Spiritual discussions and therapy don’t often cross paths. Doesn’t it seem strange they don’t cross? What do spiritual groups have to offer if they won’t accept pain and a need to heal? Platitudes maybe. They make statements implying they want to help and heal, but pain is somehow beneath them. Taoism teaches that our strength is our weakness.  Our points in which we can change.

I think society at large has a problem with sadness. I’m sure you would agree, they want to try to cure sadness. They want to get rid of it. Any negativity is perceived to have no place, and puts a person in need of “fixing”. Sadness is not evil. Sadness arises from cures. Sadness arises when we try to cure our life, because we are told we need to cure our life.

People want to medicate the brain rather than deal with the mind. Yes, I like that distinction. Medicate the brain and then dull the mind, and then have more reasons to medicate the brain. It’s good business for some. People sometimes describe me as being “enlightened”, and I don’t necessarily understand this, but some of my greatest teachers were sadness, anger, depression, despair, nihilism, and they have not locked me in. Knowledge and freedom can be found there. Are the people who criticise you for your negative feelings free of them?

If we learn from these things, we need not regret, because we are better for the experience. I whole heartedly agree. Even Jesus said “Let he among you who is without sin cast the first stone”. I may have paraphrased there, but often spiritual communities are like that. They are busy looking for someone to stone.

I try to draw upon ‘negative’ emotions, experiences, and parts of myself to help me creatively.  And also to transform them in the best way possible into something positive or joyful. Excellent, and I like how you put the word negative in quotes. Every emotion they praise has a dark tie, and together they are the passions. Tell me, have the dispassionate ever really changed the world? Healed anything?

They lack the motivation to do so. You need insanity to do great things? Arguably, yes. Even the Buddha was passionate. He was passionate that he would not be ruled by his attachments.

Insanity can be defined as a deviation from a well ingrained traditional norm. Yes, my “insanity” has a first name. It’s “autism”.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~