Feeling emotions at heart

[slimjim]

So recently I've been feeling all emotions at heart level, including the butterflies in the stomach feeling. Would anyone happen to know why? Is this normal?

[Marblehead]

It sounds like you are in love.

 

Peace & Love!

[Mal]

Is this normal?

 

What is normal, the unanswerable question I do think it's good, and it's something I'm trying to work on. Really feeling emotions and how they effect the body, rather than just mentally acknowledging them.

 

"I feel angry" easy to think, but HOW does it feel, what can you feel, what has changed in your body when you are feeling this emotion

 

Like thoughts, I'm noticing that emotions also spontaneously appear and then depart. You can witness them.

[slimjim]

Thanks for the input, just I've always felt it at stomach level I just have to say its more like im observing the emotion at the 4th chakra and im not so stopped in my tracks when I get worked up/able to put it more aside and act.

Edited February 5, 2010 by slimjim

[C T]

What is normal, the unanswerable question I do think it's good, and it's something I'm trying to work on. Really feeling emotions and how they effect the body, rather than just mentally acknowledging them.

 

"I feel angry" easy to think, but HOW does it feel, what can you feel, what has changed in your body when you are feeling this emotion

 

Like thoughts, I'm noticing that emotions also spontaneously appear and then depart. You can witness them.

Next time an emotion arises, you can try to do two things: one, see if you can resist labeling that which arises, or try acknowledging it with a different label. For example, when there is anger, say to yourself, "there is fear", or "there is sadness", or whatever else - just do not address the emotion with the specific label, and see what happens. I do this sometimes, and its quite fun. For e.g. I get impatient quite often when the pressure in the kitchen gets too much, and then what happens (not anymore though) is i will lose my cool and scream at the chefs. After i learned how counter-productive this was, i began to mindfully observe each time this thing rising up, and when it does, i say to myself, "there you go again, becoming all fearful"... and immediately my mind would hit a blank space because it seems unable to comprehend the conflicting thoughts/feelings, and this helps to pacify that particular situational crisis almost instantly!

[Mal]

Thanks CowTao, I'll give that a go, it does sound like fun.

[elmer]

I agree with mal, about really experiencing our emotions rather than passively receiving them. Your gut is highly receptive to changes in sympathetic/parasympathetic changes, stress levels, etc... Thus, the phrase "gut feeling," or the queasiness and shallowness of breath before big events. I used to get the "butterflies in the belly" before high school wrestling matches or when I'm stressed out about something. Both the tension and reason was pretty obvious. Unless it's something you ate beforehand, I'd use that sensation as a tool to guide you in your practice. good luck!

[Birch]

I liked this idea (not mine). More or less paraphrasing.

 

Feelings are to be felt, not thought. Thoughts are to be thought, not felt.

[Guest paul walter]

I liked this idea (not mine). More or less paraphrasing.

 

Feelings are to be felt, not thought. Thoughts are to be thought, not felt.

 

 

Kate, I'd say there is a common mistake people make here cause of the closeness of our relation to our ideas of who and what we think we are as humans. I'd go for: Feelings are to be felt, not thought. Thoughts are to be felt, not thought (if you know what I'm getting at). I find this 'way' is the best for actually perceiving the false seperation of mind and body. Perhaps we are saying the same thing but it is the language on the page that I am 'reading' differently from you? Paul

[slimjim]

Well before all this I diden't ever ignore my emotions (not that I do now). I felt them out thoroughly for own personal reasons. I was just saying with them manifesting at 4th chakra level I can easily/feel/observe emotions and not be so paralyzed by them. Like studdering and it being hard to speak.

