Chimp vs God self - Rising above Emotion

[goldpower123]

I had a talk with my dad one time recently about emotion, and I told him about what I have experienced to do with spirituality, Truth, self actualization and my growth etc. We talked about emotion and how I felt like I rose above emotion. Like nothing could effect me, I was unwavering and like an emotional pillar. Like I'm unwavering. And I can also see how with this I can seriously hurt a lot of people if I'm not careful, but also help people in a huge way.

He reckons that you're meant to feel hurt, or sadness, or joy, etc. and that emotion isn't something you are supposed to transcend or rise above, because it's the very thing that makes you a human being. And that's not wrong, but when I just take a glimpse of people around me in the world (including even him) I see that they generally suffer. They have all these issues and life is a drama, it's negative. But it's so common that it's normal; and it's masked with distraction. Now to me, that's not a life worth living at all.

In order to not have those issues, dramas, health problems, etc. that most people have, you MUST transcend emotion, meaning literally transcending the human being and acting from a place of divinity. And this ultimately means to kill a piece of yourself. Your will. Give a piece of your will to God. Lower the grip of Ego to up the control your life. But to do this you must turn inward and surrender. This is deep shit. Very emotionally painful. Most people are so afraid and so selfish to do this but it's the way. I was explaining this experience to him that changed me forever but he can't understand (my father that is). Otherwise, your life is completely swayed by your emotion and this is always escapism and comfort.

The things I've gone through have forced me to take the steps I take, because in my experience, standing out or doing something very emotionally uncomfortable in an act of discipline, doesn't compare to the kind of suffering I know is possible (a deep spiritual suffering) but what's shocking to me is that most people are blind to this side of existence. They haven't been through anything to put them on this path.

Any thoughts?

[Tim R]

You don't want to get rid of your emotions. To transcend your emotions doesn't mean that you get rid of them, it means that you keep them but don't let them dictate your life.

As you observed, many people suffer, but it's not because of their emotions. It's because they are a slave to their emotions. It's because they can't allow pain. It's because they blindly follow their desires. It's because they crave joy. 

So to transcend you emotions doesn't mean that you are perfectly stoic and emotionally immovable because you killed that part of yourself. It means that you are no longer in a position in which emotions can cause you any suffering.

[LastThursday]

It's easy to confuse drama for emotion.

Drama is just a story people get lost in and it's possible to detach from it and reduce suffering. Emotion arises from nowhere and makes you pay attention and pushes you in a certain direction, that is its purpose. Drama can be emotional, but emotion is not drama.

[blackchair]

nope, emotions are with you till the very end