I still don't understand this. In my life, emotions (overly negative or overly positive), just seem to lead to unrealistically based pain.

I have often wondered why we even have emotions. Are emotions simply our body's way to saying that we need to calm down before we make decisions? What is the point of connecting with others through emotions?

I have experienced a great deal of emotional detachment in the last few years, mostly due to trauma. I have also been listening to several very wise emotion-topic teachers about controlling emotions, the subjective nature of emotions, etc. It just makes even having emotions seems so pointless.

I guess having emotions helps us connect by communicating friendliness or expectations - but what expectations? There is something much more deceptive and deeper at work I think. Is peace a life without emotion? Are emotions our minds in a premature state, and a life of balanced emotion, a mature state?