In light of the last post and comments I wanted to share some words that I found on Twitter a few weeks ago. I have been reading these words most days and I really think it is something to strive for - not to reject an emotion but not to allow it to alter the way you see the world. I suppose another way of saying that is to be aware of the emotion but not to let it take you over. I don't think that is an easy thing to do but with awareness of how one is feeling and how one's body is reacting, I think it is possible. Nirvana.
"Observing is experiencing without judgement or intent.
It is easy to feel great when you are living without anger. But what happens when anger enters the picture?
The spiritual path is not about keeping out the ‘negative’ things and cultivating the ‘positive’ things. The spiritual path is about ceasing to divide Existence one way or another. That is unity: no divisions, no boundaries.
It is okay to be angry so long as you are more Being than Anger. When your anger overtakes your awareness of Being, you lose consciousness to a degree. That is when you say things you regret, speak before thinking, and generate karma. Karma can only come for ignorance.
If you can empty yourself out, regardless of what emotion you feel, then you are perfectly fine. Keep emptying, keep meditating. If emotions are no trouble for you, and no source of ignorance, then keep on keeping on.
But if you feel the need to reject an emotion, then you will create problems for yourself. Then you will start avoiding all things that incite that emotion.
Observing your emotions as they come, and letting them come, means to allow yourself to feel however you are feeling.
Most people feel anger and have one of two reactions: they either wish to pass on that anger through some sort of punishment or blame on another person, or they wish to escape that anger.
A precious few people can feel anger, open themselves to the experience of it, without allowing that anger to spill over into their speech and perception of the world.
When you are angry, the world looks different. When you are sad, the world looks different. When you are ecstatic, the world looks different. Is it the world that is changing or you? What’s the difference? What’s the truth of the matter?
The answer doesn’t matter as much as the question. If the world is constantly shifting according to your mood, then what is the use of acting on your moods? They are evanescent and narrow your perspective.
When an emotion comes to you, if you can experience it without adopting the perspective of the emotion, then you will know a taste of freedom from samsara.
Samsara is a cycle of ignorant and mindless reaction. Nirvana is the spontaneity of Existence. They aren’t separate.
I hope this helped. :)
Namaste!"
"Observing is experiencing without judgement or intent.
It is easy to feel great when you are living without anger. But what happens when anger enters the picture?
The spiritual path is not about keeping out the ‘negative’ things and cultivating the ‘positive’ things. The spiritual path is about ceasing to divide Existence one way or another. That is unity: no divisions, no boundaries.
It is okay to be angry so long as you are more Being than Anger. When your anger overtakes your awareness of Being, you lose consciousness to a degree. That is when you say things you regret, speak before thinking, and generate karma. Karma can only come for ignorance.
If you can empty yourself out, regardless of what emotion you feel, then you are perfectly fine. Keep emptying, keep meditating. If emotions are no trouble for you, and no source of ignorance, then keep on keeping on.
But if you feel the need to reject an emotion, then you will create problems for yourself. Then you will start avoiding all things that incite that emotion.
Observing your emotions as they come, and letting them come, means to allow yourself to feel however you are feeling.
Most people feel anger and have one of two reactions: they either wish to pass on that anger through some sort of punishment or blame on another person, or they wish to escape that anger.
A precious few people can feel anger, open themselves to the experience of it, without allowing that anger to spill over into their speech and perception of the world.
When you are angry, the world looks different. When you are sad, the world looks different. When you are ecstatic, the world looks different. Is it the world that is changing or you? What’s the difference? What’s the truth of the matter?
The answer doesn’t matter as much as the question. If the world is constantly shifting according to your mood, then what is the use of acting on your moods? They are evanescent and narrow your perspective.
When an emotion comes to you, if you can experience it without adopting the perspective of the emotion, then you will know a taste of freedom from samsara.
Samsara is a cycle of ignorant and mindless reaction. Nirvana is the spontaneity of Existence. They aren’t separate.
I hope this helped. :)
Namaste!"
Awesome advice. Years and years ago, Charlie Chaplin wrote the song, "Smile." Actually planning a blog post about it, but really this is what mouse recently has adopted...just smile. Doesn't mean mouse doesn't get angry, but it's really super short lived.
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mouse
mouse: I like that. It's simple and returns you to a neutral or better than neutral state. I'm doing this super early morning class every morning right now (Am I awake or is this a dream?) and the teacher suggested the internal message, "All is well." It doesn't mean that all is well necessarily but that you are in a state to deal with issues and problems - that you have made the mental space to achieve a good outcome. Another way to put it is to return to the breath - that simple thing that we do in order to live. If we are angry then the breath will be erratic and we need to focus on that and to return the breath to a calm state.
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