90 Seconds to Freedom

There was a time when I was enslaved by my emotions. I'm a passionate person with strong feelings, and that's desirable when we're talking about emotions that are viewed in a positive light, like devotion, love, compassion, or faithfulness. But, when the not-so-positive emotions creep in and steal our peace of mind, we have become their destructive servant.

There's a way to free ourselves from getting lost in the prison of our mind where we tell ourselves the familiar story of "poor me." Pema Chodron speaks of the lifespan of an emotion as being ninety seconds. If we do not feed the emotion by engaging in the story, but just watch the emotion as an impartial observer, we will see that it diminishes and dies within that very short minute and a half.

So, when an uncomfortable feeling such as anger, unworthiness, or jealousy first begins to arise in my belly or chest, I just recognize that it is there and watch it. It might intensify for a few seconds, but then it subsides and then slowly disappears. Then, and only then, am I free to act in a situation in a kind, loving manner, rather than as an emotional reactor.