A person who understands the brain can manage their emotions!

President of Üsküdar University and Chairman of its Foundation, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, met online with the Avrasya Kur'an Halkaları Platformu. Tarhan, who gave a talk on 'Emotion Management,' touched upon many topics, from the emergence of the emotional intelligence concept to the brain's counterpart of emotions, from the brain's role in managing emotions and behaviors to the relationship between consciousness, self (nafs), and reason. Emphasizing the importance of deep and meaningful social relationships in human happiness, Tarhan pointed out that the way to manage emotions is through understanding the brain.
 

Author Hasan Karahisar moderated the online event.  

How did the concept of emotional intelligence emerge?

President of Üsküdar University and Chairman of its Foundation, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, drew attention to the change that led to emotions being approached scientifically. Tarhan said; “Descartes said, ‘I think, therefore I am. Everything is about reason.’ and thus the Age of Enlightenment and materialism began. In 1995, something else happened. This was a book called ‘Descartes' Error’ written in the USA by a Portuguese-born neuroscientist named Antonio Damasio. After that, the concept of emotional intelligence emerged. The reason he called it ‘Descartes' error’ was that he saw and determined that emotions are a scientific category. Stating that emotions have a counterpart in our brain, he presented information and evidence regarding the biochemical counterparts of emotions in the brain. After that evidence, the emotional intelligence movement began. Those who previously dismissed emotions as the subject of poets, philosophy, or religious figures, now began to emphasize the management of emotions as a scientific category. This actually caused a serious, global change. Indeed, revolutionary changes emerged.”

“Our intermediary organ in emotions is the brain”

Tarhan, speaking about the emotion wheel that shows different degrees of emotions and their relationships with each other; “There is an emotion wheel. For example, love lies between joy and admiration and has various degrees. Obedience lies between admiration and awe. Reverence lies between awe and astonishment. Disappointment between astonishment and grief. Regret between grief and hatred. Contempt between hatred and rage. Aggressiveness between rage and caution. Optimism between caution and joy. We have concrete emotions and abstract emotions. Concrete emotions are referred to as the self (nafs). Abstract emotions are what we call spiritual feelings. It is useful to distinguish these two as concrete and abstract. Our intermediary organ in emotions is the brain. Our brain constitutes 2 percent of body weight, but uses 15 percent of cardiac output. 15 percent of the heart's work is for the brain, and the brain uses 20-25 percent of the body's total oxygen and glucose capacity.”

“There is a search for meaning in humans”

Tarhan stated that one of the fundamental characteristics distinguishing humans from other living beings is the search for meaning; “The saying, ‘If humans didn't have a prefrontal cortex, there would be no morality or spirituality,’ is not a simple statement. In other words, it aligns with a great truth. If you were to place monkeys among humans, even if they lived for a thousand years, they couldn't learn morality and civilization because their prefrontal cortex is not developed. They couldn't learn humanity. All other living beings besides humans eat, drink, reproduce, and seek shelter, but humans have a search for meaning. They want to alleviate loneliness, think about the past and future, and form abstract connections. This means humans seriously possess meta-cognitive genes, genes beyond the mind, that can establish civilization.”

What happens for this to happen?

Tarhan, drawing attention to the role of different brain regions in the transformation of emotions into behavior; “What are the brain areas that turn emotions into behavior? I mean, what happens in our brain, how does this happen? Actually, there is a system in our brain that resembles a heart. This heart, but the heart in the brain, is like a limbic system. The upper limbic system is the heart in the brain. The lower limbic system, the amygdala, greatly resembles the self (nafs). Heart and self (nafs). In other words, the concepts of heart and self (nafs) in Islamic literature seem to have counterparts in the brain. The prefrontal cortex is the brain region that regulates emotions. When we say 'journey from mind to heart,' this is the brain region that makes decisions like 'do-don't do, appropriate-not appropriate, love-don't love, liked-didn't like.' It is essentially the brain's captain's bridge. The hypothalamus is related to the autonomic nervous system and the functioning of our internal organs. The amygdala, that region known as the self (nafs), is the area where aggression is dominant. The hippocampus is the region where memories are recorded. There are motor mirror neurons in the brain. Just as there are motor mirror neurons, there are also emotional mirror neurons in the brain. For example, when a person on the other side raises their arm, your arm, the arm region in your brain, also rises in the same way. You are talking to the other person, and you have built trust. When you build trust, the mirror neurons in our brain communicate with the mirror nerve cells in the other person's brain. If we speak to the other person in such a reassuring, benevolent manner, a happiness hormone called oxytocin is secreted in their brain. This hormone is secreted at the highest levels in breastfeeding mothers. If the other person evokes stress and distrust, stress hormones are also secreted in their brain.”

“The self (nafs) is egocentric”

Referring to the relationship between chemicals produced in the brain and emotions, Tarhan explained the psychological dynamics in Sufism and the characteristics of the self (nafs). Tarhan; “Dopamine, serotonin, endorphin, oxytocin… Our brain works like a pharmacy. In the psychological dynamics of Sufism, there are satan, self (nafs), reason, consciousness, heart, spirit, love. The self (nafs) defines concrete pleasures. The constant pursuit of pleasure by humans, such as eating, drinking, reproducing, and sheltering. The self (nafs) has three 'S' characteristics: It is limitless, irresponsible, and insatiable. That is, L-I-I. This characteristic in the brain is its being limitless, irresponsible, and insatiable. It wants to satisfy its desires without limits. It wants to sacralize itself, place itself at the center of the universe, control everything, and wants everyone to conform to its own conditions. In other words, the self (nafs) is egocentric.”

