The brain, a mental, emotional representation of the body based on sensory importance, regulates animal behavior through emotions. It is not our consciousness that produces our feelings; rather, it is the other way around. The participation of the entire body forms a sophisticated energy system. For example, the muscle system closely mirrors the conscious state, as it tenses up in fear and relaxes in joyful and loving situations. Feelings start hormonal cycles, which regulate the sentiments that produce them. Even taking a breath of air can be an emotional experience. If you do not believe me, try holding your breath. First of all, you cannot do it! But if you could do it, you would feel fear, angst, the urge to breathe and fill your lungs, after which you would feel elation, relief. This is because emotion is an evolutionary survival tool, which prohibits taking our lives; suicide must be planned carefully.
Recent scientific data suggest that unconscious processes underlie not only arbitrary decisions but also conscious goals. Research suggests that goals themselves arise motivated and primed by social situations outside of awareness. These goals operate in our lives before we are aware of them. Our conscious decisions are just a final rubber stamp on the plans of our social subconscious. Awareness is only a clearinghouse of the emotional forest, trying to make sense of its diversity. We must acknowledge that some feelings are hidden from our consciousness, and often we cannot discern what we feel or why we feel it.
On a conscious level, emotions are often used for manipulation to save energy over physical movement. As a consequence, mammals and birds exhibit complex interpersonal relationships and behavior. For example, a lion can spare itself from physical effort because its roar can scare intruding animals. However, even emotions require a tremendous amount of energy to maintain. For instance, we become just as tired, or even more so, when we are angry or arguing as when we are doing physical work.
Nevertheless, it is possible to take mental efficiency even further and achieve conscious aims without wasting energies on (negative) emotions. The book detailing the operational principle of the mind, titled Emotional Reasoning, is available on Amazon. You can also sign up for my mailing list.
Picture credit: Prayer by Eva Deli
You can order the book "Emotional Reasoning: Insight into the Conscious Experience."
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