03-11-2010, 05:08 PM
I really like this metaphor, and I'd missed that session before. Thanks, P, for bringing it up here.
I have some fun exploring these ideas. Everything I suggest here is tentative. Others might enjoy revising my approach.
Here are some examples of Albert Munsell's 3D color wheels using hue, saturation, and monochrome value:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munsell_color_system
http://www.applepainter.com/
As a cylinder, colors are plotted using three coordinates.
1. The more intense the color, the closer it is to the outside perimeter. Less intense colors are closer to the central core. The central core ranges from pure white to pure black through neutral grays.
2. The height along the central core indicates overall brightness, from pure black to pure white.
3. At any particular height, radial angle indicates the basic hue, going through the spectrum.
How could we apply this metaphor to particular "colors" of emotions?
Saturation is easy. Just as with a color, the more vividly a particular emotion is felt, the greater the saturation. In the Munsell model, this means that the color is located at a greater radius length away from the central core. These colors provide the most dramatic example of a particular color, the greatest contrast between a black/white scale and the intense fullness of a vivid color.
In our universe, the emotion's intensity is farther away from the perfect unity of the Infinite, a more vivid contrast of experience and/or catalyst.
Some emotions close to the central pillar, not very vivid: Annoyance, boredom, apathy; but also, many meditative states.
Highly vivid, saturated, intensely colorful emotions:
Affection is closer to the center, love is more saturated.
Rage is more saturated than hostility.
Awe is more saturated than curiosity.
Angst is more saturated than worry.
For the vertical dimension, perhaps we could use a scale of aspiration, or a sense of a future. At the bottom, pure black, is the abyss of feeling certainty that nothing more could exist than one's own most miserable moments in this lifetime. At the top, pure white, is the certainty that each moment of life is part of a much larger voyage through the densities and evolutions of the soul. In the middle would be a focus on the day to day, with some belief in a greater context.
Misery is low on the scale, focused on the present while withdrawn from contemplation of the future. Depression is even lower, withdrawn from even focusing on the present.
Revenge is higher than annoyance - it involves more planning ahead, which requires faith in a future one could influence.
Remorse is higher up than shame. Shame is about how bad one is now, and the wrongs of the past. Remorse is about building a better future in which amends are made for one's mistakes.
Now for the angle at each of these stacked planes. At one extreme, maybe 0 degrees (at the top, while looking down), the focus is entirely on one's own personal, selfish concerns and individual existence. At 180 degrees is service entirely to other-selves, without regard for one's own individual lifetime. This could be a Y axis for a plane on which the color circle sits for each height. For the X axis, how about whether the emotion involves bringing something towards oneself (90 degrees, right hand side) or pushing something away from oneself (270 degrees, left hand side).
Close to 0 degrees or "north": Devotion. Love. Dedication. Awe. Determination.
Close to 180 degrees or "south": what is just for oneself, without any regard for others. Low height: to be selfish. High height: Withdrawing for rejuvenation that empowers further service, as with Jesus retreating to the wilderness.
Close to 90 degrees, right side or "east": what can be brought towards oneself, for either one's own benefit or for others. Wonder: it's not a problem if other people have the answer too. Happiness (mild) to bliss (saturated). Contentment (mild) to delight (intense). Hope. Enjoyment (mild) to euphoria (intense). Low height: merging with just this moment. High height: merging with eternity.
Close to 270 degrees, left side or "west": what can be pushed away from oneself, equally for one's own behalf or for the benefits of another. Introspection, as in my desire to "take out the trash" of my past conditioning, so I can think more clearly and make better choices. Anger, getting rid of something, breaking it so it can't have further influence. Loathing (mild) to horror (intense). Frustration, wishing to dispose of obstacles - north to clear obstacles for others, south to clear obstacles for one's self. Disapppointment (mild) to disgust (extreme). Dislike (mild) to contempt (extreme). Boredom, whatever blocks opportunity for enjoyment. Low height: pushing something away for now - no thanks, I'm full. High height: increasing the separation between self and what's rejected, with an intention that this be a choice for eternity. I will not eat them, Sam I Am!
