Discover Discipline- An Emotion

Recently I've been contemplating the concept of Discipline and its etymology. Discipline can be traced back to the Latin word "disciplina," which means teaching or instruction, suggesting that discipline involves the act of guiding oneself in a particular direction through learning and self-control.

What sense does it make to go against the flow of life?

Simply going with the flow is the antidote to resistance.

Doubt prevents the things we're trying to adopt such as habits and behaviours...

So the opposite of discipline is doubt.

By questioning what we truly want, we can dismantle the barriers that impede our progress.

Create a resolve (sankampa) for your life situation e.g. appreciation, positivity, meditation...

Setting a resolve situtation creates a subconscious programming and helps us to focus on what we want. It doesn't matter if we fail, its part of learning.

We may want things because it triggers a sense of reward, such as getting from A to B rather than enjoying the journey. I wonder whether we could be seeking what we already have?

Dopamine is a molecule responsible for motivation and craving - its main role is to indicate when we're moving towards our purpose. it anticipates positive feedback from the environment, such as exploration foraging- thus important to observe, interact, change & adapt.

We can use this to our advantage by employing movement in our daily life- as basic as qigong and walking. its well known that exercise triggers dopamine- but its not the intensity that matters, but the sense of ambition and growth. dopamine helps in sustained effort.

its also important to enjoy the steps we take, make our lives process orientated. e.g. "I enjoy aligning with my inner joy, peace and happiness" and "I can feel the energy as I move" and "I'm learning to adapt to how I feel"

Life isn't about the destination/reward for example when you complete a task- rather in the process of creation/involvement e.g. writing a blog. When things go astray, we don't Need to analyse, simply observe and respond with awareness.

Fear & motivation share chemical pathways in the brain- involve somehow with the amygdala

using the prefrontal cortex we can make decisions and choices that align with our values

and the hippocampus is where we can really get into flow- and achieve effortless action, such as running down a hill and stepping carefully

The claim that negative emotions cannot be turned off entirely because they are a chemical reaction in the amygdala is generally accurate.

Negative emotions, such as fear, anxiety, and anger, arise from complex chemical processes in the brain involving various neurotransmitters and neural pathways.

The amygdala, a key brain region involved in processing emotions and threat detection, plays a significant role in generating these emotional responses.

Negative emotions trigger signals of dopamine, which shut off emotion and trigger pleasure

stimulation has a downside- what goes up (spikes) decreases rapidly...

"Happiness" depends on balance of pain/pleasure (opiod circuit) and thus eludes us when we seek pure happiness as a state to attain.

Similar neuropathways in the brain, coordinate emotions of both fear and excitement, depending on how we percieve and express them.

By acknowledging the emotion and mentally reframing it in a positive light, we can change how we perceive it in the body, shifting our mindset.

It may be effective to focus on cultivating positive habits and integrating them into our daily lives. Discovering and pursuing a purpose creates a clear path and energy circuit for fulfillment and growth.

While it is challenging to completely eliminate negative emotions due to their biological basis, since fear serves a purpose for survival, individuals can learn to manage and regulate their emotional responses through various strategies such as cognitive reframing, mindfulness practices, and emotional regulation techniques. By acknowledging negative emotions, individuals can develop inner strength and navigate challenging situations effectively.

Additionally, the concept that negative emotions may serve a purpose in balancing positive emotions and contributing to a more nuanced emotional experience is supported by theories in psychology and neuroscience. Emotions, both negative and positive, play essential roles in shaping our perceptions, behaviors, and overall well-being.

Self-awareness: Start by becoming more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in relation to feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, and betrayal. Notice when these emotions arise and how they manifest in your relationships and interactions with others.

Reflection and introspection: Take time to reflect on past experiences, relationships, and events that may have contributed to these feelings. Consider how these experiences have shaped your beliefs, values, and self-perception.

