Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Swept Away

The one thing I've never learned to do is not to be swept away by what I'm feeling. It was the one area of tai chi I found nearly impossible (other than embrace the tiger, return to the mountain). At the time it was because I felt like it would be cheating - that by not experiencing every single emotion I have, I was in effect burying it all away, and how could that be healthy?

Now I realise it's more about putting away your emotional reactions to your emotions (follow me here), allowing you to more carefully analyse them and see them for what they are.

But it's hard not to be swept away by despair. As hard as it is not to be swept away by happiness. And when you've felt both before lunch time, well. That's like being capsized in a storm.

3 comments:

Der Führer said...

Wow, deep.

But, yeah, I know what you mean. Best to wear your emotional water-wings at all times.

Liz said...

Sigh...treading water, that's the goal!

PA said...

Ha! That's good. By 12 I've felt fear, despair, happiness, boredom, cold, and joy! That's just the way, it would seem :-0