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Mark Skelding's avatar

in our training we were reminded that "4" emotional ranges - anger, fear, sadness, and happiness - give us information about our needs. anger is a response to boundaries, and whether/how these are being observed, held or respected by ourselves or others. fear is about safety needs, sadness about comfort, and happiness about the need to express and celebrate. so anger is a very appropriate response since so many boundaries are being ignored, or being held in a brittle inflexible way. in each of these, there is a range form very little to very big - and, of course, we're being reductive when we divide experience up like this, so there's all sorts of spill-over and so Jon. but, as a shorthand, I've found it useful, and so do many clients.

however, I've realised lately that there seems to be a fifth "family". wonder connects us to an experience of being part of something greater than ourselves. and so I notice that this is perhaps the most captured emotion, in that the system seeks to moderate and curate our access to wonder both for purposes of profit and also control.

may your days be wonder-full, even as you address your anger, sadness, fear and - I hope - joy.

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