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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Equilibrium

Part 1- Intro

I had been reading two books simultaneously, possibly because I wasn’t content with the concept of either. Both concepts are true in their own way but seem incomplete. One was about ‘letting go’ of our false self(emotions generated by body). It suggested the escape from troubling emotions by saying ‘I (higher self/soul/cosmic consciousness/true self) am not feeling this, my false self is feeling this. Also saying, ‘I(true self) don’t understand these feelings!

I really can't accept that because I believe that recognizing the inner self (higher self) should not require us to deny existence to our body! After all, the Higher self 'chose' to be in a body, then how can it totally ignore the existence of the body and its emotions!

The other book is about ‘the law of attraction’ It says that 'if we are feeling negative, we draw negative experiences. Therefore to bring all our desire’s to fulfillment, we should make sure we are always feeling good. Whenever we feel bad, we should shift to thinking something good so that we can feel good and draw good.' But then what about resolving issues that are making us feel negative! Moreover isn't it Life and often negative circumstances that lead the body, the false self, to search for better (lasting) or rather Higher solutions and so leads it to recognize the Higher self within. Why should then one prefer a particular circumstance over other? Rather one should let the body lead itself in whatever way to complete and lasting self discovery.

It was while I was shuffling with dissatisfaction between these two books, hoping to somehow finish them, that I happened to see the movie Equilibrium. It has made it to my favourite movies list (inspite of violence and a little lack in logic) because it reflected my point of view and satisfied me. The story is about a step taken to prevent another world war. It is decided that the root cause of war is man’s ability to feel. So to remove anger, jealousy and hate, a medicine is taken by the human race which make them emotionless. The price of this is that they don’t feel the good emotions either, but atleast there is no war and the human race is preserved. But the question is what are they living for? Just to carry forward the race? Finally the conclusion of the story is, 'Emotions are not the cause of war. Emotions are a gift that makes life worth living and not a mere existence. The cause of war is the lack of skills to manage emotions. It is when not managed, that the gift becomes chaos'.

The question now is only how to manage the emotions? Only when we recognize that we are actually a part of the infinite and that the body and its emotions are instruments to us that we would try to objectively learn about this instrument without ego association with the instrument. We would then recognize correctly its strong points and weak points and use it as an instrument. But still… 'I' am here within it to use it, not to let it gather dust just because this emotion charged instrument is not me! Fine, it is not me, but it is mine, and it is in my hand to be used….correctly.

When the instrument experiences the negative emotions, we would try to solve its problems in ways that suit it’s make. Sometimes it may require recognizing the futility or stupidity of an emotional reaction and so ‘letting go’ of it. But at other times, it involves understanding a reaction and the need for a proper immediate action and so requires just ‘letting be’, under ‘Higher supervision’.
I told this to someone but my idea was dismissed as lower understanding and I was provided with a book ‘ Practicing the power of now’ by Eckhart Tolle (especially to thwart my belief in possibility of destiny). I began reading it and quite amazingly I find it infact seconding what I believe!

I quote-‘To relinquish judgement does not mean that you do not recognize dysfunction…when you see it. …….You will then either be totally free of reaction or you may react and still be the knowing, the space in which the reaction is watched and allowed to be.’
Also I quote, 'There are cycles of success...and there are cycles of failure....The down cycle is absolutely essential for spiritual realization.' Also, 'when you have reached a certain degree of presence, you don't need negativity anymore to tell you what is needed in your life situations. But as long as negativity is there, use it. Use it as a kind of signal that reminds you to be more present.'
These words in this particular book reflected my thoughts in quite the exact words!

And so I am assured and can affirm that I believe that Being the True self is not always about ignoring negativity around and within. For Example spirituality is not about letting other people abuse you with their words or actions, just because the higher self is not supposed to be affected! Rather, being the true self is often acknowledging the feeling of the body and using the accumulated wisdom and understanding of the brain and also the intuition of the heart to carry through the body's reaction. Being the true self is not about going to the other extreme. It is all about recognizing the other extreme but arriving at the right equilibrium of an awakened spirit living a whole and fulfilled life within a body.

