0 responses to “There are in actuality only four overwhelming states (for we have in potential all states – in fact, there is a theory that all animals exist within potential in the same dna; what we do know, is the difference if someone develops into a male or female is simply a couple of chromosomes) Now though we may have all potential, we always exist primarily in one of four states – the first is the state of naiveté – this is when all things are good, life has not been challenging, overwhelming, dangerous, and hence in happy-go-lucky way, we pontificate etc. etc.; then there is the state of danger, we live like people in South Africa, and many places, unfortunately do, under constant threat of physical violence; the brain has no happy-go-lucky space, it sets up walls to protect the person from harm – every home in South Africa has a high wall with an electric fence; they aren’t racist but as I myself had to – they do it because otherwise your get burglarized! – this can also happen on an emotional level, when people live in societies that are harsh, so we erect psychological barriers, we tend to shut down our emotional faucet, as Dr. Twersky gave an example of one of his clients who after suffering the death of a good friend, he was distraught, but then suddenly o.k.; the problem is, he became emotionless – many many people are simply walking robots! then there is the state of anger; bullies, terrorists, radicals, antisemites, certainly Arabs fall into this state; this is when not only are you emotionless, but you are also bitter, you feel “it isn’t fair!” – you rage against the injustices of the world; you consider yourself a vigilantly (as no person really thinks they are evil but like hitler did “ridding the world of evil”) – then there is the very rare state of truth – when you a. recognize these three stages, acknowledging that based on circumstances, all of us can be provoked into any; but if you are even luckier, using the wisdom of Chassidus / Jewish mysticism, you learn how to overcome fear, overcome abuse, trust in God and act solely based on convictions (for the previous three are really emotional reactions)”