Comment author: [deleted] 29 May 2011 01:00:34PM 3 points [-]

Great post!

As a reference, some hardcore meditators have tried a more extreme version of this under the name "Actual Freedom" with the goal of essentially eliminating all affect and ending suffering in that way. The name comes from this site, which originated the approach, but it's, well, a bit on the nutty side of the sanity spectrum. (I mean, just look at it.) Better information is available on the Dharma Overground, a meditation site run by Daniel Ingram who's been mentioned already a couple of times here.

As far as I understand Actual Freedom, the idea is basically to trace exactly moment-to-moment the emotional changes one is going through. That way, one can perceive exactly when emotions arise and they can be directly attended to and stopped.

I'm not endorsing this, but I thought that a more extreme view of this kind of method might be interesting. I'm mostly distancing myself because, even though some people seem to have achieved good results (e.g. Tarin Greco), almost all of them seem like nutjobs to me, but maybe they are really happy nutjobs. Also, they haven't yet managed to provide clear, comprehensive descriptions of what they are actually doing and attempts of doing in-depth discussions have so far led to a lot of internet drama.

Comment author: Jack_Smith 11 June 2011 09:24:46PM 0 points [-]

I'm mostly distancing myself because, even though some people seem to have achieved good results (e.g. Tarin Greco), almost all of them seem like nutjobs to me, but maybe they are really happy nutjobs.

Exactly. Other than Tarin, Trent, Stephanie and maybe Peter, others don't seem pleasantly normal to me at all. I'm glad that I experienced PCEs, else I would have easily turned away from Actualism with much haste as there is much to detest the way it is presented.

Comment author: Kaj_Sotala 30 May 2011 08:19:09AM 1 point [-]

That sounds bad. Wanting to eliminate negative affect I understand, but eliminating positive affect too sounds pointless and probably harmful.

Comment author: Jack_Smith 11 June 2011 09:20:41PM 1 point [-]

Disclaimer: I practice this method myself.

That sounds bad. Wanting to eliminate negative affect I understand, but eliminating positive affect too sounds pointless and probably harmful.

Although the end goal is that of peace and harmony as evidenced by the Pure Consciousness Experience, the method to get there requires seeing three kinds of feelings: good feelings, bad feelings and felicitous feelings. The intent is to minimize the good and bad feelings, and maximize the felicitous and innocuous ones.

Some examples of -

good feelings: love, compassion, sympathy, belonging

bad feelings: anger, fear, sadness, boredom, hate, loneliness

felicitous feelings: joy, delight, fun, marvel, wonder