Embracing All Emotions

• Emotions are an important aspect of human experience but it can be a source of great distress and can lead us astray from the path of virtue.

• Emotions are a result of our judgments about events and situations, rather than the events themselves.

• By cultivating a rational mindset ...

All people experience negative or troubling thoughts from time to time. Worry helps us to anticipate and prepare for the challenges in life.

But for some, worry can be persistent and overwhelming. People who worry a lot can become depressed and shift to a negative outlook on life.

To practice Zen is to fully experience your emotions without pushing them away or being swept away by them. We should see our emotions like a wild bull that, while powerful, is neither good nor bad. Rather than remain ignorant of the bull, we look for it and aim to tame it.