Inner World of Moods
“Give me a place to stand on," said the Greek mathematician Archimedes, “and I can move the world.” He was talking about his invention of using pulleys and levers to raise very heavy objects. A physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer as well, Archimedes revolutionized geometry and anticipated Integral Calculus 2,000 years before Newton and Leibniz. But he was also a practical man who invented a wide variety of machines.
In the simplest sense, his statement is also true of our inner world of moods. When I feel anger, depression or any violent reaction coming on, I could look for a position on which I can take a stand while the storm passes through me. If I could leverage my inner world out of its momentary negative hell and back to ease and contentment, what a relief that would be!
The problem is, of course, how? Once a mood has reached its full flow of expression, it’s almost impossible to change the direction of the energy that’s pouring out of me. It has to play itself out, even if it leaves me aching, exhausted and, perhaps, apologetic. But here’s where leveraging comes in: if I can bring conscious awareness to the negative reaction early enough, before it begins to take me over, and if I care enough not to waste myself on it, there’s hope. The trick is to apply leverage before that small complaining stream becomes a raging river. That way, there’s a good chance I can escape the worst of it.
Not that it’s easy. For one thing, I have to sacrifice the positive enjoyment of being angry. Most people actually love to be angry. It gives them a sense of really being there, a kind of negative “I am.” In a perverse way they feel fired up: “Look at me now! I’m enormous when I’m in a rage!” And of course there are many other negative emotions we cling to in different ways. For example, all of us are prone to being victims of self-pity, which cuts us off from our energy as it is sucked into a black hole of despair.
If we understood better the value of the energy that’s wasted, we’d be more determined to leverage bad moods into good ones. Every morning we are given enough for the day, both the jet fuel of spirit and the ordinary psycho-physical gasoline that keeps our vehicle going. However, any violent outburst or negative feeling state I allow myself to affirm will lay waste to it. Gurdjieff said that a big burst of negativity can wipe out a whole day’s energy and, if the eruption is strong enough, one could be depleted for a week, a year or even the rest of one’s life. Ominous thought!
When you go to the gym or prepare for a serious run, you probably do a little stretching first. Your muscles need warming up and you take time out for that. How about exercising your psychic musculature to develop a subtler awareness of moods and flashpoints in order to be ready to leverage yourself out of your day’s portion of negative emotions. Bad temper, impatience, irritation, despondency are habitual negative reactions that could be replaced with more positive feelings, but it’s not easy.
How do you relate to the notion of leveraging your inner world out of its momentary negative hell and back to ease and contentment? Can you share a personal story of a time you were able to do that? What practice helps you exercise your psychic musculature to develop a subtler awareness?
A very thoughtful and timely reading. I agree with the author that once the 'flood gates' are open they are very difficult to shut off. This makes it all the more important to learn to bring mindfulness into our body as soon as we can each day. I believe it begins with trying to wake peacefully and in a spirit of gratitude. Beginning each day with a reflection of gratitude and some gentle movement (walking or stretching) does wonders. Hydrating the body before drinking coffee or eating also helps to re-calibrate our body and mind. Pausing throughout the day is key!
When a loved one leaves for an indefinite period of time , even though part of me is glad that they are moving forward in life, a feeling of sadness and loss creeps upon my spirit. When I catch it at its inception with the realization that this is just a feeling, a universal feeling of self pity that isn't personal to me, it loses its strength and disappears.
The author is right. It is easier to stay out of negative emotions than to get out of them once you are in, or to leave a stream of negative emotion when it's small before it becomes a raging river. It is possible to leverage your inner world out of its momentary negative hell (which is dis-ease and dis-content) and go to ease and contentment. I used to be angry and judgmental often, and now I become angry and judgmental much less often, which has occurred by knowing that such negative emotions are not necessary, though I sometimes indulge in them anyway, by being more understanding and compassionate as a result of knowing that everything is temporary and will pass, by learning to be less attached to anything including to what I want, and by learning that we are one. Reminding myself of those truths helps me exercise the psychic musculature to move away from negative emotions.
At last night's Being American Circle with Aryae, I was thinking out loud about the challenges ahead, and this reading offers a remedy -- not an easy one -- but something to strive for atleast. Thank you.
Discipline, strength and totally taking my mind to a "new/different/Heavenward place" are key for me. For I know the plans God has for me are NOT for evil. Acting out on "momentary Hell" would be powered/inspired by the "evil one". "Think on these things ... whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy ... think on these things. Whatever you have learned, received, heard or seen from Me, put these things into practice. And The God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:8-9.
"I can do all things thru Him Who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13