“According to quantum, consciousness is holding the entirety of choices together”

Tarhan stated that consciousness is related to a person realizing their own existence and position in the universe; “Our region that manages emotions is consciousness. Consciousness is related to awareness and realizing one's existence. The only conscious being in the world right now is humans. One who is aware of their own existence and asks, 'What is my position in the universe?'... They ask questions like 'Who am I, where did I come from, where am I going, why?' and can perceive abstract concepts. According to quantum electrodynamics, consciousness is the subjective observer. In fact, there is no such thing as matter according to consciousness. When we look, we are particles; when we don't look, we are waves. Therefore, what is called matter is an electromagnetic tangle. No one sees electrons, photons, or atoms anyway. They are only seen with the eye of reason. According to quantum dynamics, consciousness is holding the entirety of choices together. That is, a person actually holds all choices simultaneously in the brain with quantum consciousness. From this, a person chooses good or bad, right or wrong, useful or useless, beautiful or not beautiful, worthy or unworthy of love. The only thing we do is choose, partial free will. In fact, all options are simultaneously present in quantum dynamic consciousness. We live inside a software. States of consciousness like alcohol, drugs, and hypnosis can change these. Consciousness makes a difference in conscious decision-making. Consciousness perceives, the self (nafs) desires, satan directs, reason interprets, the heart loves, the spirit connects…”

“Capitalist morality does not make people happy”

Tarhan stated that the current capitalist system ignores human psychological and spiritual needs; “The current global system, capitalist morality, does not make people happy. On the contrary, it increases psychiatric illnesses and is becoming a global threat. Currently, the United Nations states there are three dangers for the future. The first is income inequality, the second is climate change, and the third is loneliness. Maslow has a hierarchy of psychosocial needs. These are the needs taught to us in psychology textbooks. At the forefront are physiological needs: eating, drinking, reproduction, safety needs, the need for love and belonging, the need for esteem and respect, and the need for self-actualization. He refers to self-actualization as being virtuous. Later, he wrote a book close to his death. In that book, at the very top, he states the need for transcendence, not self-actualization. This means mystical experiences, helping others (which they call 'helping others'), spiritual needs (which they call 'spiritual needs'), and topics related to self-transcendence such as aesthetics, are among humanity's highest needs. The capitalist system actually ignores this. In 2017, a researcher presented and published this. Now, there is a Western psychology that disregards it.”

Individuals with high conscientious intelligence can listen to their inner voice

Tarhan, discussing types of intelligence from a neuropsychological perspective and explaining how these intelligences manifest in social life and reflect on human behavior, said the following.

“There is a neuro-management diagram in humans. According to the neuropsychological perspective, there are five types of intelligence. Like programs in a computer. Logical IQ, the logical intelligence we currently know. EQ emotional intelligence; these individuals have passionate projects. Physical intelligence; these people have a body and a disciplined life. Individuals with conscientious intelligence are principled, wise. People with social intelligence are successful in relationship management. Logical intelligence is idealistic, generates ideas, predicts the future, creates expectations, thinks strategically, thinks outside the box, and plans the future. It wants to believe and trust itself. Emotional intelligence, on the other hand, being an activist, being hopeful, being optimistic, having courage, empathy, and being embracing, having internal and external motivation, believing in people, knowing humor and fun, having aesthetic sense, having a passionate project, seeing the positive, and having self-confidence indicate high emotional intelligence in a person. In social intelligence, being compassionate, embracing, open to cooperation and reassuring, evaluating risk, managing crisis, active listening, making solution-oriented decisions, considering the feelings, needs, and rights of others, having empathy, and strengthening family ties are characteristics observed in individuals with high social intelligence. Individuals with high physical intelligence are disciplined, realistic, goal-oriented, able to curb distractions, risk-takers, dedicated, persistent, self-sacrificing, and determined. Individuals with high conscientious intelligence can listen to their inner voice, possess inner responsibility, and have a sense of accountability. They feel responsible towards a supernatural power, the Creator. They are ethical, use morality and reason, are productive, wise, humble, and honest people.” 

Individuals who can form deep and meaningful relationships are happy

Tarhan, emphasizing the importance of social bonds and cooperation in human happiness; “Geese are always called 'goose-brained.' Geese are actually incredibly intelligent. Allah has put such a program in their brains that the leader goose flies in front. When it gets tired, it moves to the other side, and another takes its place. The one in front gets tired, flapping its wings a lot. It leaves space for others, and they flap their wings less, thus becoming able to fly across continents. Allah has not put this program in the human brain, but has put it as an inclination. As humans, if we establish social cooperation, we become happy. Individuals who can form deep and meaningful relationships become happy. The compassion in our religion, its encouragement of community, its encouragement of sociability, is actually important here. Because when there are social bonds, happiness hormones are also secreted in our brains.”