Thought on a passionate life
Feb. 21st, 2006 06:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wendyzskiThe other day I was IMing with someone and I said something to the equivalent of "I prefer to be passionate about everything I do"
While I think I have a fine brain and I try to take it out for walks regularly and make sure it gets enough iron and stuff, I really feel that my instincts and emotions are just as important in the soup-that-is-me. Part of that is a matter of faith - passion can be our connection with the divine, no matter what name you put on it. Ecstatic experiences have been part of human religion for millenia.
I was raised Roman Catholic, which is inherently a religion of self-denial. While I do believe that it is possible to re-channel energy through self-deprivation, I don't believe that it's the only game in town. I prefer to celebrate my emotions and feelings as a gift of the spirit. Deep down, faith is a matter of emotion anyway - Despite centuries of evangelism, I don't know of too many people who have taken to a specific religion because of any logical argument (and people who insist on trying to do so annoy me fiercely - yes that means you mr leo)
Barring semi-intelligent design by the Great Spaghetti Monster or what-have-you, our emotions evolved right there along with our opposable thumbs. They are an essential part of the human condition, and deserve respect. Not total indulgence (though that is fun sometimes, you eventually get tired and sore) but worthy of just as much respect as a clear sparkling intellect.
Anyway, the flip side to this "do things you are passionate about" is that you should "be passionate about things that you do". I hate hate hate to do a crappy job of ANYTHING. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well, and fully.
So, I make sure that passion and sensuality have a place in my life. Mostly this involves paying attention. Really tasting food, wriggling on warm sheets just out of the dryer, stomping in puddles...Seeing what these things do to me and my feelings. If you don't make time to do this you'er just walking through your life, and you don't get a do-over.
(Well, actually I think that you do, but you usually don't remember it, so it sort of doesn't count, but that's kind of not the point I was trying to make...) Anyway, I believe that life is meant to be experiences, not analyzed from the sidelines, or looked at from the other side of a windowpane. Life is messy and funny and embaressing and sticky and yummy and EVERYTHING!
While I think I have a fine brain and I try to take it out for walks regularly and make sure it gets enough iron and stuff, I really feel that my instincts and emotions are just as important in the soup-that-is-me. Part of that is a matter of faith - passion can be our connection with the divine, no matter what name you put on it. Ecstatic experiences have been part of human religion for millenia.
I was raised Roman Catholic, which is inherently a religion of self-denial. While I do believe that it is possible to re-channel energy through self-deprivation, I don't believe that it's the only game in town. I prefer to celebrate my emotions and feelings as a gift of the spirit. Deep down, faith is a matter of emotion anyway - Despite centuries of evangelism, I don't know of too many people who have taken to a specific religion because of any logical argument (and people who insist on trying to do so annoy me fiercely - yes that means you mr leo)
Barring semi-intelligent design by the Great Spaghetti Monster or what-have-you, our emotions evolved right there along with our opposable thumbs. They are an essential part of the human condition, and deserve respect. Not total indulgence (though that is fun sometimes, you eventually get tired and sore) but worthy of just as much respect as a clear sparkling intellect.
Anyway, the flip side to this "do things you are passionate about" is that you should "be passionate about things that you do". I hate hate hate to do a crappy job of ANYTHING. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well, and fully.
So, I make sure that passion and sensuality have a place in my life. Mostly this involves paying attention. Really tasting food, wriggling on warm sheets just out of the dryer, stomping in puddles...Seeing what these things do to me and my feelings. If you don't make time to do this you'er just walking through your life, and you don't get a do-over.
(Well, actually I think that you do, but you usually don't remember it, so it sort of doesn't count, but that's kind of not the point I was trying to make...) Anyway, I believe that life is meant to be experiences, not analyzed from the sidelines, or looked at from the other side of a windowpane. Life is messy and funny and embaressing and sticky and yummy and EVERYTHING!
