What Are Emotions, Really?

Outside my window stretches a sky filled with the soft gray clouds of Japan's rainy season. It is neither raining nor sunny. The clouds quietly blanket the sky, giving the entire city a calm and muted tone.

Days like this invite reflection over a cup of coffee. As I sat quietly, a simple question came to mind: What are emotions, really?

We casually say, "I'm happy," "I'm sad," "I'm angry," "I'm anxious," or "I feel relieved." Yet when we try to explain what emotions actually are, the answer is surprisingly elusive.

People often describe emotions as something produced by the mind. But is that truly the case? Perhaps emotions are not created by the mind alone, but by the body itself.

When we experience fear, adrenaline is released. Our heartbeat accelerates, breathing becomes rapid, and muscles tense. When we feel safe, the parasympathetic nervous system takes over, our breathing slows, and the entire body begins to relax.

From this perspective, many of the emotions we experience may simply be our subjective awareness of the chemical changes occurring within our own bodies.

This realization leads to an interesting observation. Our mood often changes even when nothing remarkable happens. We may wake up feeling optimistic, only to become exhausted by evening. Some people feel emotionally heavier during the rainy season. Lack of sleep makes us irritable. Hunger shortens our patience. No one has done anything to us. Our emotions shift simply because our physical condition has changed.

Perhaps emotions are not objective reactions to external events at all. Perhaps they are the way our current physiological state colors our perception of the world.

Now let us consider a thought experiment. What if there were a human being completely without emotions? At first, I imagined such a person would simply be perfectly rational. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it would be something quite different.

Looking at a flower, they would merely recognize "a red flower." Watching the rain, they would simply observe "water droplets falling." Meeting another person would amount to nothing more than acknowledging that someone is present. There would be no sense of beauty, joy, nostalgia, or loneliness. Perception would remain, but meaning itself would disappear.

Would such a life truly be unfortunate? That question leads to another. Could someone without emotions still help others? I believe they could. Even without feeling sympathy, they might understand that helping another person is rational and beneficial for society as a whole. Conversely, many emotionally sensitive people still choose not to help. Feeling compassion and taking compassionate action are not necessarily the same thing.

Life experience seems to reveal a common lesson. Many philosophies encourage us to suppress our emotions. Yet perhaps the true lesson is different. The goal is not to eliminate emotions, but to separate emotions from actions. Feel anger without shouting. Feel sadness without giving up. Feel anxiety while continuing to prepare. Feel excitement without losing sound judgment. There is no need to reject emotions. We simply do not have to hand them the steering wheel of our lives. Mastering this distinction may greatly reduce unnecessary suffering.

Yet another question arises. If suffering diminishes, might life also lose some of its richness? The excitement of falling in love. The overwhelming joy of realizing a dream. The tears brought by great art. The quiet emotion of watching one's child grow. These, too, are emotions. Without them, suffering might fade—but so might the vivid contrasts that make life meaningful.

In the end, emotions are neither enemies nor allies. They are simply one of the many functions that give color to human life.

How we choose to live with them is entirely our own decision. Some people may embrace an emotionally vibrant life. Others may seek a quieter life, less influenced by emotional ups and downs. Neither choice is inherently superior. What truly matters is understanding the life we ourselves are choosing. Are we being led by our emotions, or are we choosing our lives while understanding them? That difference is profound.

I look outside once again. The sky remains covered with clouds. Some people see such a sky and feel melancholy. Others find it peaceful. The sky itself has not changed. What changes is the person looking at it.

Perhaps life is not about changing the world. Perhaps it is a lifelong journey of learning how to live peacefully with the world inside ourselves.

And today, that quiet journey continues once again.