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sunshine

OT: fear & apprehension

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A happy Hi all you acupuncturists and herbalists and interested...

 

just studying a script by the Oriental Institute which talks about the Seven Passions:

 

2 listed are: fear and apprehension

 

looking up my dictionary it seems that they are quite similar... but a difference seems to

be implied

 

would be glad about clarification from the English-speaking crew

 

thankx

 

:)

 

Harry

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apprehension implies an uncertainty that can apply to both good and bad situations. it is usually linked to being nervous about an upcoming event. fear, certainly in the Dzogchen view point, will be involved - but it is by far a less strong an emotion than fear (as described below) itself.

 

fear, as it is commonly used, is more about being afraid of something - the implication being that it is something that it can harm you (emotionally as well as physically). i also see it as something that you've learnt to be afraid of from previous experiences. for example, you may fear your boss because of previous unpleasant encounters, or you may fear heights because of a negative experience as a child (or you heard of someone else's negative experience and this in turn makes you apprehensive/nervous... or it can indeed make you fearful if this was someone whom you trusted implicitly).

 

a brief summary may best place apprehension as something you are unsure of, whereas fear is something which certainly brings up a strong emotion of not wanting to do whatever it is.

 

anyone out there which a differing viewpoint?

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apprehension implies an uncertainty that can apply to both good and bad situations. it is usually linked to being nervous about an upcoming event. fear, certainly in the Dzogchen view point, will be involved - but it is by far a less strong an emotion than fear (as described below) itself.

 

fear, as it is commonly used, is more about being afraid of something - the implication being that it is something that it can harm you (emotionally as well as physically). i also see it as something that you've learnt to be afraid of from previous experiences. for example, you may fear your boss because of previous unpleasant encounters, or you may fear heights because of a negative experience as a child (or you heard of someone else's negative experience and this in turn makes you apprehensive/nervous... or it can indeed make you fearful if this was someone whom you trusted implicitly).

 

a brief summary may best place apprehension as something you are unsure of, whereas fear is something which certainly brings up a strong emotion of not wanting to do whatever it is.

 

anyone out there which a differing viewpoint?

 

 

Not a trained OMD.

 

But I think that fear would be linked more to the kidney system and apprehension more to the spleen system - i.e. worry.

 

This differentiation is not my own but I remember hearing it from someone at a recent retreat.

dont remember if it was the teacher or students, many of the students are also studying Oriental Medicine or are already certified OMD.

 

Just chiming in cause I had a tidbit to offer.

 

Craig

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a brief summary may best place apprehension as something you are unsure of, whereas fear is something which certainly brings up a strong emotion of not wanting to do whatever it is.

 

Yes - I would say that my view of apprehension and fear is pretty much the same. Apprehension is uncertainty about some future event. Fear is a much stronger emotion and tends to be centered on the immediate situation. Also, I feel them in different places in my body - apprehension seems to be centered in my solar plexus. Fear seems to be lower down in my gut.

 

V.

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I'd agree that apprehension seems to me to be more time-constrained, that is - related to a future event or expectation.

Fear is more broad and general - not necessarily linked to any future or past event. Fear is more about immediate threat avoidance, apprehension more about future threat avoidance perhaps.

These are very loose and subjective distinctions - there's a lot of overlap.

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Thankx girls and guys for taking the time to be of help. Much appreciated :)

 

Craig. You are generally right. In modern style TCM worry is "connected" to Spleen while fear is "connected" to Kidney. The material I am working with is much more classical, referring to the Su Wen, one of the original acupuncture classics...

 

far still is "connected" to kidneys, but what they term to be connected to Spleen they call "reflection", which very likely can be compared to "worry" in a way.

 

Apprehension then they say as joy injures the Heart/Envelope of the Heart...

 

they further state:

 

"...apprehension over a sudden or unexpected event denotes the 'tension' of the mental energy. Thus an abruptly produced shock or noise can set in motion cardiac palpitations."

