The Seasonings of Our Lives

As I continue to read and study -- using materials both in print and on the internet -- I've come to believe that one aspect of the human psyche is getting a bum rap: emotions. Many contend that it is our emotions that move us farther away from Tao, nature, the universe or god. It is often argued that by eliminating our emotional selves we can better achieve oneness, nirvana, heaven or enlightenment.

But our emotional sides are part of our brain chemistry! It would be like suggesting that people quit utilizing their limbs, tongue or ears. Emotion is part and parcel of being human and, I dare argue, it may well be part of being a sentient creature.

In Taoism, we often point to nature to provide clues to the way the world works. My pets -- both dogs and cats -- show emotion regularly. My dogs get excited when they THINK they will get to go on a run or a ride in the car. They show sadness when this turns out not to be the case!

When I'm suffering from one of my frequent high pain days, our animal companions sense this and, in their own way, offer sympathy. Dylan (elder cat) hovers around me and is never far away. He tends to nap with me which he almost never does on those days the pain is far less. Princess (dog) too keeps a close eye on me and goofy Jaz tends to be a lot less goofier when it's apparent I'm not feeling well.

When Heidi (very old dog) was alive, she went into obvious mourning and depression when her two buddies -- Becca and Scruffy -- died. She moped around for quite awhile and didn't begin to snap out of it until Jaz had been part of the family for a month or so.

Many of the wild creatures who frequent our locale exhibit behaviors that border on emotion too. When our feeder is dry, the hummingbirds buzz all around me, trying to point out I need to refill it. Once I have complied, they buzz around in an altogether different manner as if doing a merry jig! In their own way, I think they are expressing delight!

The point I'm trying to make here is that, from my observations, many aspects of nature exhibit emotion or something that approximates it. So, if birds and bees can show happiness or anger, why should these be off limits to humans?

I would argue that emotions themselves are not the problem; as with all things Taoist, the key is balance. When we able to balance our rationality, spirituality and emotions (though I recognize none of these truly are distinct things), this is when we gain wisdom and, possibly, enlightenment.

As I've mentioned before, I'm considered the soup maestro of our household. You will frequently find me busy in the kitchen preparing my next creation. Besides the decision of which vegetables I will feature, one of the most important decisions concerns the seasonings to be added. Mess up on the seasonings and a great soup can turn into a mediocre or wretched one.

In order to accentuate the soup, it is of paramount importance that the seasonings blend into the flavor. In this same vein, musicians or singers blend their instruments and/or voices together to produce harmony. If garlic or the altos are too strong or too light, it can throw the entire ensemble out of balance.

Our emotions function in much the same way as seasonings in soup or musicians performing music. As long as we keep them in balance, we are that much more likely to find internal harmony.

In my mind's eye, emotions are not the bogeyman. They make our lives richer. Where we get ourselves in trouble, however, is when we allow them to take over the soup or the song. When this happens, we find ourselves seriously out-of-balance and, unless we rectify the situation, the soup will be less than palatable or the song will sound like a cacophony of disconnected chords.