Feeling is to Thinking …
As Inner is to Outer and Spiritual is to Physical
Steven Gambardella“Wittgenstein: How We Think”, inspired this article. Steven writes, “As Wittgenstein put it, ‘An ‘inner process’ stands in need of outward criteria.’ For Descartes, an ‘inner process’ can stand up by itself. Not only that, but it can provide the foundation for knowledge…. The private language argument collapses the distinction between our private and public selves — the inner and the outer.” In other words(?) Inner Feelings have a different language than Outer Thinking.
I have written about the Inner Feeling and Outer Thinking duality, in the past. An example is “A Philosophy of Emotions: Studying my inner mind and life experiences”. I quote Daniel Goleman in Emotional Intelligence: “Emotions are increasingly gaining importance. Why it can matter more than IQ, 1995.” He explains, “Emotions are impulses to act” I go further and say E-motion is energy in motion in the inner reality. Goleman also states, “Self-Awareness is attention to one’s inner states”, with a brilliant description: “Emotionally self-aware is recognizing and naming own emotions; understanding the cause of feelings; and recognizing the difference between feelings and actions.” In the 1980s after my awakening, I was intensely involved with self-awareness and my emotions within. The chart below shows balancing Inner Feelings with Outer Words…
“There are times in the history of the world, and each in our personal history, that we are faced with being alone — I call it all one. It is a time to study and know ourselves, especially our inner reality where emotions spring like seeds into flowers or bad dreams. It is a time to know ourselves and come to love ourselves, and learn to enjoy the powerful sense of emotions. Some points for guidance:
1.There is no right or wrong in emotions, only balance and imbalance.
2.Emotions are very individual, so emotional exercise will be individual as well.
3.Recognition of our own personal emotions is the number one goal.
4.Drop scientific search for cause — just feel the feelings.
Kimberly Fosu in “Recognize and Name Your Emotions”, says “ “In a world that champions logic and reason, emotions are the unsung heroes quietly shaping our lives. Like hidden gems, they hold the power to unlock our truest selves, illuminate our experiences, and forge deeper connections with others.Whether it’s happiness, sadness, anger, or fear, give each emotion a name. Each feeling that courses through your being is a testament to your humanity, a valid expression of your inner landscape.”
This past Inner and Outer discussion reminded me of the Spiritual and Physical duality, which, in the past 1980s to 2010, I seemed balanced. But recently, with such ‘chaos’ in the world, I am finding it harder to feel my inner spirituality. Of course I am 90 now, and had a recent fall which broke my back vertabrae, and kept me away from computers, Medium.com. All applications have so many changes that it is almost impossible to keep up.
Then, today 8.6.23, I read Jodie Helm, “Find Peace Within the Chaos” “Try to determine how you got here. Was it one thing that triggered you? Many things? Did you find that last straw in a series of straws? A person or people? Disappointment? Figure it out and make peace with it, whatever you have to do. Set boundaries, if you need to, or spend less or more time with people who either bring out the worst or the best in you…. The outside world will not comfort or strengthen you right now. You must do that for yourself…I encourage you to create your own place and go there often. It takes on a life and story of its own and serves as an escape when we need one…. Knowing that I make a positive difference in some people’s lives makes it all worth it”
After reading Jodie’s article, I deleted a lot of outer things on my computer, and rested for myself for awhile, and then I got back to finishing my article. Now, to “feel” my “inner spirituality.
