Comments on: Controlling the emotions. http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2007/08/14/controlling-the-emotions/ Musings on Buddhism, Free Software, Ethics, Philosophy. Sat, 14 Apr 2012 14:08:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Marcus http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2007/08/14/controlling-the-emotions/comment-page-1/#comment-385 Marcus Sat, 18 Aug 2007 21:47:04 +0000 http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2007/08/14/controlling-the-emotions/#comment-385 Yep, being aware of your thoughts and emotions has got to be the a better path for sure. The idea of "controlling" and "curing" those emotions - to me - is along the same line as the "positive thought" theories. I much prefer the idea of "conscious thinking". As you say the act of observing totally changes things. I wrote about this fairly extensively here: http://www.thethoughts.co.uk/thoughts/the-conscious-thinking-series/ Yep, being aware of your thoughts and emotions has got to be the a better path for sure. The idea of “controlling” and “curing” those emotions – to me – is along the same line as the “positive thought” theories.

I much prefer the idea of “conscious thinking”. As you say the act of observing totally changes things. I wrote about this fairly extensively here: http://www.thethoughts.co.uk/thoughts/the-conscious-thinking-series/

]]> By: Metta http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2007/08/14/controlling-the-emotions/comment-page-1/#comment-382 Metta Wed, 15 Aug 2007 20:40:39 +0000 http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2007/08/14/controlling-the-emotions/#comment-382 The book is <i>Daoism Explained: From the Dream of the Butterfly to the Fishnet Allegory</i> by Hans-Georg Moeller. For the most part it's very good; he does a pretty amazing job of taking the two allegories in the title and stripping them of the Western influences that have haunted them since their earliest translations into Western languages, and of addressing other issues like the value of language. But when he branches off into Taoist ethics, he loses me entirely. The book is Daoism Explained: From the Dream of the Butterfly to the Fishnet Allegory by Hans-Georg Moeller. For the most part it’s very good; he does a pretty amazing job of taking the two allegories in the title and stripping them of the Western influences that have haunted them since their earliest translations into Western languages, and of addressing other issues like the value of language. But when he branches off into Taoist ethics, he loses me entirely.

]]> By: Richard http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2007/08/14/controlling-the-emotions/comment-page-1/#comment-381 Richard Wed, 15 Aug 2007 13:01:52 +0000 http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2007/08/14/controlling-the-emotions/#comment-381 Hi Metta, I can't quite get the idea of taking a whole part of our nature and saying it's not in accordance with the Tao. I agree with you, I don't know what Tao the author of that book is talking about but it's not the one I follow either. What's the book called? Rich Hi Metta,

I can’t quite get the idea of taking a whole part of our nature and saying it’s not in accordance with the Tao. I agree with you, I don’t know what Tao the author of that book is talking about but it’s not the one I follow either. What’s the book called?

Rich

]]> By: Metta http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2007/08/14/controlling-the-emotions/comment-page-1/#comment-379 Metta Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:37:36 +0000 http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2007/08/14/controlling-the-emotions/#comment-379 I'm with you on this; it's something that put me off meditation in my earliest days, because the whole concept of "curing" emotions seemed twisted to me. It still does. Finding a balance point seems more sane and right, whether in meditation or in daily life. People who scream and curse and rage and people who shove everything down inside are both candidates for heart attacks; the healthy way is somewhere in between. I'm reading a book that has largely left me scratching my head and thinking "If that's what being a sage is, you can have it." I think it's a problem of wording, but it seems to dismiss both positive emotions and the impulse to help others as not in accordance with the Tao. If that's the case, I'm pretty sure the author and I are engaged with two entirely different Taos *laugh* I’m with you on this; it’s something that put me off meditation in my earliest days, because the whole concept of “curing” emotions seemed twisted to me. It still does. Finding a balance point seems more sane and right, whether in meditation or in daily life. People who scream and curse and rage and people who shove everything down inside are both candidates for heart attacks; the healthy way is somewhere in between.

I’m reading a book that has largely left me scratching my head and thinking “If that’s what being a sage is, you can have it.” I think it’s a problem of wording, but it seems to dismiss both positive emotions and the impulse to help others as not in accordance with the Tao. If that’s the case, I’m pretty sure the author and I are engaged with two entirely different Taos *laugh*

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