Hedonic tone is the term given to emotional tones that we feel in the body due to an evaluation of a subject, event or situation. This can occur when we evaluate situations on a subconscious level. The immune system responds to these evaluations and these responses can be emotional or physical and are triggered on an unconscious level.
For example if you were walking in your workplace and noticed a co-worker walking towards you .Who you didn’t get along with. Let’s say the simple sight of this person produced a knot in your stomach and a feeling of anxiety. This would be hedonic tone emerging. Because this feeling emerged without any conscious thought as it was due to an evaluation on a subconscious level.
By practising mindfulness of the body and emotions we can become aware of our subconscious evaluations. Enabling us to address them on a very subtle level before they gain momentum leaving us to address our stress responses to these evaluations when they are overwhelming.
Mindfulness offers one of the most direct ways to reduce stress as we target these stress response and emotional tones head on.
For more details on meditation classes Melbourne, Reach Reality Based Mindfulness.