Emotion and Mind

2009-6-23 07:21:00

Quoting JJ from a previous post, Larry Kennon (LWK) writes:

"'DK [Djwhal Khul] has given the best seed thought on this. He states that the astral (emotional world) is created by the mental, that in ancient days the emotional world did not even exist. It wasn't until humanity's mental ability developed that desire as we know it was even possible.'"

LWK then writes:

"Therefore if humanity had to develop a mental ability before emotions could exist then animals obviously do not have emotions -- lacking human mental abilities. My personal experience contradicts this claim therefore I cannot give much credence to 'DK' on this subject."

JJ:

It really sounded like you agreed with this earlier when you said:

"The point was that our emotions are largely driven by our values. "The model of a computer is fairly useful in understanding emotions. In large part we 'program' the computer through the values we accept. Once we have programmed the computer it provides nearly instantaneous evaluations of events in our life."

Then you say:

"The key though is to understand that emotions are always an effect produced by the mind."

What you say here exactly agrees with what DK said. I do not understand that you now disagree.

I agree with you that emotion is an effect created by the mind. The root emotion that sets man apart from the animals is desire. This is particularly evident in our sexual natures. It is true that animals are attracted to each other but mainly through instinct during the mating season. With humans the attraction is during all times because of the mental construct of what is and is not desirable and attractive.

Except in rare cases where the animal is very advanced the feelings an animal feels is produced by his instincts, learned and natural and he has no power to intelligently direct them.

Because a human has power to program and deprogram himself he has power to manufacture his emotional world or to deconstruct it.

LWK:

"I don't see how 'lower emotions are ... created on an illusionary principle'."

JJ:

If the emotions are "always an effect produced by the mind" as you say, then as soon as the mind changes the programming the emotion is no more. Because the emotion can pass away and be as if it had never been then it is created by an illusionary principle.

On the other hand, the mind is capable of seeing truth and principles which is eternal so it exists upon a non illusionary principle.

LWK:

"Classification of emotions as being 'higher,' 'lower,' or 'Buddhic' is not actually any sort of explanation of what emotions actually are."

JJ:

Of course it is not, but there still exists higher and lower emotions.

The higher emotions are those that do not pass away such as spiritual love, spiritual joy, spiritual desire for eternal progression and creation in line with the dominating good and others.

Jealousy, anger, hatred, possessive love, and other lower emotions are created by the meaning we assign to situations and will pass when the situation or the mental construct changes.

As far as there being an astral or emotional world, there is no way to prove it to you. I personally can feel my emotional body and have seen the vivid colors given off by it many times. It is different than the etheric. Anyone can see the aura if they want to practice at it long enough.

As far as what the emotions are or where they come from -- that could be a treatise in itself. All creation springs from positive and/or negative or male and female energy. Thought comes from the male side and emotion the female.

Basically, we all know what emotion is because we all have felt it. If one had never felt anger then he wouldn't know what it is even if someone explained it to him. Similarly a person must taste an orange to know the taste. It cannot be explained in full.

All life is immersed in thought and feeling which originates from the heart and mind of God. To understand thought and feeling in fullness one must understand God. We start by understanding ourselves.

"Work while you have the light. You are responsible for the talent that has been entrusted to you."
Henri-Frederic Amiel