6 comments:

ybr (alias ybrao a donkey) said...

Thinking positive and thinking negative.
-----------------------
There is a misconception (misconception according to me) that humans will benefit by thinking positive and continue depressed by thinking negative. The so called psychological or psychiatric practices about encouraging people to thinking positive, needs more experimentation and observation.

Basically, a person should go for facts and realism, come what may. Of course, there will be no need to get unnerved , even when things are awfully bad and nearly irretrievable.

Not getting unnerved is different from 'thinking positive'. 'Thinking positive' needs constant autosuggestions and reinforcements. Not getting unnerved, once cultivated becomes a part of the nature and personality of the person.

'Not getting unnerved' is not 'stoic' ness. The theory of man of steady wisdom advocated in Chapter 3 and 4 of Bhagavad Gita , a Hindu scripture, suffers from this weakness of petrification. (If you wish to see the full text of Bhagavad Gita in Roman script translated by me into English you can have a look at it at bhagavadgitayb.blogspot.com.)

A human should be able to laugh freely and grieve freely both at his will inasmuch as, as is required by a natural person in his living contexts. Suppose a person loses his mother or wife. Should not he grieve simply because he is wise or because he know that death is 100% certain for every human?

Anyway, these are my ideas, I shall not impose on your readers.

Jerly said...

I have put a comment on the mentioned chapter of ur blog essentially saying that- The pitfalls on the way to spirituality is that there will be the very human phases of depression on realizing that 'everything is meaningless'. Enjoying and living the illusions and 'being' the varied emotions (both Joy and Grief)is the fence around these pitfalls...
The 'fence' is just as much important as is the 'awareness of being the spirit'(so that spirituality does not get unnerving for the beginning seeker!!!).

Fhermission said...

Sometimes positive thinking is just a wishful thinking...It is impossible to feel numb especially when we're grieving on loss.
Now, as I digress about this notion...I asked myself, is there going to be negative emotions too in the afterlife?..
In heaven there is that instance in the scripture that God will wipe away our tears, so there will still be some kind of melancholy (maybe thinking of those love ones that didn't make it to heaven...) on our eternal experiences.
Being immortal does not mean we will lost emotions. Just like those fallen angels who took the sons of men as wives. It simply illustrates free will and emotions.
Now, our higher self (which vibrate on spiritual dimensions) does not necessarily mean that it is our true self nor our physical self as false self. I believe in the trinity of a human being, that we are all of the above...both carnal and soul being.Thus, even our self can make mistakes in decisions. It is wrong to think that the higher self can never go wrong. Angels themselves who harbor on the spiritual realm can commit mistakes...
Our higher self maybe is more critical and discerning but it still lacks the perfect wisdom of God. And so the following is well said.
"And so I can affirm quite publicly that I believe that Being the True self is not always about ignoring negativity around and within. For Example spirituality is not about letting other people hit u black and blue with their words or actions, just because the higher self is not supposed to be affected! Rather, being the true self is often acknowledging the feeling of the body and using the accumulated wisdom and understanding of the brain and also the intuition of the heart to carry through the body's reaction. Being the true self is not about going to the other extreme. It is all about recognizing the other extreme but arriving at the right equilibrium of an awakened spirit living a whole and fulfilled life within a body."

Timoteo said...

Much of this issue was clarified (for me anyway) in the book: ASK AND IT IS GIVEN by Esther and Jerry Hicks.

photos by jan said...

Ah, the growing and ever changing growth of we humans in and of itself a miracle. Positivity and negativity re all a part of life. Living in forever optimism teaches us nothing, recognizing the pitfalls is where the lesson lies. Great post thank you for sharing your thoughts on this. Love Jan

"spread your arms in love and soar above the storm".

Jerly said...

LOVE to u ;in CAPITAL :)

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