Blocking Certain Thoughts Reveals Our Fragility: Understanding Mental Barriers
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Chapter 1: The Impact of Suppressing Thoughts
Blocking certain thoughts often reflects a deeper fragility within us, highlighting how our mental barriers can obscure our actions.
Years ago, I found salvation in meditation after pushing my mind and body to their extremes. A significant flaw of mine is my inability to recognize my limits until they become painfully apparent. This oversight has led to many challenges, but I like to think it has also driven me to strive for growth, akin to Nick Cave's idea of "pushing the sky away." However, this reckless pursuit of self-improvement is neither effective nor sustainable. Ultimately, I had no alternative; after collapsing from prolonged exertion, it was meditation that helped me recover.
Meditation provides a space to observe our thoughts without becoming entangled in them, allowing them to surface and fade away. It is not about suppressing thoughts, but rather about releasing the grip of thought itself. Some practitioners may find themselves unexpectedly emotional when previously buried thoughts emerge, thoughts they can finally confront. This process can lead to a sense of liberation, as it allows them to stop hiding from their own minds.
Section 1.1: The Burden of Societal Expectations
Our society places immense pressure on our thought processes. It often feels as though we are compelled to nurture an inner critic that monitors our thinking, ensuring it remains within acceptable bounds. I have been astounded by how frequently individuals cringe at expressing discomforting thoughts, apologizing for their honesty. And these are merely the thoughts that slip through the cracks! What about everything else that remains unspoken? More distressingly, how much is left unthought?
Subsection 1.1.1: The Cost of Avoidance
In the video "Nassim Taleb: Escape Your Fragility (Or Suffer)", Taleb discusses the importance of confronting our vulnerabilities head-on rather than avoiding them. He emphasizes that facing discomfort is essential for personal growth and resilience.
Section 1.2: The Importance of Open Dialogue
The tragedy lies in the way we diminish the value of thoughtful engagement, shying away from diverse perspectives. Engaging with different ideologies does not equate to endorsing them. The chasm between thought and action requires significant effort to bridge. We do not automatically align with a group by merely listening to their views. Contemplating difficult subjects, such as suicide or political ideologies, does not indicate an intention to act on these thoughts.
Chapter 2: The Dangers of Thought Suppression
Yet, we often draw lines around conversations we deem uncomfortable. By ignoring their existence, we give these thoughts undue power, allowing them to linger and haunt us. This avoidance creates an illusion of safety, but in reality, it makes us more susceptible to those very ideas, granting them a strength they should not possess.
In "Going into Emotion When Clients Feel Fragile: EFT Couples Therapy", the video explores how addressing emotional vulnerabilities in therapy can lead to healing. It highlights the importance of allowing space for uncomfortable emotions to be expressed and processed.
Avoiding discussions about troubling issues only increases the likelihood of inadvertently perpetuating harm, potentially leading to actions we never intended. Today, I reflect on this pessimistic optimism with a rating of 55%.
Written while listening to: ‘Virtual Dreams: Ambient Explorations In The House & Techno Age, 1993–1997’.
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