Are rationality and emotional different?
Question by:Manohar Lal, Postgraduate,Lucknow
Manohar, this is a very important query. Because, people often mistake these terms and make all sorts of theories. No. These are not separate entities, but they represent different stages of one expression.
Manohar, this is a very important query. Because, people often mistake these terms and make all sorts of theories. No. These are not separate entities, but they represent different stages of one expression.
We will have to understand the two terms through their Sanskrit parallels, which have far deeper and perfect sense to convey. Rational is Baudhik and emotional is Bhaavuk. However, they are not different terms, but stages of the same energy expressing through individuals at various levels of evolution. Bhaav is called energy. Now this bhaav is the basic constitution of your personality. It is self-expressive. It doesn’t require words or gestures to convey. Once you study the science of the Gita, you will know how your bhavas made their own pathways and instruments of interactive expressions —you call them senses. You see, you talk, you feel, etc all this is the creation of bhav. What is rationality, Bauddhikta? A conditionally refined expression of bhaav, which helps you express yourself in words, understand others, analyse what others say and accept and gather what suits your basic bhaav—your constituent energy and its intent that you have acquired through various lives of evolution. The bhaav at this stage is called shraddha, according to the Gita, chapter 17. Visualise water on a stove. The water is boiling. This boiling water is your content—your bhaav, your shraddha. Its bubbles are your thoughts and its vapours your rationality—a refined bhaav, conditioned consciousness. Conditioned, because it depends on the container, the content and the heat it is on. You are container, bhaav your content and heat is your situational condoning. It you have no situation, your bhaav will not convert into rationality!
Therefore, rationality is nothing but a conditionally refined emotionality. Reason is nothing but a conditionally applied rationality. Spirituality is nothing but the science of this energy management —bhaav vigyan! If you think you are emotional then be sure that you have rationality too in some measure and you will have to develop it to the level of your constitutional blalance. The wise person is the one who has conditionally refined his bhaav into universal rationality. Universal rationality is called universal consciousness. But, you can only know this through the science of bhaav management—spirituality.
Mind you! There is a difference between sentimentality and emotionality. Don’t take the two synonymously. Sentimentality is unconditioned, unrefined rationality. It often results in erratic thinking, erratic actions and chaotic inter- human relationships. Such a person is never able to convey his emotions. He/she wants to say something and something else comes out. The unexpressed emotions lead to mental disorders, like depressions, fits of anger and love and the like. Please make sure, you are not sentimental!--VS