 

thankx again

 

Harry

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Pero, i'm afraid my knowledge of dzogchen is very small - though they are the first school of thought that i have come across that essentially strip most, though my understanding is all, negative and prohibiting thoughts down to fear. it's as if fear is the foundation of all limited thinking.

 

perhaps similar to the donnie darko view of fear and hope... two polar extremes out of which all behaviour stems.

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Interesting, I don't think I ever thought of it that way.

What is the Donnie Darko view? Was that a movie? I can't remember, just sounds familiar.

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indeed, a movie :) one i particularly enjoyed when i first saw it. the viewpoint of two polarities, in the film, is seen as too simplistic by the main character... and the way it is presented in the film is certainly done in a particularly evangelistical manner.

 

note that i used the example to explain a concept. my 'problem' (for want of a better word) with hope is that it encourages attachment to things that aren't as the individual wishes they should be. a sense of longing can be created. i believe that the dzogchen teachings inspire hope in a differing manner - by creating the notion that you can create your own reality, by this i mean ease your current anxieties/worries (which are essentially created by fear). the elimination of fear is therefore, in my view, the ultimate aim of dzogchen teaching - the ultimate fear of course being the fear of being yourself... returning to true nature... enlightenment etc..

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indeed, a movie :) one i particularly enjoyed when i first saw it. the viewpoint of two polarities, in the film, is seen as too simplistic by the main character... and the way it is presented in the film is certainly done in a particularly evangelistical manner.

 

note that i used the example to explain a concept. my 'problem' (for want of a better word) with hope is that it encourages attachment to things that aren't as the individual wishes they should be. a sense of longing can be created. i believe that the dzogchen teachings inspire hope in a differing manner - by creating the notion that you can create your own reality, by this i mean ease your current anxieties/worries (which are essentially created by fear). the elimination of fear is therefore, in my view, the ultimate aim of dzogchen teaching - the ultimate fear of course being the fear of being yourself... returning to true nature... enlightenment etc..

 

now this is beginning to have some vague vibrational correspondence to Almaas book on Essence that i am re-reading..sunshine.tune in please

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indeed, a movie :) one i particularly enjoyed when i first saw it.

 

Another Donnie Darko fan here! And I watched it twice, and understood it better the second time, though the shock value was greater the first time. I was shocked by the depth of it -- didn't expect it of a movie (of all things) at all, don't know of another one that tackles time so boldly and so "taoistically."

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Just looked at a review, looks very cool, have to check out when I get home. It got me thinking of Cameron though, with his rabbit pic... Should we be worried? :lol:

 

Sorry Harry for going off topic. :)

Something on topic, apprehension you say? Never heard of it. :lol:

But seriously, I thought it was something related to the authoroties, like being apprehended for a crime or something like that.

You mention reflection in connection with spleen.. I remember over-thinking as a possible problem for spleen.

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Another Donnie Darko fan here! And I watched it twice, and understood it better the second time

 

It gets better every time I watch it, the sort of movie you want to own DVD.

 

Sorry to break into the thread but if anybody has not seen this movie check it out :)

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So I just finished watching the movie. I don`t really know what to say. Great movie. And it almost got me crying at the end.

Mad World

 

Verse 1

All around me are familiar faces

Worn out places, Worn out faces

Bright and early for the daily races

Going nowhere, Going nowhere

Their tears are filling up their glasses

No expression, No expression

Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow

No tomorrow, No tomorrow

 

Chorus

And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad

These dreams in which i'm dying, Are the best I`ve ever had

I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take

When people run in circles it`s a very very.

Mad World, Mad World

 

Verse 2

Children waiting for the day they feel good

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday

And they feel the way that every child should

Sit and listen, Sit and listen

Went to school and I was very nervous

No one knew me, No one knew me

Hello teacher tell me whats my lesson

Look right through me, Look right through me

 

Chorus

And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad

These dreams in which i'm dying, Are the best I`ve ever had

I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take

When people run in circles it`s a very very.

Mad World, Mad World

 

Enlargen your world

 

Mad World

 

 

Lyrics from here.

 

 

Oh BTW, is there any particular reason this is happening in 1988?

Edited by Pero

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