The use of "Darkside" emotions

One way to approach the idea is to view base instinctual drives are primary connections to the subconscious process, for example with strong fear eliciting flight, freeze or fight responses ones consciousness can reduce in a tunnel vision effect, time perception changes and eventually the subconscious takes over executive control entirely in that split second of urgent survival mode. A simpler version is a reflex, where your body is triggered to move by external stimulus, and a persistent example is the autonomic nervous system. In this model then a dark path could be seen as inherently self focused and working this particular avenue at the sacrifice of other parts of ones existence, while a light path instead is focused on a connected inner and outer balance. Then even the metaphorical crystal can be the pervading matrix of subconscious interface in ones path, and in the same way the saber the collection of mechanisms used to channel it usefully into the conscious experience - to better integrate the function and capabilities of the mind.

So in this regard the question of constructs of base emotions really fits into what those mechanisms are. Is seeing the world through blood filled eyes is just as haphazard as rose tinted glasses? Not if the glasses are external as these would seem to be more within ones power... but probably not as powerful. This doesn't mean the subconscious is the enemy!!! We'd be dead without it. For me I think the problem (and potential) lies in manner we associate to our subconscious. It's a powerful thing and will happily run your priorities for you if you let it, but often undermining your conscious will because it has its own priorities.... and it will grow stronger at every step if you reinforce it with rewards or constant effort to connect in ways which give it control. I know this is a dual mind view, but it seems to be representative of how things work on the ground in living life, but I wouldn't pretend its a rule or even representative of any particular neurobiology.

Then to address the OP I think the 'negative' emotions are used by those too weak to consciously manifest their own destiny, for whatever reason. There could be times when this is ideal, as there are plenty of times when that concept of weakness is directly related to survival itself, but in ongoing terms such as a 'path' the practice is a bit retrograde IMO. That said, I'd reiterate my earlier words here that IMO a Jedi path does work on that relationship - just not as the nexus in focus and especially not as terms of reference. All my opinion of course!

MadHatter wrote: The reason I regulate this opinion to Darkside only is two-fold. The first and most important is that I only wanted to address this one aspect in this thread. The second is that it's far more rare to do vast harm with "light side" emotions than it is darker ones. .

This idea that we have less control over what you label as our dark side emotions is an utterly false conclusion. There is absolutely no evidence that supports this assumption. Why would we have less control over some emotions than others? People use this as an excuse to do destructive things but in the end its just another pathetic excuse that people use to alleviate themselves from the responsibility of their actions.

In fact any emotion, when used improperly, can manifest what you would label as Dark side characteristics. This means love can be labeled as a dark side emotion if used destructively and hate can be labeled as a light side emotion if used constructively. So, as Triskkar says, these labels you have arbitrarily assigned to emotions are not accurate. No emotion in and of itself can be assigned such a label as dark or light, instead it is the mindset in which we use them that makes them productive or destructive. We as Jedi need to learn to control our mindset and in that we will learn control over every aspect of our psyche and thus be able to wield all our emotions (no matter what you call "dark" or "light") under the greatest of control for productive ends.

Isn't it actions attributed to the label which define it? One feels anger because one feels like doing (insert action) because of (insert reason). That to me would say you cannot split the actions from the label. But sort of agree Kyrin, but only to the point of the energy of that emotion, not it's manifestation as ideas which lets be honest is how we generally define the qualitative nature of an emotion. So sticking to the quantitative nature of an emotion I agree they are all without 'shades', but as soon as they are implicated with action can they really be isolated from those actions?

Our actions towards emotions are subjects of repetitive culture, environment and/or health related (anywhere from Mental Instability to red dye in food) These influences will determines how you will think and reason. A child from one home may learn to use anger as a reason to hurt and bully someone while a child of the same age and situation was raised in a different home might have been taught to acknowledge that anger and to go talk to a teacher about it. Of course the reasons and scenarios are vast and different for each person.

These trickle down feelings and thoughts as a result of >Insert Emotion< is not explicitly "Emotion" They are the after effects based on your own upbringing/conditioning/health.

Which is why as Jedi, we train how to handle it positively and in a useful, productive manner. But we should not be so subjective towards these Yang structured Emotions, we should instead learn to recognize, accept/embrace and respond in accordance to our situation and beliefs.

Any emotion, that is not controlled may be bad.

Emotion, yet peace. Does not say darkside emotions. To me, there are no "dark or light side" emotions. There are emotions. Emotions must be tempered. Self control and mindfulness help us to control any sort of emotional outburst, loss of control or extreme behaviour. Life in moderation is important. We do have a vent/rant topic in our forum because we do need an outlet for our frustrations.

For example: You could love someone too much. Stalkers? Murder suicides? These things happen from too much, uncontrolled emotional overload.