Journaling: Keeping a journal can be a valuable tool for exploring and processing your emotions, thoughts, and insights related to the shadow self. Write down your reflections, experiences, and feelings as you navigate this inner journey.

Therapy or counseling: Working with a therapist or counselor trained in Jungian psychology or shadow work can provide guidance and support as you explore and integrate the shadow self. A professional can help you uncover unconscious patterns, beliefs, and emotions that may be influencing your feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, and betrayal.

Inner work and personal growth practices: Engage in practices such as meditation, mindfulness, dream analysis, and creative expression to deepen your understanding of the shadow self and uncover hidden aspects of your psyche. T

Such practices can help you cultivate self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and personal growth.

Embracing and integrating the shadow: Embracing the shadow self involves accepting and integrating the hidden or disowned aspects of your personality, including feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, and betrayal.

By acknowledging and integrating these shadow elements, you can heal past wounds, cultivate self-compassion, and foster emotional well-being.

Self-compassion and love: Be gentle and patient with yourself throughout this process of exploring and integrating different aspects of the self. Practice acceptance as you navigate your inner landscape towards wholeness and healing.

By embarking on a journey of exploring and integrating Self, individuals can gain self-awareness, healing, and personal growth, transforming feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, and betrayal into opportunities for self-discovery and emotional flourishing- building self-esteem and cultivating self-worth.

Happiness can be seen as a circuit rather than just a reaction, as it involves both physical and mental aspects.

While serotonin plays a role in the physical experience of happiness, our mindset also contribute to our experience of it.

Sensations essentially arise from energy flowing through circuits, causing expansion and contraction within us.

Positive emotion is actually a circuit of energy, rather than physical memory (amygdala)

basically, embracing change leads to energy flow and positive emotions

not often taught how to feel joy, but yogis point towards it with humor because its difficult to teach a feeling...

Focusing on the present moment helps us appreciate the journey, process of life

flow state preserves dopamine because of intrinsic motivation...

This kind of motivation engages positive emotions by enabling focus and flow- a positive feedback loop

Activities such as yoga, qigong and meditation draw our attention inward with a balance of challenge and skill= flow and incrementally increase challenge 4% as you adapt...

Reduce friction and eliminate distractions to increase flow

Focusing on creating positive energy flow through practices such as mindful breathing and movement can help shift our internal state and promote emotional well-being.

By integrating these approaches, we can navigate the complexities of our emotions and cultivate a more balanced and fulfilling inner landscape.

Emotions function as a constant alignment of energy, creating balance and harmony in our lives, in order to appreciate moments of joy and bliss.

Instead of striving for constant happiness, it is valuable to consider negative energy as a complementary factor in generating positive emotions.

Embracing pain and difficult emotions with an open mind can lead to a deeper understanding and acceptance of them as passing sensations and thoughts.

Asking "how do I feel" to engage with emotions such as curiousity to uncover what's behind.

Build awareness of emotions. what's behind tiredness? is it frustration? what's behind that? loneliness? what's behind that? sadness?

Feelings simply show us how we feel. Let's view them as sensations instead.

In a way it's about cultivating awareness of our energy (like Qi-gong!)

Learning to feel emotions... meditation 5-10 minutes and build up to 20 minutes. Increase awareness to resolve your emotions.

Perhaps write your thoughts onto paper if it helps, without judgement.

Smile to your thoughts, change your perception, if you can.

Appreciate the sunlight, birds, trees, music... smile with your heart

5-10 minutes of sunlight in the morning is an optimal breakfast because it syncronises with the release of cortisol that has a wakefulness effect. Rising with the Sun improves metabolism and focus, and ensures sleep at night.

You might as well gather some qi while you're at it, from the sky and sway like a bamboo in the breeze, centring your energy, listening to the sounds intently

seretonin will be released, a chemical that carries messages between nerve cells in the brain and throughout your body.

Discover your true potential by accepting yourself and smiling from the heart. When you do this, you can move mountains, and nothing can move you from your purpose, so shine bright!