Reactive emotion (from GDP05 00:00:00.00 - 00:04:43.02)(download into iTunes)
Ken: Let's begin with any questions about the practice. No questions?
Student: A case of clear directions.
Ken: Pardon?
Student: A case of clear directions.
Ken: Oh dear, I'll have to muddy it up next time. John?
John: Is pride an attribute?
Ken: Pride isn't. Pride is usually regarded as an emotion. Why?
John: I'm just trying to figure it in a more positive way, it's almost like arrogance.
Ken: Yeah pride, arrogance.
John: But you're not really suffering from it. [Laughter]
Ken: Most of the people I know who are proud aren't suffering from it at all.
John: That's what I'm saying.
Ken: Most of the people I know who get angry don't suffer from it. Everybody else does. That's the characteristic of a reactive emotion. You're discharging the energy so that you don't get to feel it--everybody else does. That's why you're expressing it, so you don't have to feel it. So what's the question behind all this?
John: Well, I got totally thrown off this morning when I came in for an interview and...
Ken: Well who, who did that? [Laughter]
John: That's because you turned it around a bit.
Ken: Yes.
John: Something that was more, that I [unclear]
Ken: No, keep going: this is important.
John: I'm trying to think of what I can...how I started out because I...you ended up saying you wouldn't deem to even consider that those people were effecting you.
Ken: That's right.
John: And deem that your own self-interest that's provoking it or your own "self-betteration".
Ken: Yeah, if you're proud, right, and some little pip-squeak takes issue with something that you've done, does this affect you?
John: Yes.
Ken: I mean if you're really, really proud and even if someone has the temerity to speak to you, which they shouldn't, of course.
John: Yeah, I get that.
Ken: What's the awakened quality here?
Student 1: Vajra pride.
Ken: Yes, but what's the specific quality?
John: Dignity?
Ken: Close.
Student 2: Equanimity.
Ken: Yes. You're not disturbed by anything. Good. Bad. You sail through it all. Everything's the same. So live proud.
