04-09-2014, 12:00 AM
Excellent post seesaw, thanks for sharing here. I've been in the emotional state you describe, (for different reasons, but in the same place regardless), and I can feel exactly where you were at during the time you reference here.
Awhile back, shortly before I decided to revisit Castenada's works for the first time in 20 years, I spent some time contemplating the "proper", (or perhaps most wise), usage of emotions. I refused to accept the idea that any emotions existed without a purpose; we evolved every of them for something. Sadness took me a while to figure out. Eventually I did come up with an answer. Sadness, according to then me , is best used as an energy to destroy harmful mental constructs. I first saw this with the sadness one feels when a loved one dies. The sadness provides the energy to tear down our expectations of spending more time with that person, or any plans we might have for how future relations with them might go. Back then I saw this as necessary to "provide room" for new concepts, which would be more appropriate in light of the new circumstances. I find that part much more dubious today. As another example, I'll use the first example you give in which you were subjected to your ex-wife's poisoned pen. I would have suggested the sadness was there providing the energy for you to change your mental constructs of what success means as well as any construct suggesting you should compare your life with hers.
After reading your post and seeing that these "mental constructs" I used to refer to are just flyers, I'm now looking at sadness as a wonderful tool for destroying them. It naturally quiets the mind for us and provides us with a very watery, cleansing energy. Sure some flyers might be responsible for encouraging the emotion, but if they want to jump on their own sword who are we to question their impeccability in doing so?
I'm not sure where to go with this line of reasoning beyond to try some experimentation. Anyone else have any views on this?
Awhile back, shortly before I decided to revisit Castenada's works for the first time in 20 years, I spent some time contemplating the "proper", (or perhaps most wise), usage of emotions. I refused to accept the idea that any emotions existed without a purpose; we evolved every of them for something. Sadness took me a while to figure out. Eventually I did come up with an answer. Sadness, according to then me , is best used as an energy to destroy harmful mental constructs. I first saw this with the sadness one feels when a loved one dies. The sadness provides the energy to tear down our expectations of spending more time with that person, or any plans we might have for how future relations with them might go. Back then I saw this as necessary to "provide room" for new concepts, which would be more appropriate in light of the new circumstances. I find that part much more dubious today. As another example, I'll use the first example you give in which you were subjected to your ex-wife's poisoned pen. I would have suggested the sadness was there providing the energy for you to change your mental constructs of what success means as well as any construct suggesting you should compare your life with hers.
After reading your post and seeing that these "mental constructs" I used to refer to are just flyers, I'm now looking at sadness as a wonderful tool for destroying them. It naturally quiets the mind for us and provides us with a very watery, cleansing energy. Sure some flyers might be responsible for encouraging the emotion, but if they want to jump on their own sword who are we to question their impeccability in doing so?
I'm not sure where to go with this line of reasoning beyond to try some experimentation. Anyone else have any views on this?