through the mind that egoistic thoughts filter through to the spirit and
end up confusing you. Thought in itself is not bad, only when it
oppresses feeling. When thought is in harmony with what one feels it is
a valuable tool in the service of feeling, so that feeling is transformed
into a loving act. The problem in your world is that you have been
taught to think without feeling, and, not having the inspiration of
feeling, thought is put to the service of egoism. Evolution in love also
happens by learning to model thought with the will of feeling, and not
with that of egoism.
I don't understand what you mean. Could you give an example?
Of course. Imagine that you see a person that you dearly love, that
you are a man and she is a woman and that you haven't seen her for
a long time. The feeling that you have for this person makes you feel
joy and the need to express to her how much you love her, by giving
her a hug. However imagine you are beside people with sexist
prejudices who do not agree with close friendships between people of
different sexes and that you know that later they are going to criticise
and slander you both. Being aware of this objection, you change your
mind and oppress your feelings in such a way that on seeing the loved
person you express indifference for fear of what they will say, and you
only shake her hand in the correct way.
In this case thought, motivated by the mental analysis of the situation,
has changed the feeling, that is to say, oppressed it, as the initial
feeling was of joy and after mental reflection remained as
indifference. This is an example of how thought oppresses feeling.
But I understand that in the situation that you have given you should
also be prudent because if you love the person you could place them
in an awkward situation when you express yourself unnecessarily. You
can find a more appropriate moment in a less inquisitorial atmosphere
to do what you feel.
Certainly. Being prudent is a virtue. You must use prudence to respect
the free will of others, because often your opinions will not be
understood or respected. But you must try to be careful not to disguise
fear with prudence. Prudence moderates action when circumstances
are not propitious, but does not smother feeling. Fear does. If fear
seizes you, you will repress the expression of feelings even in situations in
which there are no real threats or adverse circumstances; because
now fear sees to it that that threat is converted into reality in your mind.
Repression begins the moment that you inhibit yourself from making
decisions regarding your own life for fear of the reaction of others.