Emotions can inform us, but sometimes it feels more like they imprison us. As the great Sufi poet Rumi said they are messengers from beyond. Sometimes, however, the message is garbled or mixed. Here are books that can help us have emotions rather than emotions having us.
Working with the Emotions. Authored by Tibetan Buddhist teacher Jigme Rinpoche and edited by Sylvia Wong, this book shows us Buddhist methods for taking back control from our emotions.
Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames. Buddha recognized that three mind states caused unhappiness: wrong knowing, obsessive desire, and anger. Zen Buddhist monk and Vietnam refugee Thich Nhat Hanh gives tools and advice for transforming relationships, focusing energy, and recovering from the corrosive impact of anger.
Emotional Awareness: Overcoming the Obstacles to Psychological Balance and Compassion
The Dalai Lama, one of the world’s revered spiritual leaders, and the psychologist Paul Ekman, whose work has advanced the science of emotions, examine the nature of emotions in a series of conversations. Their exploration is accompanied by commentaries on emotion research and Buddhist teachings that further contribute to our understanding of emotions.