How to use the emotion/feelings wheel:

The core emotions in this wheel were chosen based off research on affective neuroscience, especially the work of Jaak Panksepp who identified 7 primary emotions across all mammals. Panskepp  identified; Seeking – The drive to explore, investigate, and be curious; associated with motivation and goal-directed behavior, Rage – The emotion of anger and frustration, often arising from restraint or irritation, Fear – The response to perceived threat or danger; helps with survival, Lust – Sexual desire and reproductive behavior. Care – Nurturing behavior, especially toward offspring; rooted in attachment and bonding. Panic/Grief – The distress response to separation or social loss; connected to attachment systems, amd play Play – The urge to engage in social, joyful, and physical interaction, especially important in young mammals. The other influence on this wheel is Paul Ekman’s Basic Emotions Theory. He studied facial expression and their connection to emotion across different cultures. 

To use this wheel you can trace the outer emotions back to the core emotions. This is helpful for those who have a hard time accessing their deep and primal feelings. The other approach is to move from the inside out. Start at the core emotions and work your way out to find a nuanced and granular expression of what you are feeling. This is helpful for those who feel deeply but have difficulty putting words to their context specific emotional experience.