Emotions, Self-Control, and Correcting Habits

by Robert Wilkinson

From the Magic of Space, some thoughts about fear, ignorance, and how much power we have to overcome these fairly easily. From Chapter VII, The Self - Its Relation to Space and Matter:

First, you should realize that all uncontrolled emotions are the result of ignorance or undevelopment, and this knowledge will rob them of their power over you. You will know that you are at the emotional point in your evolution, which is an indication of ignorance of your own power of self-control. Then you will begin to see the need of development, and will set about correcting the fault. A child fears the dark because he does not know its nature of its cause. If he is carried into a dark room and the light is turned on, and he sees nothing there to injure him, his fear is immediately dissipated. His fear was banished when his ignorance was destroyed.

If you can show a person that there is no "bad luck" except that which he has created, and that the "evil" he fears he builds for himself, immediately you destroy the power he has given to these conceptions. If a man is vain of his knowledge, and he can be made to see that the field of knowledge is unlimited, and that his vanity over the small amount that he possesses is but an indication of his great ignorance, immediately his vanity disappears. So it is by enlightenment that any or all of our emotions are controlled or eliminated from us.

The second great aid is this: if we understand what habit is, and know the law which underlies it, and if we know that much of our yielding to our lower natures and lack of self-control is a matter of habit, we shall be able to destroy habits much sooner than if we do not understand them. There are two elements which enter into the formation of a habit. The first is what might be called the law of periodicity, or periodical return, and the second is the initial impulse. The law of periodicity causes a thought or an act to be repeated within a determinate time. The intensity with which the thought was projected, or the act performed, determines the time in which the tendency to repeat itself will manifest.

Comments

[toni]

Hi Robert, I am trying to understand what you have said, but I am a little confused. For most of my life, I have not been in touch with my emotions, (maybe my aquarius moon?) I used to deny them so much that I was pretty sure they weren't there. For the past several years, I have been trying to get back in touch with my emotional nature. It's been working too, I'm not afraid to feel sad or mad or happy. And sometimes these are a bit uncontrollable. I'll be talking about a subject that is tough and maybe get all filled up with emotion and maybe even cry a bit. Do you think I'm working at a lower level and I shouldn't be feeling these things? Thanks for your input.

[Leana]

Hi Toni, I am curious to know a little more about an Aqua Moon. I know a person who seems to be always in control of his emotions, you even start to think that they have no idea what are emotions. Nothing is ever expressed, it's all done through "thinking", and through a logical mind...Could it be that Aqua Moons are a little afraid of their "hidden" emotions, if they have any?

[toni]

Hi Leana,
I can't speak for all aquarian moons, but for quite a while I was not really able to feel emotions. An habitual saying of mine was, "I think I feel... (happy, mad, ect.) I just wasn't sure what I felt. I think I was afraid to feel. (oops, there's that saying is again.) Who wants to feel sad or angry? It's a lot of trouble. Anyway, I've been trying to let more emotion into my life. Hoping I won't be so surpressed.

[Leana]

Thanks Toni. I think that's exactly how he feels...

[Robert]

Hi Toni and Leana - I also have a Moon in Aquarius. Great position for dispassion and genuine caring friendship, but often there are misunderstandings because others want us to be touchy-feely when we're being genuinely caring in other ways. We're very much in touch with our emotions, but being a Fixed sign don't feel particularly like adapting our forms of nurture to others' sense of things. The Moon needs stability, and Aquarius provides this within a constant sense of the higher ideals of humanity. Yes it's detached, but so what? We ALL have Aquarius somewhere, and that's where our detachment naturally manifests. Taking a detached and somewhat objective approach to emotions and emotional issues is NOT a pathology.

Denial of feelings is natural for us all at certain points in our lives. The trick is to know what and when to deny, and what and when not to. Too much sorrow is crippling to humans, and I'm not in agreement with most modern psychological theories about over-emoting being a healthy thing. While it's good to name what we're feeling, it's also important to remember that we can change our habits and our way of experiencing things, which means saying goodbye to old feelings. After we have begun to practice letting go of old feelings, it is NOT helpful to reaffirm them, reexamine them, and try to embrace the odd notion that once enslaved by behaviors that we remain enslaved by them. Knowing what's done is done is NOT denial.

Always good to get in touch with our feelings, since once we've experienced all there are to feel, then we can shape our emotive responses wisely based in our experience. We can then be caring to others in ways perfect for the moment without getting distracted by others' dysfunctions or fears. Sometimes feelings are hard to control, and those are moments to evaluate whether we're experiencing something genuinely deep, or just a lack of self-control for whatever obvious or subtle reasons, also providing useful grist for the mill of Soul evaluation.