Edited February 6, 2010 by slimjim

[Birch]

Kate, I'd say there is a common mistake people make here cause of the closeness of our relation to our ideas of who and what we think we are as humans. I'd go for: Feelings are to be felt, not thought. Thoughts are to be felt, not thought (if you know what I'm getting at). I find this 'way' is the best for actually perceiving the false seperation of mind and body. Perhaps we are saying the same thing but it is the language on the page that I am 'reading' differently from you? Paul

 

Interesting. I need to look at it ;-) I guess it depends on the thought. Some thoughts are absolutely NOT to be felt (just because of what they are, harmful) whereas I do agree that some other thoughts would do well to be felt beyond where they currently are (this pertains more to ideology - maybe...) I can't say there's a one stop shop for it and I'm pretty sure there's a more subtle way of getting it - practice probably. But for someone that doesn't practice (yet) are you suggesting they should feel the thoughts?

[Guest paul walter]

Interesting. I need to look at it ;-) I guess it depends on the thought. Some thoughts are absolutely NOT to be felt (just because of what they are, harmful) whereas I do agree that some other thoughts would do well to be felt beyond where they currently are (this pertains more to ideology - maybe...) I can't say there's a one stop shop for it and I'm pretty sure there's a more subtle way of getting it - practice probably. But for someone that doesn't practice (yet) are you suggesting they should feel the thoughts?

 

 

Yeah, I think it's all about sublety myself and I suppose the hard thing is how to live subtley in a brutal world without feeling vulnerable or afraid. You seem to be at a moment where you are feeling the limits of your practices/desires and at the same time wanting more form it-I don't envy that position . I don't think 'practices' have much to do with it myself, unless one means being entirely 'present' which in itself I suppose is so rare a state that it constitutes a practice these days. I think in the ed all I've got to say is one should observe oneself (thoughts,feelings,emotion,action...) and see whats real, what's left over at the end of the day. I regard my thoughts as essentially 'invalid' since they never stop , never sit still,always contradict the next moment--and if I do find some peace it's always from being 'thoughtless'--of not having explanations/philosophies/desires(which are thought projections into an imagined future) at all present in that thing we call the mind. I regard my perceptive qualities as valid, though, and use them for important sensory descrimination like crossing the road, getting food that may be shaped like a tennis ball but certainly can't be digested like what I was after (an apple), stuff like that. I'm biased in this view cause I can live this way-without real thought . It's the hardest thing to do if you aren't ready to forget about being a hero in your own movie and aren't prepared to admit defeat and give up all that clamour for the path etc. But if you can do this you realise that you've been lied to all your life about what's possible and who's in control. You then have the option of being 'born' into your own life and of finally pressing the start button ,which is truly what it feels like. Santi ans Shaktimama go on about this state quite a bit--yeah the difference is like night and day or clarity and fog. But there is no method as such, just pay attention to EVERYTHING, ALL DAY, EVERYDAY--that's what that nice comforting word found in 'practice' texts AWARENESS means . That put you off . Well I've over-expressed the inexpressable as usual. And go slow on the chocolate Paul

[Birch]

Well see this is exactly where being both dead AND alive becomes very interesting. I didn't eat any chocolate (so far;-)) but I sure could taste it (of course Scott and the photos helped immensely - OT Drew, not your playground;-))

 

I don't know that I want more from my practices. They're pretty damn intense enough already.

 

I'm not sure this is helping our friend who feels so much.

 

I sent this to a couple of people already but I think it's so cool that I'll post it here

 

http://taotechingdecoded.com/chapter7.aspx

[Marblehead]

I just wanted to say that I think that concept "feeling our thoughts" is very interesting but won't speak to it here.

 

Peace & Love!

[三江源]

So recently I've been feeling all emotions at heart level, including the butterflies in the stomach feeling. Would anyone happen to know why? Is this normal?

 

Hi slimjim. What you are feeling is normal for a person with a propensity for kinaesthesia, who is in situation that allows for this sensitivity. Maybe you are in love or have been doing lots of work on yourself or are a naturally awake - in - the - body person.

 

I feel the way you describe, too.

[slimjim]

Hi slimjim. What you are feeling is normal for a person with a propensity for kinaesthesia, who is in situation that allows for this sensitivity. Maybe you are in love or have been doing lots of work on yourself or are a naturally awake - in - the - body person.

 

I feel the way you describe, too.

 

Good to know thanx =). Also I just noticed your interests.. funny lol