As I had written earlier, Brahmacharya means Divine Conduct. Central to this spiritual practice is tackling, channeling, and uprooting negative tendencies to achieve inner peace and spiritual growth.

My Fight With Anger

In the last couple of years, I’ve seldom lost my temper. However, this calm demeanor is a stark contrast to the angry young woman I used to be. My rage was not just a fleeting emotion but a force that practically controlled every cell of my body. Those who knew me well were all too aware of my volatile personality.

My anger was so acute that, like a parrot, I repeatedly asked my mentor for a way to regulate it for nearly five years. He would give me encouraging words, hinting that I would find a way out, but I felt unworthy of his trust in me. That’s because the problem lingered, and I remained the same fiery person.

Gradually, my battle with anger turned into a source of fear and frustration. This negative trait impacted my relationships and overall well-being. With time, I even lost trust in myself because I never knew when I would become an exploding firecracker.

The Labeling Technique

There’s more to my anger story, but I eventually stumbled upon a powerful technique called Labeling Emotions. This technique works with most negative tendencies, making it a robust tool for emotional management.

Labeling Emotions, in short, is a practice in which we observe the mind objectively and tag our feelings before reacting. For example, if you notice anger, you would say out loud: I am feeling anger. By doing so, we gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and our emotional triggers. When done over a period of six months to a year, this leads to better emotional regulation and self-awareness.

Scientific research supports this age-old spiritual practice. Studies have shown that labeling emotions activates the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for higher-order thinking and emotional regulation. By creating a psychological distance between ourselves and our feelings, we can reduce their impact and respond more thoughtfully.

Interestingly, Labeling the Emotions creates a psychological distance between us and our feelings, reducing their impact.

Sakshi Bhaava and Mindfulness

Even though it sounds simple, implementing the labeling technique takes immense mindfulness. For newbies in spirituality, mindfulness is the practice of observing oneself — thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment — without judgment. This promotes self-awareness and non-reactivity to our emotions.

In Buddhism and Hinduism, mindfulness and observation of emotions are the foundation of self-awareness and inner peace. The Buddha emphasized this notion by stating: “Feelings are just visitors; let them come and go.”

In Hinduism, mindfulness and emotional observation are found in the teachings of Sakshi Bhava, or the witnessing attitude. This requires sitting in meditation without doing anything except observing yourself.

When combined with a contemplative study of the Bhagavad Gita, the practice helps us attain a state of equanimity to become Stita Pragnya, one who is steadfast in spiritual wisdom.

Conclusion

Integrating scientific research and spiritual knowledge offers us a comprehensive approach to emotion management. By practicing mindfulness and using it to tag our emotions before reacting, we can create self-awareness to tackle our inner challenges with greater ease.

Hence, in my spiritual path, I only bestow the Brahmacharya title (Brahmachari and Sushree) upon those who have built enough mindfulness to practive Labeling Emotions.

Simultaneously, I encourage everyone to read the Bhagavad Gita, as it offers profound insights into mind management. Borrowing from this sacred text, “The mind acts like an enemy for those who do not control it.”

Following that, we transform the mind from an adversary to a powerful ally on our path to inner peace. To do this, we observe, label, and accept our emotions with self-compassion and clarity. This practice will foster a deeper connection with ourselves.

Ultimately, it is those who conquer themselves that often gain the power to conquer the world.

Love,
Sri Devi Om