what are the ways in which we avoid catalyst?

[Dtris]

@sillypumpkims

I would say it is a misunderstanding.
The situation is not the trigger for the catalyst.
The trigger is the catalyst.

Catalyst is just another word for trigger.

I guess it has been chosen to indicate that its an event exterior or interior that is „inherently“ neutral (as opposed to labeling it negative just because it triggers a negative response).

It so to say catalyzes a process.

It implies that the event is not causing your emotional reaction but triggering emotions that have already been in you, just below the threshhold of your awareness.

It further implies that its about focusing on your response rather than on the trigger.
Usually we focus on the trigger

I strongly disagree with equating catalyst with "trigger" and I strongly disagree with the concept of "being triggered" or something being "a trigger". A trigger is something which has to be pulled to initiate a specific movement. If you have an emotional trigger you are saying you have something which can be pulled which will then initiate a specific response. The language treats the trigger as being something outside of self, the trigger is usually what is in some media, or literature, or conversation. The person or thing responsible for making the triggering material or remarks (or exposing you to the triggering material) then becomes responsible for your emotional state. The same as a person is responsible for pulling the trigger of a gun, or turning on a machine.

This is a way of offloading the responsibility for your emotional state onto other people. Calling catalyst a trigger then is the same as saying the catalyst is responsible for your emotional response. This way of viewing the world is one of separation. You exist in your sphere and other things outside of self can control the self, by pressing the right buttons and pulling the right triggers.

If you read a book such as "The Child Called It", you might be "triggered". Or you can more accurately say you "became angry/depressed/fearful". The difference is that when you "become" it is an action of the self, which can learn to be changed, and is the responsibility of the self.

Catalyst has the meaning in chemistry of a chemical which accelerates a chemical reaction. Ra was very specific in choice of words, and in this case I think catalyst was chosen to describe experience in general which is then used to do work accelerating polarization. We focus on the emotional part of catalyst a lot. However physical pain is also described as catalyst quite often by Ra and Don. More broadly any experience which causes a reaction in the body/mind/spirit complex can be considered a catalyst.