We do things.

Humans, in the midst of an event never really listen to our emotions. It's only ever in the aftermath that we come to appreciate the signifiance of something, or the devastating impact something has caused.

During an event, it is more physical than emotional. We are more aware of what we are doing than how we are feeling. When we look back on something, we may feel differantly than to how we did during it. We don't listen to our emotions enough. It's only afterwards do we weigh up everything and our emotions react accordingly.

For example take a relationship, that ends. During the relationship, you may of held back, you may not of shown your appreciation of the other person enough. Whatever. It's only in the aftermath through all the bitterness do we come to realise maybe how much of a fool we had been. How much aware we are of the emotions we have/had for that person. Usually that's followed by regret, with ideas such as, if only I did/said this. If only...

It's important to be able to observe (but not necessarily feel- althought that's just as important), our emotions during an event, that way the outcome could end up being differant. That way, we can fully appreciate and absorb the experience. That way we are more connected with ourselves and that is important.

For me, mediation has been a powerful tool in being more aware. I can now observe myself better and understand things better. I can step back and just watch things as they pass, and not necessarily have to feel anything. I'm not promoting meditation as a tool for everyone, one person I know gets the same effect through knitting... (I know... weird!)

It's important for us to be in tune with our emotions fully. It is the only way we ever truely learn. By associating our emotions with an event we can conclude many things. For example, if you were scared and allowed yourself to fully absorb that emotion DURING the event rather than after it when the effect is less, then you are less likely to repeat that event, because the emotion would of been more substanstial, rather than some afterthought emotion.

Another thing I've come to learn is our our brains will block out at times the severity of an emotion in the aftermath of something. It's to protect us, but I've learnt that it's important to feel that burn. You need to feel that burn to fully protect yourself. For too long, I've blocked out emotions, but now I can see the damage they have done to me, and others. It's time to face our demons.

EDIT: I've been thinking a bit more about how our emotions affect things. When we look, we look with our eyes, but when we think, we think with our brains. Whatever the reality is, we attach emotions (sometimes, preset emotions) to things. It's the only real way we can process something. But what about when, we choose (maybe not conciously), the 'wrong' emotion to something. An emotion that will impact the way we see a future event. For example, take a person, they've done you wrong, and each time you see them, you seethe. But why? At that present moment in time, when you next see them, you seethe some more. But what is the reality? They've done nothing wrong, if anything, they could be doing something right, but you've chosen to cloud the reality with preset emotions. I realised what I'd been doing today. I can't believe how foolish I've been too. Me the science girl. I know better that previous experience is no basis for a future experience. I came to realise that I've been looking at things in the wrong light and maybe I'm the one in the wrong. I was in the wrong and I will be in the wrong. But now, I can alter the way that I think and see the reality more clearly, because I know what I've been doing wrong, so I can think now better. :-)
NIGHT NIGHT