The Colors of Our Emotions

Recently I took the workshop called Maitri Five Wisdom Energies with Acharya Richard John. This specific teaching is unique to the Shambhala Buddhist world though it is based on the understanding of five wisdom energies—also know as the five buddha “families”—which are core in the study of Tibetan medicine and in Vajrayana Buddhism. These energies may be familiar to you as the elements—space, water, earth, fire, and wind—which in this context referred to different qualities of our state of mind—our enlightened aspects, our neuroses, and our personalities.

The workshop was broken up into five sections, one for each energy. For each section, Acharya John first gave a lecture on the characteristics of a particular element, followed by an exercise that allowed us to experience its particular energy. Afterwards, we took a break so we could notice how the exercise affected our state of mind (if at all), which we could later bring up in discussion.

We started the workshop with the element “space” (which is also labeled the “buddha” element). We learned that its enlightened aspect is to accommodate everything including all the other energies. Everyone knows someone who has that accommodating quality, someone who just seems to exude an inviting presence that brings out the best in everyone else without imposing their agenda on others. There also is a negative aspect to this in that one can be so accommodating that they become passive and lose all energy. “I just don’t want to be bothered” is the mantra of the person in the negative aspect of the space element.

When we did the exercise for space I had a preconception that I would feel comfortable with it. I had been told that my personality seems to have a strong ‘buddha’ element to it. Also I had done the workshop about ten years ago and had a pleasant recollection about this particular exercise.

The exercise for each of the elements a physical posture that you hold for 40 minutes. It also includes the color related to that element. The color related to space is white so we took a posture of kneeling with our elbows on the floor, chins propped on our fists, staring at a large white piece of paper. A few minutes into this, I found myself quite bored. A few minutes after that I started humming to myself, anything to distract me from this endless empty whiteness that would swirl sickeningly in front of my eyes. I started to make lists of things I wanted to do, then would instantly forget the list and had to start over again.

I was relieved when the posture was over and we were free to walk about. We were asked to take a walk for 20 minutes without any goals or preconceptions. “Aimless wandering” it is called. I was eager for any entertainment at this point so I spent a good part of my excursion reading from the ‘Free’ bin at the public library nearby. I suppose that counts as “wandering”.

The rest of the program also continued to defy my expectations. For example, the exercise for the water element, which is related to intellect and clarity, I assumed would feel cold and unwelcoming. When I had done this program before, I found that after the exercise I felt disconnected from others and wanted to be left alone. Also blue is one of my least favorite colors. But this time the blue color, which is simulated by wearing blue eyeshades, was incredibly peaceful to me. Like relaxing at a high-class spa, I told myself while I lay face down on the floor in the posture, imagining that in any moment, my personal massage therapist would tap me on the shoulder and ask “Are you ready for your treatment?” Afterwards, during aimless wandering, I felt at one with the world, enjoying every small detail of the brilliantly sunny day. Even stopping to take a photo of the reflections of buildings in a red sports car that caught my eye. (see image above)

During the rest of the weekend, my mind ran the gamut from antisocial depression (the fire element, related to passion and red did that to me) to an excited bliss (wind, activity, green). The contrast made me wonder at times if I was in my right mind. Who is this person, I thought, who I thought I knew so well?

The name of the program, Maitri, as defined in the program, is a Sanskrit word meaning “cultivating unconditional friendliness to oneself.” The container of the program, bookended with the practice of meditation and in the calm environment of the Shambhala Center, gave me the clarity to actually see my emotional states, sometimes painful, sometimes pleasant, without becoming invested in how they turn out. They arise and they fall away. Is it possible that I don’t have to dwell on every negative emotion that comes up or get too excited by every high point? Hmm. I will have to think about that. In the meantime not to take myself too seriously was the simple message I took home with me.

One thought on “The Colors of Our Emotions

  1. Thank you for this great article! There are so many jewels in our culture and this is one ( or five? ) of them.