Crying is a good thing for all kinds of reasons; many with strong Pisces do cry for different reasons, whether relief of tension, genuine gratitude, awe and wonder at the Divine workings beyond our comprehension, or even tears of grief that honor the love we share with departed loved ones and dashed hopes and dreams. Feel whatever you will, and remember that you are an Eternal learning about what feelings need elevating to a higher level, and which ones are not helpful at all. Denial of the power of hatred and fear to affect us negatively is a good thing. The lower is the vehicle of the Higher, so to me this is a generic human issue of us trying to understand this miracle we call human existence. There are many ways and things to feel. To master this existence is to feel and express the right things in the right way and time perfect for our part to play in our world. Everything else is illusion.

[toni]

Thanks, Robert. As always, your response takes some thinking about. I think it is profound in many ways. I'm cutting and copying it for future reference. Thanks for your words of wisdom. I'm trying to find the right path that my soul wants me to travel; I'm trying to learn what I need to in this lifetime, and you are one of the nice teachers.
Thanks.

[Nav]

Hi Robert, I'm a scorp-sag, 19/11/78. Life has been hectic lately, can you please give me any kind of advice pls.
thx

[Robert]

Hi toni - Sure. My stuff usually yields more and more insights each time you check it out, so enjoy! And really - thanx for the compliment. I do try to remember that civility and gentleness are just as important as power and efficiency.

Hi Nav - Saturn has been square you Sun, reminding you of what's important and what isn't. Hectic lately can be any number of causes, existential as well as practical. Since you are in your Saturn return, check out my article on what you're confronting by referencing "Saturn return" in the site google box at the upper right side. That would be a good place to start.

[Aditya]

Hi Robert

The last time you answered my query, I had a feeling that you thought I was heading on a different route. Is there something I need to be vary of as I start my journey into the unknown? What should I do or not forget about as i enter into this phase of my life.
I apologize if i sound stupid but I feel that you have the answer. I am getting mixed signals from everything including myself. Can you suggest on a mantra I should focus on while I meditate?
I have not meen meditating of late and need to get back into it.
I hope you can help.
Namaskarams

[Robert]

Hi Aditya - You don't sound stupid. Try to stay grounded and organized, learn to enjoy the process as you move through the stages. "Aum Mani Padme Hum" is the Universal Mantra to calm the mind and achieve focus while opening to the Universal process of emergence, fulfillment, reabsorption, and quiescence as prelude to the next cycle of manifestation.

Mixed signals are frequent as we navigate the fogs and illusions of 3-dimensional life. You can also observe what is coming into the life, what is sustaining you, what is leaving, and what is eternally true, and then observe the observer, remembering the True Self never falls into dualistic confusions. Just love, breathe, open, contemplate things as interconnected wholes, and detach while moving through the changes.

Remember the Ultimate Self dances with the Leela of existence, and there is no need for worry or fear as we become our Higher Self. See how your body, feelings, and mind are working together or not, and gently but firmly exercise self-control to love and bless your process of coming from the unreal to the Real, from darkness to Light, and from death to Immortality.

[svetlana]

Dear Robert!
I am very thankful for your giving know how to correct habits:) Sometimes the lack of will power seems not an issue of priority (as they joke,if you have will and power,why you have no willpower:(
But I noticed that the lack of self-organizing takes away your energy.esp.when you have to get switched from what you like to do to what you are obliged...

[Robert]

Hi Svetlana - Well, the author of "The Magic of Space" is a very evolved Master, so I have no doubt that His suggestions could prove useful in mastering this worldly realm.;-) And of course, if another has the power to make us lose our cool, then we have given up dominion of our vehicle and allowed another to be able to enslave us in a bad habit, if only for a minute.

[Wild Horse Running]

Dear Robert,

This article appears this morning as I finally see more, of the old and the impulse that has
repeated and attracted those to me, that I have allowed to utilize Power and Control over me.
Passive-aggressive behavior...jumping through hoops....and an inability to express anger in
the moment....fear issues. Have started breaking through, and expressing my true feelings, in the
moment, and not hiding them
and as I do, I am hearing the hidden triggers around me more and more...not just concerning me,
but others. This is just what I needed today....thank you!!!

"R-E-S-P-E-C-T..."find out what it means to me"......

[Robert]

Hi WHR - Glad you're realizing what you must about the nature of power and the usefulness of control. Very glad you can know what you feel. Now you just need to remember to take the high road whenever and however possible, while honoring your warrior spirit. Previously hidden triggers always reveal power when they can be observed and transmuted consciously.

[Layli]

Ah, the Magic of Space... I can't wait until I get my hands on this...

[Dorin]

Every morning after I wake up I remind myself that I'm mortal.That reminds me that TIME is the most precious acsesorie that I've got.Every second goes by.It's gone.I never get it back again.Than I think to myself what are the most imporant things for me in this lifetime.What do I have to do to feel contemt.And that's what I do.I do the best for me so I can be at my best for the once that I care for.Happy is relative like everything elese exept the unavoidable death.For me happy is 100%self control that helps me to make my own destiny.For that I need to keep my emotions balanced.That I call real power.I heard and believe that the greatest master is the one who can master himself.Waiste your time and you'll waiste your only chance you get to truly live. Make your choice.