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Two Faces of Emotions
in Yoga Psychology
by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati 
SwamiJ.com 

Two types of desires and emotions: There seems to be no limit to the diversity of our desires. However, the desires all operate in only two directions. Either we want something or some outcome, or we want to avoid something or some outcome. Every desire falls into one of those two types.

Similarly, there are only two categories of outcomes once those desires become active and play out. Either we attain our desired outcome, or we do not attain our desired outcome. From those, there are at least hundreds of emotional responses, although all of those emotions are of only two types or directions as well.

In Yoga psychology all of these pairs are related to the kleshas (colorings) of raga (attraction or drawing towards) and dvesha (aversion, pushing away, or opposition) as described in Yoga Sutras 1.5 and 2.1-2.9. These are accompanied by the klesha or coloring of the fear of the loss or "death" of the matrix of attractions and aversions that collectively define who we (incorrectly) think we are at the level of personality and physical body identity.

(Detailed description of this graphic is here.)

Two reactions: Stemming from those desires, we have a wide range of emotional responses. However, all of those emotional responses relate to those two types of desires. In relation to what we want, we either get what we want, or we fail to get what we want. In relation to what we would like to avoid, we either succeed in avoiding it, or we fail to avoid it.

Outcome 1:               Outcome 2:
                 

Four possibilities: Thus, while there may be a very wide range of emotional responses described in our language, they all fit neatly into one of those four types. This can be extremely useful to understand when we are seeking to have the direct experience of that highest bliss (ananda) that comes from the realization of the Self, Atman, or Purusha, which is beyond all emotional and mental processes.

It is imperative to understand that this is not meant to trivialize emotions. A full emotional life is a part of joyous living in the world.

Two faces of hundreds of emotions: Below are over 500 descriptive words. Notice how each word relates to either: 1) the desire to attain some object or outcome, or 2) the desire to avoid some object or outcome. Notice also that each word reflects the response to whether one: 1) succeeds in that desire to either attain or 2) to avoid.

Kleshas or colorings: This is the spirit of the process in Yoga relating to the kleshas, which are the colorings of the thought patterns in the mind-field.

Related to these colorings, please review these pages:
Klishta and Aklishta Thoughts
Yoga Sutras 1.5-1.11 particularly Sutra 1.5
Yoga Sutras 2.1-2.9, particularly Sutra 2.3
Karma, particularly the three sections on emotions

Healthy emotional life and meditation: A wide range of emotional experience is a healthy part of a joyous life. However, at the time of meditation we want to temporarily suspend them completely. When we systematically become a witness to those emotions rather than being dragged around by them with a feeling of helplessness, we are on the path to Self-Realization, the direct experience of that pure, untainted center of consciousness called Atman, Self or other names.

Seeing the simplicity: To quiet the noisy mind during meditation is a prerequisite for the depth of insight. This means temporarily setting aside emotional thought process so that the pure light of joy can come shining through. This can seem like a daunting task because of the vast range of mental-emotional experience. However, when we see that they all cluster into a two simple types that have only four possible outcomes, the process becomes significantly simpler to understand, and in turn, easier to do.

Karma Yoga and selfless service: It should be noted here that while many, if not most of our actions are driven by desire, there is another form of action which is not driven in this way. That is Karma Yoga, the Yoga of action. In this type of action there is total selflessness, no coloring whatsoever, whether attraction or aversion. It is purely for the benefit of others. More often than not, for most of us, most of the time, this is an ideal for which we strive, though seldom purely attained. Mostly our motives are mixed, with part being driven by either attractions or aversions, and another part being truly selfless. When the actions are purely selfless we are free from the desire based emotional responses. In other words, we are not merely responding emotionally to whether our desires are, or are not fulfilled. It is very useful to witness our mixed responses so that we can gradually serve ever more from the selfless stance, allowing the attractions and aversions to fade, weaken, or attenuate, and thus, lose their control over our actions, speech and thought.

Letting go through non-attachment: Read through the list of descriptive words below. Reflect on enough of them that you can personally see the elegant simplicity of the fact that they each reflect a leaning towards one of two things, either something you want or something you want to avoid. See the way in which there are only four possible outcomes. Either you get or don't get that which you want, or you either get or don't get that which you seek to avoid. To let go of all of them during meditation and contemplations is the path of non-attachment (vairagya), which is central to the higher goals of Yoga, Vedanta and Tantra.

For more about non-attachment, please see:
Yoga Sutras 1.1-1.4, particularly 1.2
Yoga Sutras 1.12-1.16, particularly 1.12 
 

Conscious Mind
All of the emotions above are
experienced in the Conscious Mind.

Unconscious Mind
These emotions arise as a result of the
conditionings and processes of the Unconscious Mind.

Ananda or Bliss
Ananda or Bliss is not experienced as a result
of either fulfilling or failing to fulfill desires,
as is the case with emotions such as above.
True Bliss or Ananda is from beyond the mind,
and is not an emotion in the conventional sense.

Four Functions of Mind
Those conditionings are stored in the Chitta, are colored by Ahamkara, play out through Manas, and can be witnessed by Buddhi. The center of the "hub" of the wheel of mind is the pure consciousness (Atman) which transcends the rest, and knows Ananda.
(Four Functions of Mind article)

Klishta/Aklishta - Colored/Not-Colored
Those conditionings or deep impressions stored
in the reservoir known as Chitta can gradually
be weakened or attenuated, and begin to lose
control over our actions, speech and thoughts.
This, in turn, allows one to regulate emotions
in positive ways, such that the negative emotions
are less and less an obstacle to deep meditation.
(Klishta/Aklishta article)