In our vision, the universe operates in three spheres: earth, man, heaven. This perception of the world poses the trilogy for a coherent cosmology. These three elements are, in Taoism, in man, the three treasures: Jing (essence), chi (energy) and shen (spirit).
We, as human beings, are between heaven and earth. The earth represents nature but also the Yin, the manifest.
To address this question on the manifest and non manifest, let us take an example: imagine that you hit a table with your hand. Given this possibility, several situations may arise, you fear the pain it could bring (without being certain that it actually produces pain). Either you think about anything but the pain, you can just ask what I say, for example. The gesture, possible pain, the whole feeling of this action falls within the realm of "potential," everything is possible but it is unclear what will be the reality of the action. We are here in the non-manifested, in the idea.
Now hit your hand on the table. Either it hurts you or it does you no harm, but in either case something happens in physical reality. Some of the potential of the imagined action takes place, is felt. In feelings, or feeling, is grafted a myriad of thoughts that have nothing to do with the planning of the action, the action itself and its results. We demonstrated that in its "birth" it can be perceived. This perception is hardly recognizable as the original because it is automatically coloured by thoughts that are only there to provide vital limits to our ego, we reassure them.
The non-manifest does not exist in the domain of the five senses, in contrast, the manifest is perceived by the five senses and is constantly commented by the mind.
Now we settle the history of the ego. When we are very young, we do not dissociate the things around us (for two / three years), we are not separated from the world. Very quickly, our close friends will tell us that there is a difference between others and us, between us and the rest. As a result, our perceptions are slowly being invaded with thoughts, any action or perception will be "translated" by our thoughts to our mind. The reality is no longer seeing it as what it is, but as that which is in our minds makes an increase in our individuality, the difference between us and the world, this unique image to which we attach so much, the ego. This the death of spontaneity. The fact of being right, make discriminating choices, to impose his thoughts are mechanisms to strengthen the coherence that limits our ego. The ego loves boundaries, and rules what is understood by the intellect. It does not like no limits, which can be seen by the five senses and what is not intellectual. The ego loves religion and does not like the spirituality of non duality.
Now back to the three elements. On the one hand we have the earth (yin manifest). On the yin we are born human beings who will live in the world. On the other hand we have the sky which represents what is not of this earth (yang non manifest).
In humans, we find the same three levels of understanding of phenomena: body, energy and intellect. The body is our mechanical structure which operates on a whole homeostasis of physiological balance. If all goes well, everything is fine, but if a part does not go well, a whole series of compensations will unbalance the body to deal with what does not work perfectly. Simply put, nothing is really in the body, but is made so that the equilibrium is kept in a globality ... it is therefore a delicate balance.
Energy is what allows us to enter the world of perceptions of the body while being already in the subtle. We can "feel" energy, but most of the time it is actually felt as "manifestations" of energy: heat, tingling, numbness ...
We can feel the energy when we opened the door to subtle senses, those who leave the comments of the mind and circulate through the relaxation of the body.
Then there is the mind, the world of thoughts, which are seen and have no direct action on the physical body.
It is the interplay between these three areas that we're interested. The body, its tension, will cause mental commentaries that will judge his own state. The thoughts will create an internal tension that results from the inability to move in the direction of all the comments that we have, all the things we imagine. These judgments and the rejection of what is, these internal and external tensions, will cause the mind to come and nourish the energy: the emotions.
Emotions are thoughts that will pass from non manifest to manifest, using energy, the mind to the body. Emotions are mental, created by our mind, and the source of new comments themselves. But they are also physical, as related directly to the body with energy and organs. Emotions are the bridge between the head and body. Emotions are the primary cause of internal diseases in Chinese medicine. Mental tension generated by repressing and dwelling upon the thoughts, will create a physical tension that will be fundamental to an emotion. This physical stress is commented on by the mind intellectually and becomes a source of mulling over which leads to emotional tension. This vicious circle is the source of emotions that will last for months instead of a few seconds, of physical tensions that have no medical solution, losing sleep may not improve with chemical products ...
It is important to understand that emotions are natural and unavoidable, are the result of internal tension in / or outside of the human being, as fatigue is the result of the function of being. Emotions are signs of the disturbance of peace in the functioning of the body / mind.
The etymology of the word "emotion" comes from the Latin "emovere" which means "move, shake." From the ancient french, the word emotion is used in the sense of "what is disturbing quiet" rather than in a direction of movement which became the word "move".
Far be it from me to say that to control, reduce or eliminate emotions, would be idiotic! But in the understanding of their function, it is possible to "surf" on them or with them, rather than being drowned in the roll of a wave that carries everything and makes us a victim. It is the difference between the one who witnesses an accident and one who is a victim of this accident.
In the understanding of what we have to say, and from the Taoist school which is ours, how can we go into this fusion with the emotions, so we can live without being a victim? We have three possible approaches: one by the body, the other by the mind and the last one by energy.
We understand now why the mental approach, which is the source of emotion, seems difficult and complicated to use. Emotion is a feeling of the ego, good or bad, but that makes it alive and strong. Every strong emotion that we will give overturns limits and reasons to return in a little compulsion liberating thoughts that make the happiness of the ego. Any attempt to release the mind forgets that 50% of emotion is physical. For all that is physical, you have to find the premises.
The physical approach seems interesting, we are often simply wrong, in our perceptions, our internal reviews that develops interpretations of what we discern. This solution seems less dangerous than the mental approach.
In fact, emotions are primarily a manifestation of the mind and body, we can use the term "energy". They are correspondence with the human sphere. The approach requires a certain energy education, sensitization, real training.
In our school, we will work with emotions in three stages:
- Sense
- Dissolve
- Wait.
With physical work and relaxation, we can feel the onset of the emotion at its inception, even before its manifestation in the body.
We will test the areas of the body most affected by emotions and let them learn to relax and accept the emotional relaxation. In a conscious awareness of all the mechanisms of our system of body / mind, we will enter a phase of silence in which any mental or emotional event will be obvious.
To not be "disturbed", but live with ourselves, is our idea.
