06/12/2025
When pleasure fades or pain arises, the nervous system immediately fires another impulse: “get more of that”, or “get away from this”, however WE CAN actually develop the ability to feel emotions, without being overwhelmed by them, all it takes is practice, patience & effort. To start we just need to reduce our identification with that continuous flow of thoughts & emotions arising within the mind, & the noticeable sensations arising within the body.
This puts us on the path of understanding our natural tendencies of moving towards what feels good, “safety/reward”, & away from what feels bad, “threat/discomfort”, which happens to be a very useful pattern for survival, but a tiring loop when repeated daily.
This week when we receive a compliment notice how it produces a pleasant internal sensation, then watch the mind immediately lean towards it, while observing your mental tendency to want more of it, then create an awareness of how the mind starts identifying with that praise, (I am worthy). This is what we call attachment.
Likewise when we receive criticism notice how it produces discomfort, then watch the mind reject it or defend against it, while observing your mental tendency to want it to be gone. Then create an awareness of how the mind starts identifying with that criticism, (I am, or the other person is, unworthy). That is what we call aversion.
Both reactions reveal how easily our inner world becomes tied to outer events, causing us to swing between “I feel good when you approve of me” & “I feel bad, or superior when you don’t”. This is the mind caught in the waves of fluctuating thoughts & emotions.
If you wish to be free from these cycles of pleasure/pain, attraction/aversion there’s never a better time to start then right now!
Why not give it a go & watch your inner freedom start to flow!