The document discusses coping with emotions and the relationship between endocrine glands, chakras, and yoga poses. It explains that each endocrine gland is associated with specific emotions and a chakra, and that practicing certain yoga poses can help manage the emotions. For example, the adrenal gland is associated with fear and insecurity, relates to the base chakra, and mountain pose can help. It provides a chart mapping this relationship between glands, emotions, chakras, and poses. The document also provides tips for improving coping skills using the LAST model of learning, applying, sharing and training coping techniques.

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Picture credit - ​Pixabay
Day 19 - Coping with emotions
28 April 2020
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Prabodh Sirur
sirurp@gmail.com
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What is Coping with emotions?
Emotions are biological states brought on by thoughts, feelings, behavioural
responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure.
The basic emotions are
1. joy/ sadness,
2. acceptance/ disgust,
3. fear/ anger,
4. surprise/ anticipation.
The word "emotion" dates back to 1579, when it was adapted from the French word
émouvoir, which means "to stir up". Emotions create responses in the brain called
feelings.
Coping with emotions is -
a. understanding the patterns of emotions,
b. understanding our responses to emotions and
c. taking corrective and preventive actions
My learning for the day
While studying the science of emotions, I had the opportunity to read about
something called the ​endocrine system​.
The endocrine system is a chemical messenger system in our body. It is a
collection of ductless glands​ that secretes ​hormones​ directly into the
blood.
A hormone is a chemical that moves throughout the body to help regulate
emotions and behaviours.
What I found interesting was -
a. each endocrine gland is ​associated with emotions
b. each endocrine gland is ​associated with a Chakra​ (nerve bundle)
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c. each Chakra is ​associated with a Yoga posture
Here’s the mapping of the endocrine glands, emotions, nerve bundles
(Chakras) and Yoga poses
1. Adrenal gland​ (The Base Chakra or ​Mooladhar​) - Associated with survival,
fear and insecurity. When this chakra is in balance (i.e. when the associated
gland is healthy), we feel stable, confident, independent and strong. The Yoga
posture to manage the emotions related to this gland - Mountain Pose
(​Tadasan​)
2. Reproductive glands​ (The Sacral Chakra or ​Svadhishthan​) - Associated
with pleasure, guilt and sexuality. When this chakra is in balance, we feel
positive, satisfied and intuitive. The Yoga posture to manage the emotions
related to this gland - Triangle Pose (​Trikonasan​)
3. Pancreas​ (The Solar Plexus Chakra or ​Manipur​) - Associated with control,
anger, helplessness, inner worth, will and personal power. When this chakra
is in balance, we feel confident, productive and focussed. The Yoga posture
to manage the emotions related to this gland - Cobra Pose (​Bhujangasan​)
4. Thymus​ (The Heart Chakra or ​Anaahat​) - Associated with love and
compassion. When this chakra is in balance, we feel compassionate, friendly
and caring. The Yoga posture to manage the emotions related to this gland -
Camel Pose (​Ushtraasan​)
5. Thyroid​ (The Throat Chakra or ​Vishuddha​) - Associated with
communication, trust and faith. When this chakra is in balance, we
communicate positively and listen to others actively. The Yoga posture to
manage the emotions related to this gland - Shoulderstand (​Sarvangasan​)
6. Pituitary gland​ (The Third Eye or ​Aadnyaa​) - Associated with foresight,
conflict, duality, intuition. When this chakra is in balance, we feel free of fear
and free of attachment to material things. The Yoga posture to manage the
emotions related to this gland - Child’s Pose (​Baalaasan​)
7. Pineal gland​ (The Crown Chakra or ​Sahasraar​) - Associated with unity,
separation, peace and tranquility. When this chakra is in balance, we feel
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enlightened. The Yoga posture to manage the emotions related to this gland
- Headstand (​Shirshasan​)
There is an amazing meditation practice called the Chakra meditation that
helps bring all these chakras in balance. Here’s a ​48 minute video​ for you.
Hope you can practice all these Yoga poses and do the Chakra meditation to
master your emotions.
I am grateful to all who enriched me in this study. Here’s what I studied -
Chakra Therapy​ by ​Dr Meenal Sohani
Balance Your Chakras and Create Higher Self-Esteem​ by ​Karen Chaston
The Biology of the Chakras and the Vagus Nerve​ by Institute of light and
sound
Vagus nerve​ by Encyclopaedia Britannica
The 7 Chakras – A Guide about their Attributes, Strengths and weaknesses,
related yoga postures​ by Ram Jain
Grateful to Subhash Sondkar and Trupti Pandit who opened doors for me to
new knowledge of meditation and the Chakras
How to improve your coping skills?
Set a goal to ​become a go-to person​ by mastering the art and science of ​coping
with emotions​.
Follow the ​LAST model​ to build your personal brand as a Guru of ​emotions
management​.
1. Learn​ - Invest time in learning different frameworks/ models/ techniques of
coping with emotions
2. Apply​ -
a. Identify a model suitable to you
b. Create a template to document the flow of the process
c. Find opportunities to use the selected method/ template
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d. Maintain record/ process flow of every important activities you did to
cope with emotions
e. Maintain notes of your thoughts/ insights/ failures/ challenges…. to be
used for sharing/ training others
3. Share​ - Share the insights captured in step 2 above in a planned manner
(social media posts, blogs, videos, study notes…)
4. Train​ - Generate opportunities to train your peers and team members so
that, over time, your organization benefits from your efforts
Purpose of this document
I took a 66 day challenge​ to study Life Skills last year (10 April 2019). To my
astonishment, I succeeded in studying for 66 days one skill a day.
My objectives of learning these skills were - To strengthen my mind to face life’s
challenges with ease, To use these skills in my worklife for a better performance, To
use these skills in my personal life for enriching my relationships, To open new
possibilities to surprise myself.
This is my next 66 day challenge​ (from 10 April 2020) - To share my Life Skills
learning with my social media friends.
I pray that my toil helps you in your success journey.
What are Life Skills?
UNICEF​ defines Life skills as - ​psychosocial abilities​ for adaptive and positive
behaviour that enable individuals ​to deal effectively with the demands and
challenges of everyday life​. They are loosely grouped into three broad categories
of skills
- cognitive skills​ for analyzing and using information,
- personal skills​ for developing personal agency and managing oneself,
- inter-personal skills​ for communicating and interacting effectively with
others.
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Which LifeSkills are covered?
The ​World Health Organisation​ identified these basic areas of life skills that are
relevant across cultures:
1. Decision-making
2. Problem-solving
3. Creative thinking
4. Critical thinking
5. Communication
6. Interpersonal skills
7. Self-awareness
8. Empathy
9. Coping with emotions
10.Coping with stress.
Some trivia
‘Life skills’ was never part of the school curriculum. WHO/ UNESCO mandated
academia to teach these skills in all schools across the globe in 1993.
Different countries educate their children in these skills with different objectives
- Zimbabwe and Thailand - prevention of HIV/AIDS
- Mexico - prevention of adolescent pregnancy
- United Kingdom - child abuse prevention
- USA - prevention of substance abuse and violence
- South Africa and Colombia - positive socialization of children.
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