Meeting emotions

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This topic contains 2 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by  Ivan Ganza 7 years, 10 months ago.

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  • #586

    jonas
    Member

    Hi!

    I’m mostly at stage 2 but sometimes strong emotions arise. When I read in the stage 4 passage about meeting difficult emotions it instructs the meditator to develop a standspoint of an objective observer. But for me that feels a bit cold as I’m used to trying to meet difficult emotions with a standpoint which is more like warmth/welcoming/holding/coforting. And it seems to me that that also cultivates a sense of equanimity towards the sensations/experience and feels more loving as well.

    Am I missing something? Or could this standpoint be as good or better than being more objective observer?

    Best regards
    Jonas

    #596

    Kurt S
    Member

    I’m not a teacher or expert, so please forgive me if this isn’t helpful.

    Being an objective observer, to me, means simply to be with the emotion without labeling it. It is the act of experiencing and observing whatever presents itself without attaching anything to it. Meeting difficult emotions with warmth and acceptance can be useful, but I understand the two to be different. In meditation, instead of trying to experience a difficult emotion with another emotion, such as warmth or acceptance, I try to just experience what is being presented without adding to it.

    It’s a difficult concept to try and talk about, so maybe someone more experienced than myself can be of more help.

    #597

    Ivan Ganza
    Member

    Experiencing the emotion in a more detached fashion, as an objective observer, without labeling it, is a step in the right direction. However, there could still be clinging to whatever arises, even if it is not labeled.

    Developing the ability to experience events objectively is highly beneficial though.

    Ultimately — the experience of the emotion (or anything else) would be experienced in total equanimity.

    Meaning no clinging whatsoever.

    No stickiness.

    Like a drawing on whatever that leaves no trace.

    Ultimately not even a standpoint remains.

    • This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by  Ivan Ganza.
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