Question – Why am I afraid of emotionally connecting with people?
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Emotion is an integral part of you. If you are running away from emotions it is because of the fear of getting hurt. When you are emotional you should be ready to get hurt. Unless you are so established in wisdom then emotions are a celebration and they cannot hurt you anymore.
Either you shut down or run away. You have to stand up to it and see the love beyond the pain. See the love beyond suffering. Love brings certain feelings that can hurt you. You love someone and they forget your birthday, what happens to you? You become miserable. Your expectation from others hurts you emotionally. Thay fear of pain causes you to shut down. Wake up. Take pain as part of love. You love someone pain also comes. When you have such acceptance your love has reached a height beyond vulnerability. It gets you to a place of blissful divinity.
Love without wisdom is a host of all negative emotions. All negative emotions are just an offspring of love. You don’t need to label different emotions. Love is the cause of every other emotion. You are jealous because you love what the other person has and want it for yourself. You become a miser when you love money more than people. You hate somebody because the person you hate is causing you pain. Pain and pleasure are part of one existence.
Fear, love and hatred are emotions of the heart chakra. They are 3 forms of the same energy. When there’s love there’s no fear or hatred. When you meditate you experience love. When wisdom comes along with love, it is blissful.