To shift our emotional center of gravity, we need gravity much more than emotionality

Spiritual growth essentially means shifting our emotional center of gravity. The center of gravity is the point at which all the mass of an object appears to be concentrated. Our emotional center of gravity refers to the thing on which our emotions are concentrated – the thing that most triggers our emotions, our central attachment. That center is usually something material such as money, cricket, sex, position or power.

To grow spiritually, we need to redirect our heart from matter to Krishna, or in our terminology, to make Krishna our emotional center of gravity. The Bhagavad-gita (10.09) indicates that the thoughts, words and actions of advanced devotees are all centered on him.

We are prone to mood swings due to which sometimes our emotions no longer push us forward to Krishna or, worse still, they hold us back.

Shifting our emotional center of gravity requires sustained systematic practice of bhakti-yoga. During such practice, we need to discerningly process our emotions subjecting them to regulation or channelization or elevation: regulation of our anti-spiritual worldly emotions; channelization of our spiritualizable worldly emotions; and elevation of our nascent devotional emotions.

This whole process though centered on emotions is jeopardized by excessive emotionality. Why? Because in our present conditioned state we are prone to mood swings due to which sometimes our emotions no longer push us forward to Krishna or, worse still, they hold us back. The Bhagavad-gita (02.41) underscores single-pointed determined disposition as necessary for those seeking spiritual success, especially when contrasted with the scattered mentality of those who let their emotions run the show.

Such focused determination requires gravity that enables us to stay steady amidst the ups and downs of our moods. We can cultivate gravity by meditating on the ultimate futility of worldly attachments and the supreme glory of becoming attached to Krishna.

By gravely practicing bhakti-yoga, we can gradually transcend worldly emotions and relish the highest spiritual emotions.

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