see the Oneness everything becomes positive. Therefore, we must see that Oneness! We must rise above the sense of duality and divinize our thoughts and actions. By directing them toward the Higher all our problems will be resolved.

In one of her poems the great Krishna devotee Mirabai said, “Earlier I was worried about how to cross this vast ocean of samsara. But by the Guru’s grace suddenly the ocean itself dried up! Now there is no worry!” In the same way, in the sea of emotions, huge waves rise and threaten to drown us, but when we divinize them we find that the same ocean is all calm and peaceful. Where there is realization of Oneness of the self, there is love and happiness. Even if there are varied emotions we do not need to deal with them individually, for we understand all of them to be One. Thus, the real solution is to see the Oneness, the divinity in and through all.