What is an emotion?
An emotion is not just a mental thought. It is a complete change in the body. It is according to the way one interprets ones circumstances that the emotion is aroused.
Take for instance, the arousal of anger. When anger emotion is aroused, a message from the brain goes through the sympathetic pathway to the adrenal gland, adrenalin (hormone) is secreted into the blood, and the blood carries it to the whole body. Organs in the body begin to react in unusual ways depending on the hormone, preparing the body for action. In the case of anger emotion, the heart beats faster, breathing becomes heavier, muscles become tense, pupils dilate, hair stand on end, blood rushes to the capillaries in the face, muscles in the face contract to distort facial expression, intestinal movements (digestion, etc) cease. This special way the body reacts is commonly termed “the fight or flight response,” which is controlled by the Amygdala in the brain.
The action depends on the emotion aroused, which may be an action to obtain what is desired, to get rid of what is hated, or to run away from what is feared. Whatever be the action, the behavior of the body during emotional arousal is not normal or healthy. It is an emergency reaction, which is not very healthy, but could be sometimes helpful in an emergency. If this state of arousal continues too long, however, it can be extremely detrimental to the body.
Emotions have been useful for animals for finding food or shelter, defending against threats, reproduction, as well as safety and security. Human beings have a better tool for that purpose, which is intelligence. Yet human beings are dominated by emotions most of the time. As a result we are not free from crime, violence, arrogance, war, insanity, and all the other evils that threaten mankind. All these evils occur in spite of the modern advancements in science and technology, which is rooted in the intellect. This means the intellect of modern man has become the slave of emotions rather than the other way around.
This is why this meditation practice of the Buddha is to make the intellect dominate the mind rather than the emotions. It is the intellect that should guide ones life rather than the emotions. Emotions should be subordinate to intellect. This is what some psychologists like Daniel Goldman have begun to call “emotional intelligence;” which does not mean that emotions have intelligence or can think at all. Emotions are blind; only the intellect can think. Emotional intelligence merely means that emotions are being guided by the intellect, putting emotions under its control.