Between self-interest and drawing closer:
"Southeast": bringing something towards oneself, perhaps at the expense of others. Affection, to have the object of devotion for one's self. Curiosity, drawing closer to enjoy learning. Sadness, resisting a loss to one's own hopes. Desire (mild) to lust (intense). Low height: something appealing to personally have now, perhaps limiting other's access; the bird that pecks away the other birds. High height: something to hold close for eternity, perhaps limiting others' access.
Between other-interest and drawing closer:
"Northeast": drawing in something for the benefit of others. Science, investigations shared to benefit others. Accepting suffering as a way to demonstrate Christlike compassion. Pity, compassion, love, empathy. Grief, wishing that one could continue to draw close to the departed beloved. Low height: get something to help for now, such as a bottle for baby to stop crying. High height: Accepting the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune for the eternal benefit of others.
Between self-interest and pushing away:
"Southwest": pushing something away for one's own benefit. Annoyance, prefer to not have an influence present; more intense, indignation. Apathy, rejecting the moment (mild) to angst, rejecting life and hope (intense). Worry (mild) to anxiety (intense). Surprise (mild) to shock (intense). Rejection of suffering. Embarrasment and guilt (mild) through shame (intense), rejecting something considered intolerable about one's self. Dislike (mild) to hysteria (intense). Envy, dislike of another's claim to an apparently limited resource. Low height: pushing something away for just the moment, perhaps merely because startled. High height: pushing something away for eternity, as with the STS desire to reject the green ray's open-hearted acceptance.
Between other-interest and pushing away:
"Northwest": pushing something away for the benefit of others. A soldier's work of conquering threats or securing the borders would go here. Penitence, regret (mild) to remorse (intense): turning away from evil so that others can be blessed rather than hurt. Low height: shooing away a pesky fly. High height: In the Gita, Arjuna setting aside family bonds and a history of devotion in order to do his eternal duty.
I have some fun exploring these ideas. Everything I suggest here is tentative. Others might enjoy revising my approach.
Here are some examples of Albert Munsell's 3D color wheels using hue, saturation, and monochrome value:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munsell_color_system
http://www.applepainter.com/
As a cylinder, colors are plotted using three coordinates.
1. The more intense the color, the closer it is to the outside perimeter. Less intense colors are closer to the central core. The central core ranges from pure white to pure black through neutral grays.
2. The height along the central core indicates overall brightness, from pure black to pure white.
3. At any particular height, radial angle indicates the basic hue, going through the spectrum.
How could we apply this metaphor to particular "colors" of emotions?
Saturation is easy. Just as with a color, the more vividly a particular emotion is felt, the greater the saturation. In the Munsell model, this means that the color is located at a greater radius length away from the central core. These colors provide the most dramatic example of a particular color, the greatest contrast between a black/white scale and the intense fullness of a vivid color.
In our universe, the emotion's intensity is farther away from the perfect unity of the Infinite, a more vivid contrast of experience and/or catalyst.
Some emotions close to the central pillar, not very vivid: Annoyance, boredom, apathy; but also, many meditative states.
Highly vivid, saturated, intensely colorful emotions:
Affection is closer to the center, love is more saturated.
Rage is more saturated than hostility.
Awe is more saturated than curiosity.
Angst is more saturated than worry.
For the vertical dimension, perhaps we could use a scale of aspiration, or a sense of a future. At the bottom, pure black, is the abyss of feeling certainty that nothing more could exist than one's own most miserable moments in this lifetime. At the top, pure white, is the certainty that each moment of life is part of a much larger voyage through the densities and evolutions of the soul. In the middle would be a focus on the day to day, with some belief in a greater context.
Misery is low on the scale, focused on the present while withdrawn from contemplation of the future. Depression is even lower, withdrawn from even focusing on the present.
