Self-Restraint: Core Of EQ

 

 

The decade of the 1990s witnessed two very crucial developments in the field of psychology and selfmanagement. The first was the discovery of neuroplasticity of the brain and the second was the popularisation of emotional intelligence. Bruce S MacEwen, an American endocrinologist, is credited with the discovery of the neuroplasticity of the brain. Peter Salevoy and John Mayer, researchers in the field of psychology, discovered the theory of EQ which was later popularised by Daniel Goleman in his book Emotional Intelligence. Goleman has outlined five integral components of EQ, self awareness, self regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. Self awareness is the cognitive aspect while the other four relate to behavioural dimension. In his book Daniel Goleman has repeatedly advocated controlling impulse, enhancing self restraint and ensuring the control of intelligence over emotions. Among the other mental exercises, breathing and meditation figure prominently in the scheme of the training of EQ. Emotional intelligence is nothing, but self management.

 

Self- restraint has been the core philosophy of the Indian knowledge system. Right from the Vedic period to the modern dayYogic practices, all Indian paths centre on the concept of self control. The entireYoga philosophy is self management. It starts from managing the body through Asanas to the management of the mind through pranayama and meditation. The sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is named Atma SamyamaYoga or the Ways to control our mind. The chapter contains very detailed techniques and tools to control the impulse of the mind. Lord Krishna talks about the importance of solitude necessary for meditation. Meditative mind is a self conscious and aware mind. The minute details of the meditative postures are given in the chapter. To the query of Arjuna that the mind is very fickle and uncontrollable, Lord Krishna prescribes two pronged solutions- practice and the sense of detachment.

 

The practices include numerous methods of mind control. A sense of detachment establishes the practitioner in the present and he is free from the worries and anxieties of the past and present. It is the barrage of anxieties which cripple our rational thinking and the subject is overwhelmed. An anxious person is not able to think logically and his emotions hijack his thinking brain.Yogic practices generate resilience and stability to the human mind and there is a balance and harmony between emotions and intelligence. Hence even in the face of stress, danger or challenges, one does not lose control of one’s mind.Yogic practices establish its practitioners in calmness and tranquility. A calm and cool mind always thinks logically and rationally. In this way it helps a lot in ensuring that emotional outbursts do not push us to the catastrophic consequences. The Chitta Vritti Nirodha of Patanjali is nothing, but controlling the tumultuous waves of the mind. This enhances physical and mental health, resilience in the behaviour and better interconnectedness with the people around and the environment. Thus,Yoga has got a very effective blueprint for enhancing EQ.