Are All Emotions Good?

 Monday, November 4, 2024, 

A line from one of the latest Disney/Pixar films, "Inside Out 2" is the title of today's post.  I'm not trying to drag Pixar and Disney into the dirt, but their overall approach to content over the past decade or so has led to multiple satires of their work (watch SouthPark's season opener "the pander-verse" to understand more).  

The actual line from the "Inside Out 2" movie is, "...I've learned that all emotions, are good..".  This really isn't true. 

Contemporary approaches to emotions and mental health are heavily flawed (in my humble and untrained lay-man's opinion).  Are emotions good?.....Are all emotions good?  Absolutely not, and what a thing to say and suggest.   

My say is that emotions (of any kind) are actually not good.  Emotions, above everything else, should be ignored and have minimal influence on one's thoughts and actions.  If eating a meal or drinking a glass of water can improve your "emotions", was the emotion very "real" to begin with?  

My take would fly in the face of many, I'm afraid, but one should build an indifference to one's emotions as much as possible.....they'll come and they'll go....they'll be good....and they'll be bad.....be indifferent to them.  

Time to begin today's practice which always includes the exercise of controlling one's thoughts, mind and, of course, one's emotions....

Part II:

As always, I'm writing Part II after I've completed my practice.  I'll say that, my practice always humbles me because, like everyone, my emotions and thoughts are very much out of control at times (my mind drifts, and comes up with idea, thoughts, reactions, etc.); even when I'm making focused efforts to control my mind and my emotions, they still come through (and always will). 

Being aware of them, and reacting as little as possible to emotions is the fruit of a morning yoga practice. 

Time to enter the world. 

Namaste