“We all make the mistake of believing that something ‘out there’ makes. us afraid, angry, depressed, anxious, and so on. In truth, events ‘out there’ are only triggers. The cause of every emotion is ‘in here,’ which means that inner work can heal it.
Deciding to do the inner work is the first and most important step.
Even after years of emotional healing, there will be moments w
hen you are certain that someone else is responsible for making you feel a certain way.
Dedication to inner work means refusing to accept this perspective ever, no matter how often it returns.
Spiritually, you are the creator of your reality. You are the interpreter, the seer, the decision-maker, the chooser.
When you find yourself dominated by a negative emotion, try to release it physically first, since bodily effects are half or more of what you’re feeling. 
Having done that, use the following formulas to reframe your emotion, as they apply:
- Instead of telling yourself that your emotion is bad, ask it what it has to tell you. Every emotion exists for a reason, and the reason is always to help you. Emotions are here to serve.
- Instead of pushing an emotion away, tell it you want to have a closer look. Ask it to reveal itself from behind its mask. Very often you will find that emotions are layered. Anger masks fear; fear masks hurt. Getting past an emotion means getting through its layers to the root.
- If a feeling is overwhelming, say to yourself, ‘I want to ride this out first before I look at it.’ Realize that the overwhelming feeling isn’t the real you; it’s something you’re going through.
- If you recognize that certain situations always bring the same reaction, ask what you need to learn in order for that reaction to change. Repetition is like a knock on the door — it stops when you open the door and greet what’s on the other side.
- Whenever you find yourself drawing a
line in the sand, stop doing it. Resisting only makes things worse. Let the emotion rise. Release it by crying, screaming, losing your temper, shaking with fear — whatever it takes.
Emotions come and go.
Realize that each one has a rhythm, and allow yourself to be in that rhythm. The best way not to drown is to ride the wave.
As you begin to master the art of letting go, with patience, dedication, and love, your reality will change. It has no choice. Things ‘out there’ are always mirrors of what’s going on ‘in here.’ In the process of letting go, you will lose many things from the past, but you will find yourself, It will not be a self made of beliefs, expectations, and interpretations, for these things come and go. It will be a permanent Self, rooted in awareness and creativity. Once you have captured this, you have captured the world.”
The Path To Love – Spiritual Strategies For Healing, Deepak Chopra, p. 176 – 178.
