03-23-2007, 09:41 PM
I don't mean an emotional state.
If seeing is direct knowledge, a state of knowing without a question of doubt, then I would say that perhaps feelings are a state that comes before that.
Feelings aren't knowing, they are just a gut feeling, but also they're also something that can be intentionally or unintentionally projected.
When don Juan is teaching Carlos to find a good spot to rest, he has him scan the area with his eyes but not look directly into it. He has him "feel" the area with his eyes, and pick a spot that has a "good" feeling, as opposed to a spot that has a "bad" feeling.
Like I was describing earlier with trees; I can't see, but I get the feeling that certain trees, and certain groups of trees have different feelings. I don't know how or why I feel these things, I just think that being open to their projections allows one to pick up on their feelings.
If I could see I would know, but I can only feel, so I just have to trust my feelings.
In relation to communication, the reason I mention picking up the feeling of trees is because they can't communicate with body language the way people or even animals do. You can tell when a person is feeling happy or sad without them telling you, but you can attribute this to they way their face looks, or the way they hold their body. You can tell when a dog is angry because it communicates in its own way that we can understand. With plants and perhaps insects and other more distant organisms or even the landscape itself, you can't use these same methods, so it seems a more direct way of using your feelings to detect their feelings.
If seeing is direct knowledge, a state of knowing without a question of doubt, then I would say that perhaps feelings are a state that comes before that.
Feelings aren't knowing, they are just a gut feeling, but also they're also something that can be intentionally or unintentionally projected.
When don Juan is teaching Carlos to find a good spot to rest, he has him scan the area with his eyes but not look directly into it. He has him "feel" the area with his eyes, and pick a spot that has a "good" feeling, as opposed to a spot that has a "bad" feeling.
Like I was describing earlier with trees; I can't see, but I get the feeling that certain trees, and certain groups of trees have different feelings. I don't know how or why I feel these things, I just think that being open to their projections allows one to pick up on their feelings.
If I could see I would know, but I can only feel, so I just have to trust my feelings.
In relation to communication, the reason I mention picking up the feeling of trees is because they can't communicate with body language the way people or even animals do. You can tell when a person is feeling happy or sad without them telling you, but you can attribute this to they way their face looks, or the way they hold their body. You can tell when a dog is angry because it communicates in its own way that we can understand. With plants and perhaps insects and other more distant organisms or even the landscape itself, you can't use these same methods, so it seems a more direct way of using your feelings to detect their feelings.