Emotions Talks

Emotions are physical and mental states brought on by neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. There is no scientific consensus on a definition. Emotions are often intertwined with mood, temperament, personality, disposition, or creativity.

Research on emotion has increased over the past two decades, with many fields contributing, including psychology, medicine, history, sociology of emotions, and computer science. The numerous attempts to explain the origin, function, and other aspects of emotions have fostered intense research on this topic. Theorizing about the evolutionary origin and possible purpose of emotion dates back to Charles Darwin. Current areas of research include the neuroscience of emotion, using tools like PET and fMRI scans to study the affective picture processes in the brain.

From a mechanistic perspective, emotions can be defined as "a positive or negative experience that is associated with a particular pattern of physiological activity." Emotions are complex, involving multiple different components, such as subjective experience, cognitive processes, expressive behavior, psychophysiological changes, and instrumental behavior. At one time, academics attempted to identify the emotion with one of the components: William James with a subjective experience, behaviorists with instrumental behavior, psychophysiologists with physiological changes, and so on. More recently, emotion has been said to consist of all the components. The different components of emotion are categorized somewhat differently depending on the academic discipline. In psychology and philosophy, emotion typically includes a subjective, conscious experience characterized primarily by psychophysiological expressions, biological reactions, and mental states. A similar multi-componential description of emotion is found in sociology. For example, Peggy Thoits described emotions as involving physiological components, cultural or emotional labels (anger, surprise, etc.), expressive body actions, and the appraisal of situations and contexts. Cognitive processes, like reasoning and decision-making, are often regarded as separate from emotional processes, making a division between "thinking" and "feeling". However, not all theories of emotion regard this separation as valid.

Nowadays, most research into emotions in the clinical and well-being context focuses on emotion dynamics in daily life, predominantly the intensity of specific emotions and their variability, instability, inertia, and differentiation, as well as whether and how emotions augment or blunt each other over time and differences in these dynamics between people and along the lifespan.

From emotion on Wikipedia

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Title Speaker

Zen Meditation on the Great Flower Adornment Scripture, Class 2

In this series of meetings, we will study and see how Zen is the key unlocking the innumerable meanings of this oceanic scripture. We will also explore how the sutra opens and illuminates our simple...

#YRB-2023-Fall, Evil, Impermanence, Emotions, Describe, Hindrances
Oct 10 2023
2 of 8
The Yoga Room

Just Sitting

A Dharma talk by Tenshin Roshi for a gathering of the No Abode community

Anger, confusion, Observe, Emotions, Enemies
May 06 2023
PM
No Abode Hermitage

Zen Meditation on Our Original Nature, Class 1

In this series of gatherings we will explore and perhaps realize our original nature, and how to apply such a discovery to all of our daily activities. 

#YRB-2023-Spring1, Original Nature, Emotions, War, Precious Mirror, Zazen,...
Mar 21 2023
1 of 8
The Yoga Room

Protecting and Liberating All Beings

A residential weekend retreat at Mount Madonna.

#MtMadonna-2021-Fall, Karmic Consciousness, Fayan, Karmic Consciousness, cognitive...
Nov 20 2021
3 of 4
Mount Madonna Center

No Abode Dharma Talk - July 10th, 2021, Morning

The first in-person meeting at No Abode since 2020

Emotions, Suzuki Roshi, difficulty, Vimalakirti
Jul 10 2021
AM
No Abode Hermitage

Our Original Home

Human consciousness limits reality so that it can grasp "things".

Torei Zenji, Consciousness, Book of Serenity, Enemies, Evil, Emotions
Jul 13 2019
PM
No Abode Hermitage

Teachings for the Welfare of the World

In this summer series, teachings will be offered for those who aspire to embrace and sustain the great earth and all living beings in order to realize peace and freedom in our troubled world.
...

YRB-2019-Summer, Silence, Funeral, Emotions, Interview, soto, Practice Period, Birth-...
Jul 09 2019
3/7
The Yoga Room

Generating Energy

resistance, Patience, practicing generosity, Enthusiasm, Tassajara, Emotions, Breath...
Mar 09 2019
PM
No Abode Hermitage

On Breathing 

Emotions, Breath, Suzuki Roshi, Enthusiasm, Posture
Aug 29 2013
The Yoga Room

On Breathing 

Breath, Posture, Observe, Emotions, Building
Aug 01 2013
The Yoga Room

On the Body 

Addiction, Emotions, zen meditation, Discrimination
Nov 01 2012
The Yoga Room

The Mind of Enlightenment 

Enthusiasm, Precepts, Emotions, Balance, Duality
Jul 29 2010
The Yoga Room

The Great Vow of Wholeheartedness and Taking Care of Our Stories

Green Gulch Farm Sunday Dharma Talk
October 21, 2007

zen meditation, Rumi, Emotions, Tassajara, Money
Oct 21 2007
Green Gulch Farm

Zen Meditation as Bodhisattva Vow

During this course, we will study the bodhisattva vow, to see how the compassionate intentions of enlightening beings generate, work, and play with the mind of enlightenment to promote peace and...

Bodhisattva Vow, zen meditation, Balance, Karmic Consequences, resistance, Confession...
Aug 21 2007
The Yoga Room

Crisis: A Spiritual Turning Point

Spiritual life exists in crisis, which can be used as a turning point. To the extent that we recognize that where we sit right now is a turning point, we are able to understand the possibility of...

Transmission, Intuition, Emotions, Bell, Continuous
Jan 08 2006
Part 2
Green Gulch Farm