Revenge is higher than annoyance - it involves more planning ahead, which requires faith in a future one could influence.
Remorse is higher up than shame. Shame is about how bad one is now, and the wrongs of the past. Remorse is about building a better future in which amends are made for one's mistakes.
Now for the angle at each of these stacked planes. At one extreme, maybe 0 degrees (at the top, while looking down), the focus is entirely on one's own personal, selfish concerns and individual existence. At 180 degrees is service entirely to other-selves, without regard for one's own individual lifetime. This could be a Y axis for a plane on which the color circle sits for each height. For the X axis, how about whether the emotion involves bringing something towards oneself (90 degrees, right hand side) or pushing something away from oneself (270 degrees, left hand side).
Close to 0 degrees or "north": Devotion. Love. Dedication. Awe. Determination.
Close to 180 degrees or "south": what is just for oneself, without any regard for others. Low height: to be selfish. High height: Withdrawing for rejuvenation that empowers further service, as with Jesus retreating to the wilderness.
Close to 90 degrees, right side or "east": what can be brought towards oneself, for either one's own benefit or for others. Wonder: it's not a problem if other people have the answer too. Happiness (mild) to bliss (saturated). Contentment (mild) to delight (intense). Hope. Enjoyment (mild) to euphoria (intense). Low height: merging with just this moment. High height: merging with eternity.
Close to 270 degrees, left side or "west": what can be pushed away from oneself, equally for one's own behalf or for the benefits of another. Introspection, as in my desire to "take out the trash" of my past conditioning, so I can think more clearly and make better choices. Anger, getting rid of something, breaking it so it can't have further influence. Loathing (mild) to horror (intense). Frustration, wishing to dispose of obstacles - north to clear obstacles for others, south to clear obstacles for one's self. Disapppointment (mild) to disgust (extreme). Dislike (mild) to contempt (extreme). Boredom, whatever blocks opportunity for enjoyment. Low height: pushing something away for now - no thanks, I'm full. High height: increasing the separation between self and what's rejected, with an intention that this be a choice for eternity. I will not eat them, Sam I Am!
Between self-interest and drawing closer:
"Southeast": bringing something towards oneself, perhaps at the expense of others. Affection, to have the object of devotion for one's self. Curiosity, drawing closer to enjoy learning. Sadness, resisting a loss to one's own hopes. Desire (mild) to lust (intense). Low height: something appealing to personally have now, perhaps limiting other's access; the bird that pecks away the other birds. High height: something to hold close for eternity, perhaps limiting others' access.
Between other-interest and drawing closer:
"Northeast": drawing in something for the benefit of others. Science, investigations shared to benefit others. Accepting suffering as a way to demonstrate Christlike compassion. Pity, compassion, love, empathy. Grief, wishing that one could continue to draw close to the departed beloved. Low height: get something to help for now, such as a bottle for baby to stop crying. High height: Accepting the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune for the eternal benefit of others.
Between self-interest and pushing away:
"Southwest": pushing something away for one's own benefit. Annoyance, prefer to not have an influence present; more intense, indignation. Apathy, rejecting the moment (mild) to angst, rejecting life and hope (intense). Worry (mild) to anxiety (intense). Surprise (mild) to shock (intense). Rejection of suffering. Embarrasment and guilt (mild) through shame (intense), rejecting something considered intolerable about one's self. Dislike (mild) to hysteria (intense). Envy, dislike of another's claim to an apparently limited resource. Low height: pushing something away for just the moment, perhaps merely because startled. High height: pushing something away for eternity, as with the STS desire to reject the green ray's open-hearted acceptance.
Between other-interest and pushing away:
"Northwest": pushing something away for the benefit of others. A soldier's work of conquering threats or securing the borders would go here. Penitence, regret (mild) to remorse (intense): turning away from evil so that others can be blessed rather than hurt. Low height: shooing away a pesky fly. High height: In the Gita, Arjuna setting aside family bonds and a history of devotion in order to do his eternal duty.