Beyond Emotional Intelligence

By brother-initiate Chan Sheng-Chieh, Taoyuan, Formosa
(originally in Chinese)

EQ refers to one's ability to handle emotions. Goleman's book discusses the discovery of an emotional memory center in the amygdala, a complex of nuclei (nerve cell groups) deep within the temporal lobe of the human brain, which reacts to the environment by stimulating instant emotional responses in the body. The brain's frontal cortex (outer layer), upon receiving signals from the amygdala and other areas, thus responds or modifies emotional responses by means of the amygdala. This process is the source of our daily habits and emotions. Memories of past life experiences are stored in these areas, and whenever a situation arises, the brain reacts according to this stored data, telling us what to do and what is right or wrong. If we receive the same stimulation repeatedly, the brain builds on and continually connects with the neural network for this stimulation, subsequently facilitating faster responses. This is the principle behind the common view that "old habits die hard."

The book also discusses ways in which one's emotions can be controlled, including medicinal and behavioral therapies, but they are not always successful. In one of Master's earlier discourses, "The Ego and Sound Meditation," She clearly states that each time we use new ideas or concepts to rectify old habits - a common method employed in behavioral and psychological therapy - we are merely inputting new data into our brains to replace old ones. And this new information creates a new attachment. Should we detect one day that it is not all right, we have to replace it with another, newer concept. In this way, the brain becomes filled with both old and new concepts. Therefore, Master recommends that if we genuinely want to change our habits and attachments, the best way to do so is to "meditate on the Sound" to completely replace the accumulated patterns and information with superior vibrations.

This may sound abstract, but it can be explained from the standpoint of modern physics. According to quantum mechanics theory, all substances and energies are formed by particles undulating at different frequencies. Thus, thoughts may be seen as a kind of energy, a concept that coincides with what Master has taught us: "Everything is created by the Sound Current. Due to their different frequencies, all phenomena take on different forms. Some are visible and some invisible." When an object of low frequency comes in contact with an object of higher frequency, its lower frequency will be adjusted to correspond with the higher one. Negative, sad, dejected and other undesirable thoughts have lower frequencies, while those of happiness and joy have higher frequencies. When our brain cells register undesirable information, their vibrations are lowered. At such times, if the cells come into contact with the Sound Current. Which is of a higher vibrational frequency, their own frequency will naturally be elevated, and the low frequency information will disappear naturally. This is why we feel relaxed and refreshed after meditation.

Thus it's no wonder that Master says "Sound meditation can cure all diseases." Everything comes from the Sound Current, and so it is the best therapy for treating or rectifying anything that ails us!