THOUGHT VIBRATION/PART 11

 

CHAPTER 11.

THE  PSYCHOLOGY OF EMOTION

ONE is apt  to think  of  the emotions  as  independent  from  habit.  We  easily may think  of  one acquiring  habits  of  action,  and  even  of  thinking,  but  we are  apt  to  regard  the emotions  as  something connected  with "feeling" and quite divorced from intellectual  effort.  Yet,  notwithstanding  the distinction  between  the  two,  both  are  dependent  largely  upon  habit, and one may repress, increase, develop, and change one's  emotions, just as one may  regulate habits  of  action  and  lines  of  thought.

It  is  an  axiom  of  psychology  that  "Emotions  deepen  by  repetition"  If  a person  allows  a  state of  feeling to thoroughly  take possession  of  him,  he will find  it  easier  to yield  to the same emotion  the second  time,  and  so on,  until  the particular  emotion  or  feeling becomes  second  nature  to him. If  an  undesirable emotion  shows  itself  inclined  to take up  a  permanent abode with you,  you  had  better  start  to work  to  get  rid  of  it,  or at  least  to master it. And the  best  time to do this  is  at  the start;  for  each repetition  renders  the habit  more firmly  intrenched,  and  the task  of  dislodging it  more  difficult.

Were  you  ever  jealous?  If so,  you  will  remember  how insidious was  its first approach, how subtly it whispered hateful suggestions into your willing  ear,  and how gradually  it  followed up  such  suggestions,  until, finally  you  began  to see green,  (Jealousy has  an  effect  upon  the bile,  and causes  it  to poison  the blood. This is  why the idea  of  green  is  always associated  with  it.)  Then  you  will remember  how  the thing seemed  to grow, taking possession of you  until  you  scarcely  could shake  it  off.  You found  it  much easier  to become jealous  the next  time.  It  seemed  to bring before  you  all  sorts of objects apparently justifying  your  suspicions and feeling.  Everything began  to  look  green—the green-eyed  monster  waxed fat.

And so it  is  with every feeling or  emotion.  If  you  give way to a fit  of  rage, you  will find  it  easier  to  become angry  the next  time,  on  less  provocation. The habit  of  feeling  and  acting "mean"  does  not  take long to firmly settle itself  in  its  new  home if  encouraged.  Worry  is  a  great  habit  for  growing and  waxing fat.  People start  by  worrying about  big  things, and  then  begin to worry  and  fret  about  some smaller  thing.  And  then  the merest  trifle worries  distresses  them.  They  imagine that  all  sorts  of  evil  things  are about  to  befall  them.  If  they  start  on  a  journey they  are certain  there is going to be a  wreck.  If  a  telegram  comes,  it  is  sure to contain  some dreadful  tidings.  If a  child seems a  little  quiet,  the  worrying  mother  is positive it  is  going to fall  ill  and  die.  If  the husband  seems thoughtful,  as he revolves  some business  plan  in  his  mind,  then  the good  wife is convinced  that  he  is  beginning to cease to love her,  and  indulges  in  a crying  spell.  And so  it  goes—worry,  worry,  worry—each  indulgence making  the habit  more  at  home.  After  a while the continued  thought shows  itself  in  action.  Not  only  is  the  mind  poisoned  by  the blue thoughts, but the forehead shows deep  lines  between  the eyebrows,  and the voice takes  on  that  whining,  rasping tone so common  among  worry-burdened  people.

The condition  of  mind  known  as  "fault-finding"  is  another  emotion  that grows  fat  with exercise.  First,  fault  is  found  with this  thing,  then  with that,  and  finally with everything.  The person  becomes  a  chronic "nagger"—a burden  to  friends  and  relatives,  and  a  thing  to be  avoided  by outsiders.  Women  make  the  greatest  naggers.  Not  because men  are any better,  but  simply because a  man  nagger  is  apt  to have the habit knocked out of him by other men who will  not  stand  his  nonsense—he finds  that he is  making things  too hot  for  himself,  and  he  reforms;  while a  woman has  more  of  a  chance to indulge in  the  habit.  But  this  nagging is  all  a matter  of  habit.  It  grows  from  small  beginnings,  and  each time it  is indulged  in  it  throws  out  another  root,  branch, or  tendril,  and  fastens itself  the  closer  to the one who has  given  it  soil  in  which  to grow.

Envy,  uncharitableness,  gossip,  scandal-mongering,  are  all habits  of  this kind. The seeds  are  in  every  human  breast,  and  only need  good  soil and  a little  watering  to  become  lusty  and  strong.

Each  time you  give way  to one of  these negative emotions,  the easier  do you  make  it  for  a  recurrence  of  the same thing,  or  similar  ones. Sometimes  by encouraging  one unworthy  emotion,  you  find  that  you have given  room  for  the growth of  a  whole family  of these  mental  weeds.

Now,  this  is  not  a  good  old  orthodox  preachment  against  the sin  of  bad thoughts. It is merely a calling of  your  attention  to the law  underlying the psychology of  emotions.  Nothing new  about  it—old as the  hills—so  old that  many  of  us  have forgotten  all about  it.

If you wish to manifest these constantly disagreeable and unpleasant traits, and to suffer  the  unhappiness that  comes from  them,  by  all means do  so—that is  your  own  business,  and  privilege.  It's  none of  mine,  and  I am not preaching at  you—it  keeps me  busy  minding  my  own business and keeping an  eye on  my own  undesirable habits  and  actions. I am merely  telling you  the law  regarding  the matter,  and  you  may  do  the rest. If  you  wish to choke out  these habits,  there are  two ways  open  to you. First,  whenever  you  find  yourself  indulging in  a  negative thought  or feeling,  take  right  hold of it  and say to  it  firmly,  and vigorously,  "Get out!"  It  won't  like  this at  first,  and will  bridle  up,  curve  its  back  and  snarl like  an offended cat.  But  never  mind—just say  "Scat" to it.  The  next time it will not be so confident and aggressive—it will have  manifested a  little of  the fear-habit.  Each time  you  repress  and  choke out  a  tendency of  this kind,  the  weaker  it  will become,  and  the stronger  will  you  be.

Professor  James says:  "Refuse  to  express a  passion,  and it  dies.  Count ten before venting your anger, and its occasion seems ridiculous. Whistling  to keep  up  courage is  no mere figure of  speech.  On  the other hand,  sit  all day  in  a  moping  posture,  sigh,  and  reply to everything  with  a dismal voice,  and your  melancholy lingers.  There  is no  more  valuable precept  in  moral  education  than  this,  as  all who have experience  know:  if we wish to conquer  emotional tendencies  in  ourselves,  we must assiduously,  and in the first instance, cold-bloodedly, go through the outward movements  of  those contrary  dispositions  which we prefer to cultivate.  ...Smooth the brow,  brighten  the eye,  contract  the dorsal rather  than  the  ventral  aspect of  the  frame,  and  speak  in a  major  key, pass  the genial compliment,  and  your  heart  must  be frigid  indeed  if  it does not  gradually thaw."