Hello fellow explorers,

Why is it, that life experiences can ‘think’ right but ‘feel’ wrong?

So much of our lives can be taken up with trying to reconcile what seem like irreconcilable conflicts between our thoughts and feelings.

In the often intense contrast of experience in the human collective and our greater natural world context, it is impossible not to have strong emotion come up that can feel overwhelming at times. When this happens we have to find a way to restore balance. We usually do this by finding a way to rationalise what we are feeling.This is not always successful and on closer inspection it is often the case that something can think right but not feel quite right. Or, it can be the other way around. Something can feel completely right, yet may seem not quite, ‘er’… rational!

There are teachings I have explored that say the spiritual path is about learning to subdue or repress ones feelings in order to strengthen the mind. Having arrived in a ‘stiff upper lip’ era, I found that instruction to have served me poorly. Indeed I have come to realize there is a nuance to this that renders almost the opposite to be correct!

This is what I have found to be true for me. We all know that electricity (Energy) is electro-magnetic. This gives rise to what I like to call the inseparable Feminine-Masculine Principle. The magnetic aspect of Energy is its ‘Feminine Principle’; the electric aspect, its ‘Masculine Principle’. Everything we perceive of in Form (matter) is composed of Energy. We too are composed of fundamental particles, atomic and elemental Frequencies of Life Force Energy. We each have a unique Human Energy Field that is fundamentally interconnected with a Singular Source Energy Field. 

The equilibrium in the Feminine-Masculine Principle is the reason for the homeostasis that we enjoy as our balance of wellbeing. This is found in the contraction-expansion, the giving-receiving that occurs through the ‘in’ and ‘out’ breath and throughout the functioning of our cells, organs and systems.  Whilst homeostasis exists ‘autonomic-ally’ in our ‘nature’ such as through that aspect of our nervous system, we have to play our part by maintaining it. This requires ‘nurturing’ ourselves on a physical level. Yet just as (and perhaps even more importantly) it depends on us maintaining a state of emotional and mental balance.

The indivisible Feminine-Masculine Principle of Energy is both tangible (linear) and intangible (abstract). It is found in the rational-intuitive left-right hemispheres of the brain and in our more tangible experience of thought-feeling. The indivisibility of this principle also offers a big paradox for us to experience: Thoughts that feel and feelings that think! The epicentre of the equilibrium of thought-feeling is the Soul Centre. It is here that the Master Sense resides and our Inner Guidance system flows. It is this that enables us to ‘make holistic sense’ of our physical, emotional and mental levels of sensory experience.

The relationship between emotional and mental states represents our ‘psycho-emotional mindset. This works fine when we are in alignment with Soul Centre but not if we are feeling disconnected, shut down and lost in a ‘Something-Nothing mindset’. This produces ‘Separation Perception’: A belief of ‘me’ as a ‘Something’ disconnected from ‘you’ in a world beyond which is ‘Nothing’

Separation Perception produces Polarities on every level of experience and very tangibly as Thought-Feeling Polarity. Polarities represent a seemingly unbridgeable ‘gap’ between me’ and Soul Centre’! It is this ‘gap’ that produces the underlying sense of lack—the ‘Emptiness’ we may experience as a subtle and inexplicable anxiety within our being. 

We don’t like to feel because of this Emptiness and its­­­­ many expressions such as unworthiness, guilt, shame and the lack of real meaning and purpose to life that is central to what increasingly is generically described as ‘mental illness’.  We may try to rationalize it; to ‘think it away’ through our attachments to Separation Perception by seeing it as a ‘fault’ in another. Yet as thoughts and feelings are inseparable, it is not possible just to ‘think our way’ into Thought-Feeling balance without also having to process what we are feeling.

 Emptiness based feelings are our ‘calling’ to return to Soul Centre. Ultimately it is only through processing the feeling of the discomfort of Emptiness that allows the restoration of the equilibrium of Soul Centre and the flow of Inner Guidance.  It is here the equilibrium (homeostasis) of Thought-Feeling balance can be found. This is what meditation, mindfulness and ‘detachment’ oriented practices are all about. For it is only in this equilibrium that the elusive state of being called ‘peace’ can be experienced.

The real fast track to ‘peace’ is by surrendering into what we are feeling rather than what we are thinking. So if outwardly sitting in that ‘lotus position’ is not your way, sink into it inwardly by deeply acknowledging what you are feeling, rather than ‘think-pushing’ it away. It is perfectly okay to feel the way you do. Indeed, the greatest gift of self healing you can ever receive is to profoundly acknowledge how you are feeling ‘warts and all’ and permit yourself to be – exactly as you are Now!

This offering may not think right. It may feel too hard… for it may call you to examine your attachment to long held beliefs about yourself and others that no longer serve your Soul path. Yet, what I can promise is that the ‘pay off’ for so doing will both feel and think right!  Until next time… Love, Andrew