The Emotional Pillar
Emotions are like an ocean that ranges over vastly, and can effect every aspect of your life. Out of all of the Pillars this one is the hardest to master, and the easiest to damage. Not only that but it impacts the other three Pillars as well.
Welcome ULCians to part four of the series about the Four Pillars of life. This philosophy ranges to every aspect of life, and includes many things that you may not know. Such as the deep interconnection between your mind, body, spirit. Your life will be determined by how you react, decide, and follow. If your own self state is imbalanced then how can you react properly to the stimulus around you? Your emotions is one of the biggest outside sign that people see when looking at you. When someone comes up to your they're not going to see you mind or spirit being in health. Maybe your body if you're physically fit, but being fit doesn't always mean muscular so even that isn't always the case. Your emotions are what people perceive.
Creating a proper emotional balance is something that really takes years to do, and something I'm not always good at. I consider myself to be a bit more inclined towards emotional intelligence, but even I have a lot to learn about myself.
Imbalances
Many things can change the flow of your emotions, such as outside stimuli (people, events, and your environment), and internally (thoughts, memories, meditation, and hormones). These for most can be a positive thing, and make people happier, such as a good job. Other times and more often than not in this time, the stimuli creates a sense of uneasiness, fear, and desperation.
These emotions flood the population, which causes havoc in societies, and impacts everyone. Unlike the other Pillars the Emotional Pillar is more connected to other people. Like I said before it is how people perceive you, but that goes the other way as well. You see people mainly through their emotions, or lack there of. This causes a certain bridge between you two, and on a larger scale the population as a whole.
What You Can Do
Keeping your emotions in check is harder than just working out, meditating, or learning. You can just do something a couple times a week to see improvement. Emotions are a constant process, keeping your mind on the fact that you feel angry, sad, happy, and choosing what to do with that knowledge. Knowing yourself before ever learning how to know others is key.
Being in tune with your emotions is a pretty cool state to be in, and you have a bit more control on the flow of emotions than you normally would. At times you may feel out of control of your life, and this can always be traced back to some sort of emotional disturbance. Understanding this ideology will illuminate many exposures to your own life.
Keeping Balanced
Keeping your emotions in check is simply keeping constant awareness of how you feel, and making sure you decide then and there what you truly want to feel. Realizing that is that particular emotion you're feeling really what is best? Do you really want to feel angry or sad? No.
"Anger is a seed of corruption, that can only lead to more despair." -U.L.C.
Keep that hatred, anger, and corruption in line. Don't let it fester within you, it is not worth it at all. As hard as it is let it go.
Keeping this in mind, your emotions will have their effects on the other Pillars. Always realize that it goes both ways, for if one of your Pillars is imbalanced that might be the reason why you are feeling so angry or upset. That might be why you're happy because your body and mind are in sync. Etc. Control is key.