Another use of the term is to signify that one is bypassing the stages on the path of one’s development towards the realisation of transcendental attainments. Yet another use of the term is a modern cliche thrown around whenever someone is believed to not be in touch with one’s repressed emotions.
Whilst as a conceptual device this term is useful, its application in the modern days of ‘psychologising spirituality’ has become problematic. In particular, it is used to strengthen the belief that one ought to work through one’s repressed affective material in order to advance on the spiritual path. From the perspective of traditional cultivation practices, such a belief is wrong. Let’s see why.
First of all, whatever one gives one’s attention to over a long period, grows. Namely, if one feeds one’s mental energy to self-analysis, tries to dig into the old traumas, to release bottled-up emotions, to sort out one’s psyche, constantly orients one’s inner dialogue towards ‘speaking to wounded parts’, or else, interprets formations of the unconscious, this is precisely what one feeds to grow. As a result, because the mind learns to gain jouissance (enjoyment laden with suffering) out of self-scrutiny, more material for it will be fabricated in one’s mind. As such, this aspect of one’s inner processes will be strengthened and will present one with more opportunities for self-therapeutising or therapy with a specialist. It is quite common and considered to be a norm these days to stay in therapy for years or one’s whole life. It is easy to see how this is the case, once we know how the mind works to produce more of the sense of self.
It is widely understood within traditions of cultivation that emotions are precisely the glue, which keeps disparate components of self together creating an illusion of wholeness. It does not matter for the acquired self whether emotions are positive or negative: as long as they are produced, deliberated and pondered upon - the sense of self is strengthened, even if via negativa since a damaged self leaves an even stronger experiential imprint upon the mind which seeks sources to identify with.
The complex emotional geography of the human mind is born out of the two foundational mechanisms: attraction and aversion. In accordance with the process of Dependent Origination, as soon as the mind makes contact with an object, a feeling arises. Feelings can be only of three kinds:
- Pleasant
- Unpleasant
- Neutral
Feeling gives rise to craving: one craves for more pleasant feelings, one craves for no unpleasant feelings, and one ignores neutral feelings. Craving breeds attachment: one attaches one’s sense of self to experiences, ideas, and forms of contact, which produce pleasant feelings. One forms a negative attachment, also known as ill-will, towards experiences, ideas, and forms of contact, which produce unpleasant feelings. One disregards experiences, ideas, and forms of contact, which produce neutral feelings. Attachment originates becoming: one develops in the trajectory of reinforcing identity based on incorporating pleasure-giving impressions (attraction) and avoiding unpleasure-giving impressions (aversion). Now, one’s emotions are the interplay of reactions between various shades of the gradient from attraction to aversion.
Following from the above, what can be said about the value of giving importance to emotions, whether they are suppressed or manifest? From the perspective of a practitioner of spiritual cultivation, one can gain insight by observing how emotions arise and cease. It is, of course, true that by avoiding emotions that are difficult (read, closer on the gradient to aversion), and, instead of knowing them directly, using spiritual ideas and practices to distract oneself, one is ‘bypassing’ that, which arises. However, getting stuck into studying the arising material in great detail and pondering it, is of no particular value.
What is of value is learning how to spot the moment when the mind, having made contact with an object, is going to react by grasping for pleasurable feelings and by repressing unpleasurable feelings. Abandoning such reactivity is indeed of value. Yet another thing that is of value is learning how to apply the mind’s attention to that, which is beneficial to grow, namely, Qi.
By refraining from applying the mind to the process of generating a sense of self via ceaseless self-referential pondering, and by developing the method for awakening, mobilising, consolidating, gathering, storing and refining Qi, one starts to feed that, which is useful in one’s spiritual cultivation. Since Qi is a pivot between the Soul and mental states, by feeding and growing it, one develops an object, which, if absorbed into it, can give one access to a more permanent aspect of one’s being.
This brings us back to why the belief that one needs to deal with repressed affectivity, which is expressed via emotions, in order to move closer to transcendental attainments is wrong. Not only will one fail to touch upon anything transcendental by giving attention to self-analysis, but also one will reinforce that, which is transient, that is, the acquired self. The more one feeds the transient, the further one moves away from that, which is more constant, namely, the Soul, and cancels out the possibility of knowing that, which is entirely unchanging, namely, the Spirit.
The approach to correct cultivation is to know experientially the transient nature of all mental and psychic states, which means to allow them to happen. Then it is to develop the pivot between permanent and transient, that is, Qi. Then to absorb into that, which is permanent, thereby initiating the process of transformation that leads from mundane to transcended, which is known as ‘reversing the course’. This approach is known as the ‘Path’. Each spiritual tradition formulates it in its terms.
Contrary to common belief, when one stops feeding emotions with a sense of importance, what arises is not flatness, detachment and boredom, but joy, benevolence and compassion, which are a natural state of who we are, if the process of attraction and aversion is not fed with self-investment. Therefore, to bypass emotions as important and treat them as transient is the way to find a true disposition of one’s psyche.
May all beings be well!