Our emotions are ways for us to express what we are feeling. Repressing them could cause more damage to ourselves or result in an explosion of emotion that we cannot control.

Strive to let your emotions out. Embrace them, control them, release them in a way that brings you peace of mind. Emotion; yet Peace.

Kyrin Wyldstar wrote:

MadHatter wrote: The reason I regulate this opinion to Darkside only is two-fold. The first and most important is that I only wanted to address this one aspect in this thread. The second is that it's far more rare to do vast harm with "light side" emotions than it is darker ones. .

This idea that we have less control over what you label as our dark side emotions is an utterly false conclusion. There is absolutely no evidence that supports this assumption. Why would we have less control over some emotions than others? People use this as an excuse to do destructive things but in the end its just another pathetic excuse that people use to alleviate themselves from the responsibility of their actions.

In fact any emotion, when used improperly, can manifest what you would label as Dark side characteristics. This means love can be labeled as a dark side emotion if used destructively and hate can be labeled as a light side emotion if used constructively. So, as Triskkar says, these labels you have arbitrarily assigned to emotions are not accurate. No emotion in and of itself can be assigned such a label as dark or light, instead it is the mindset in which we use them that makes them productive or destructive. We as Jedi need to learn to control our mindset and in that we will learn control over every aspect of our psyche and thus be able to wield all our emotions (no matter what you call "dark" or "light") under the greatest of control for productive ends.

I have never said or even implied that we have less control over these emotions. What I have said more than once is that the emotions I have labeled as such are more risky in raw form. More risky to just react directly upon without thought. I have said that emotions I labeled otherwise can be destructive but that its unlikely to be as destructive and that its less risky to just act upon with very little thought. Basically that is how I choose to separate the two. One set has more risk and requires more control than the other.

we can all agree that love is a "light" emotion, yes?

uncontrolled love can lead to possessiveness, jealousy, euphoria, ecstasy, etc...all of which can be very destructive/self destructive....

uncontrolled anger/hate/rage can lead to violence, psychotic/sociopathic behavior etc...also destructive/self destructive...

whether it's a positively or negatively perceived emotion, when uncontrolled it can be destructive/self destructive...

a "negative" emotion can still be put to constructive use when one remains in control of their actions ...it is not our emotions or our thoughts that make something light/dark, it is how we choose to act upon them that determines such...

if you cannot put your rage to good use, then do not use it...if you cannot prevent your love from becoming overbearing do not use it...restraint in all things.

Adder wrote: Isn't it actions attributed to the label which define it? One feels anger because one feels like doing (insert action) because of (insert reason).

I disagree that one feels anger because one feels like doing something, but rather one does something because one feels anger and wants to do something about it. Actions attributed to the label are less about the emotions themselves and more about not holding oneself accountable for one's actions due to how they feel. Awareness of the emotion at least elicits focus and thus the decision to go one way or the other. What someone does due to their feelings isn't necessarily a reason to call it anything but what it actually is. The actions are what define or label something as whatever shade one puts onto it. Turning it around to make a positive change in order to alleviate the feeling is, in my mind, a better way to handle it.

Indicators of possibilities, dangerous tools, and reserves of energy.

Emotions are neither good or bad. They simply are. How we use them, or in turn, let them use us, determines their useful or destructive properties.

Control. Control. You must learn control.

For the same reason that a hammer is not the same thing depending on whom is holding it.

As an after thought, feeling justified is not the same as being justified.

MadHatter wrote:
I have never said or even implied that we have less control over these emotions. What I have said more than once is that the emotions I have labeled as such are more risky in raw form. More risky to just react directly upon without thought. I have said that emotions I labeled otherwise can be destructive but that its unlikely to be as destructive and that its less risky to just act upon with very little thought. Basically that is how I choose to separate the two. One set has more risk and requires more control than the other.

I can understand what you are trying to say here. However what makes an emotion "risky"? Is it its potential for destruction? In that case I would be more inclined to go with Humes grouping of emotions into docile and Passionate aspects. (Don’t want to use passive and violent because that has leanings to dark and light) If we group emotions in this way then emotions like love and hate end up grouped together as they are both highly volatile emotions that both have great potential for destruction. That’s just one example.

For me, instead of viewing emotion in such a one-dimensional way by labeling each of them across the board as either “light” or “dark” I think it is way more important to recognize that every emotion is highly nuanced and actually exists at every point on this scale of “light and dark” we have invented. Even more to the point is that this “scale” does not really exist at all. It is not the energy of the emotion that is inherently productive or destructive, it is our approach in executing and acting on that emotion that makes it thus so. With this in mind all emotion loses the connotation of light or dark and becomes just another means that we use to interact with our environment.

A hammer used to build a wall has positive connotations and a hammer used to bash a skull has negative connotations. But it is not the hammer that is good or bad, light or dark. It is the intent of its use.