I’m going to try something that I did with the competitiveness posts, have one post continue from the previous one(s). I like this as it lets me take my time and think more on a subject.
I was thinking more about the way we hold onto old emotions, not just anger. We seem to spend a lot of our time, emotionally, living in the past. If we’ve been wronged in the past, we hold onto it, and bring it into the present. Coming back to anger, if someone had hurled insults and made us feel bad, then by bringing this emotion into the present we allow them to continue hurting us and that stunts our future growth.
But the principle of Karma says that past actions shape our present and present actions shape our future, surely the same is true of emotions and feelings? An important thought in my view, is to remember that our emotions are powerful but temporary, we can free ourselves. For me, the big realisation is that it’s not so true to say we’re in the grip of our emotions, but they are in our grip. In that light, releasing negative emotions needn’t be huge battle, you don’t need to fight, simply realise that you only need to let them go.
PeterAtLarge says:
Hello, Richard… glad to have stumbled across your blog. To judge from your spelling, you must be a fellow Brit–though I’m a long-time exile. I like the relfective personal approach, and plan to stop back by to visit shortly. Cheers, PaL
20 March 2007, 11:18 pmRichard says:
Hi Peter! You’re right, I’m a Brit, hailing from the Black Country.
I do like the personal approach, as I see it, the only way to truly be able to write about something is to base it in your own experiences.
I like to have a “feel” for things that I can only get through having experienced it, the entirely intellectual approach doesn’t completely work for me.
21 March 2007, 7:34 pmPeterAtLarge says:
Hello, again. Where’s the Black Country? Is that the old coal-mining territory? I was born in Newcastle–but my father moved south soon after I was born and I returned only once, many years later, to visit. I’m still proud of being a Geordie! You can catch me, by the way, at PeterAtLarge@mac.com. Cheers… PaL
21 March 2007, 7:44 pmRichard says:
Well, the Black Country is in the West Midlands. Dudley, Cradley, Halesowen and Quarry Bank are just a few of the towns.
Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Country
When the weather’s nice I intend to wander round with my camera and get some piccies for Flickr.
21 March 2007, 8:49 pmKeren says:
Hey Richard,
I’m living in the Black Country too (Gornal Wood) - though I’m from New Zealand. Small world, and all that! (Even smaller on the Internet, it seems…)
Where is the Buddhist Center around here? I’ve Googled it, but have not had much luck.
Thanks.
Keren
26 March 2007, 11:07 amRichard says:
Hi Keren!
Well, outside Birmingham itself there are a two I know of, firstly there’s the Fa Yue temple in Cottage Street, Brierley Hill. It was closed when I last swung past, but I’ll be making more of an effort real soon.
More recently, there’s an NKT centre in Sydney Road at the bottom of Cradley Heath, I’d do a bit of research on the web before going near them. I have read some things very recently regarding a long standing row with the Dalai Lama over their propitiation of a Dharma Protector. Which as the DL points out is a bit contrary to the spirit of taking refuge. If you sign up to E-Sangha, there are enough threads on there to get you up to speed on the controversy.
Here’s a link to the BBC’s Buddhism in Birmingham page.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/faith/buddhism.shtml
Near the bottom of the page you can find links to Buddhist places of worship in and around Birmingham. I personally hope to pay the Buddhist Vihara a visit soon!
26 March 2007, 6:07 pm