Yogi: When I pay attention to people, my mind is more relaxed as I feel compassion for them
Sayadaw: If you pay attention to some people, compassion comes and the mind is more relaxed. For others, the mind can be tense. Why?
Before feelings arise, the mind has some idea, some thoughts. If you have positive thinking, positive feeling comes; if the mind has negative thinking, then negative feeling comes.
That’s why if the mind pays attention to the person, to the external object/concept, many emotions can arise – feeling relaxed, pleasant or unpleasant.
When the mind gives meaning to the object (who and what), reactions can arise – liking, disliking, loving kindness, hatred, and whatever, can happen. The way you think (cause), the way you feel (effect).
Now you can see the feeling (effect); later, you can be aware of the thought (cause).