Subjective Moments: When Emotions Bend Time

The feeling when the world seems to freeze is often the result of an inner dialogue, where the objective measurement of time gives way to the subjective perception of our emotions. An introduction to this topic helps to understand that clocks and calendars only record external rhythms, while our experiences can radically change the sensation of time’s passage. When the soul is filled with fear, anxiety, or melancholy, a few minutes may seem like an eternity, whereas moments of joy can pass by unnoticed. In this dynamic process, consciousness functions as a unique measuring device, determining when time drags on and when it slips away. This perspective on time does not demand proof in natural processes, as it is our emotional state that sets the inimitable measure by which we feel life. In conclusion, understanding the difference between objective and subjective time opens new horizons for comprehending our inner world. It is through the richness of our emotions that we learn to slow down or speed up the flow of time, filling every moment with depth and meaning.

How can one explain the moments when it seems that time can come to a standstill?

The moments when it seems that time has stopped can be explained by the difference between objective and subjective perceptions of time. Objective time is measured by clocks, calendars, and natural cycles, yet the time defined by inner experiences is far more significant for a person. When one feels intense tension, fear, melancholy, or, conversely, joy, the mind perceives the passage of time differently. In such moments, a few minutes might seem interminably long, while moments of happiness pass by unnoticed. This phenomenon is not about changes in physical processes but about how our minds and emotions "work" with the concept of time.

Supporting citation(s):
"Very often time nonetheless bursts into us, into our consciousness; and so we must learn to cope with time, simply stopping time. Of course, I am not talking about the flow of stars or the Earth's orbit around the Sun; I am referring to something else. There is different time. There is time determined by clocks, and there is time determined by inner experience. We all know how sometimes a few minutes can seem indefinitely long when waiting for something with tension, fear, melancholy, or anxiety. But you also know, perhaps, how suddenly a few happy or sorrowful hours can flash by." (source: 58_286.txt)

"Of course, I am not talking about the movement of the stars or the Earth's orbit around the Sun; I am referring to something else. There is different time. There is time determined by clocks, and there is time determined by inner experience. ... It is important to remember this because everything comes in its own time, or as some might say, in God's time." (source: 682_3407.txt)

Thus, the sensation of time coming to a standstill is not linked to changes in nature, but to the way our inner states and emotions transform our perception of time.