A thought is where we apply brain, process some signals from sensory organs or from memory in brain and draw conclusions. Thinking is a very active process.
A feeling is a very passive process. We just perceive something. For example, when I touch ice, I feel it to be cold. We do not think it to be cold. When we see some traffic incident on road, say an accident, we feel pity/sorry. We do not think about being sorry. Similarly, we feel monsoon freshness, candy's sweetness, fear during an exam, etc.
None of these feelings are manifestation of the brain, but they are perceived based on the environment and our response/reflection to the environment.
What causes these reflections/responses in ourselves, they are the impressions that a human being carries. These impressions are the ones that colour our perception of the world, like wearing green glasses editor show the entire world as green. Similarly when our environment is altered (e.g. after a heated argument with your spouse or a friend), someone talking anything good about them feels as if like that person is trying to insult you. When you are in a good mood, the same comment you would be cherishing and getting grateful to have a person as your friend.
Feelings are typically pure and perceived as they are. But the impressions we carry in our heads colour these perceptions and convert good feelings into bad feelings or vice versa.
What are these impressions and how do we get rid of these impressions? To understand this, I will take a positive and a negative one. When I am passing by a garden and I see a rose, on the first day, I appreciate its beauty. On second day, I go near and experience is fragrance. On third day, seeing it again, I would end up plucking it and taking it home, even though it is in some one else's garden. The impression has slowly grown towards acquisition.
Another example, when I had an argument with someone, slowly I will not talk to that person. On next encounter, I will start avoiding that person. After a few such encounters, I would be angry with all the acts that person and it can further grow into a stage where I would not hesitate to cause harm to that person. This is how the impressions get deeper. Now, I would have a bad feelings in that person's presence all the time.
All our feelings about some thing whether good or bad have to be clear of all these impressions for us to perceive the world as it is. And this is where meditations help to clear off all the impressions (specifically the rejuvenation method in Heartfulness practices is highly effective for this) and start feeling/perceiving the world as it is, and be courageous to withstand any hard challenges.
My perspective on feelings vs thoughts:
A thought is where we apply brain, process some signals from sensory organs or from memory in brain and draw conclusions. Thinking is a very active process.
A feeling is a very passive process. We just perceive something. For example, when I touch ice, I feel it to be cold. We do not think it to be cold. When we see some traffic incident on road, say an accident, we feel pity/sorry. We do not think about being sorry. Similarly, we feel monsoon freshness, candy's sweetness, fear during an exam, etc.
None of these feelings are manifestation of the brain, but they are perceived based on the environment and our response/reflection to the environment.
What causes these reflections/responses in ourselves, they are the impressions that a human being carries. These impressions are the ones that colour our perception of the world, like wearing green glasses editor show the entire world as green. Similarly when our environment is altered (e.g. after a heated argument with your spouse or a friend), someone talking anything good about them feels as if like that person is trying to insult you. When you are in a good mood, the same comment you would be cherishing and getting grateful to have a person as your friend.
Feelings are typically pure and perceived as they are. But the impressions we carry in our heads colour these perceptions and convert good feelings into bad feelings or vice versa.
What are these impressions and how do we get rid of these impressions? To understand this, I will take a positive and a negative one. When I am passing by a garden and I see a rose, on the first day, I appreciate its beauty. On second day, I go near and experience is fragrance. On third day, seeing it again, I would end up plucking it and taking it home, even though it is in some one else's garden. The impression has slowly grown towards acquisition.
Another example, when I had an argument with someone, slowly I will not talk to that person. On next encounter, I will start avoiding that person. After a few such encounters, I would be angry with all the acts that person and it can further grow into a stage where I would not hesitate to cause harm to that person. This is how the impressions get deeper. Now, I would have a bad feelings in that person's presence all the time.
All our feelings about some thing whether good or bad have to be clear of all these impressions for us to perceive the world as it is. And this is where meditations help to clear off all the impressions (specifically the rejuvenation method in Heartfulness practices is highly effective for this) and start feeling/perceiving the world as it is, and be courageous to withstand any hard challenges.