I think there are a few possible ways to deal with it (I haven't fully figured it out yet, but these are potential approaches):
1- Becoming extremely focused on an external goal. Adopting a mindset like "the purpose of my existence is X." When I enter this mentality, instead of evaluating my actions from an emotional perspective, I can look at them more mechanically as functional vs. non-functional. Emotions, thoughts, and desires become merely useful or useless cognitions. If a cognition is useful for my goal, I accept it; if not, I ignore it. This reduces the emotional weight of thoughts like guilt. (From a biological perspective, I'm relying more on task-related networks rather than the DMN.)
2- ZEN MEDITATION — SHIKANTAZA. With this type of meditation (after roughly 100 hours of practice), the perceived intensity of emotions starts to decrease. Especially with deep and prolonged practice, you begin to see that there isn't much in life that is truly worth taking seriously. You start to experience directly that emotions are essentially neural pathways shaped by natural selection, heavily involving limbic system activation. And when the limbic system isn't activated, it can feel like there is nothing truly worth doing in life. concepts like "purpose," "sacred goals," or "values" start to seem like just a few empty words. (Another way to observe this is in patients with limbic system damage and their loss of motivation, or even something like "post-nut clarity," haha.)
[[[However, I should add this warning: long-term and regular shikantaza meditation significantly reduces suicidal impulses or desires. There are a few possible reasons for this:
A- The emotional burden of negative states that lead to suicidal thoughts decreases. Even if you feel bad, you take those emotions less seriously and are less likely to prolong them consciously.
B- Dopamine receptors may become upregulated. Similar to a "dopamine detox," you start to derive pleasure from smaller, simpler things more easily.
C- Anxiety decreases. ]]]
3- Learning philosophies that frame death as something sacred and emphasize that human suffering is momentary—over in the blink of an eye—and convincing yourself of them. (I'm not exactly sure how to achieve the "convincing yourself" part yet, but once I figure it out, it will be AMAZING.)
1- Becoming extremely focused on an external goal. Adopting a mindset like "the purpose of my existence is X." When I enter this mentality, instead of evaluating my actions from an emotional perspective, I can look at them more mechanically as functional vs. non-functional. Emotions, thoughts, and desires become merely useful or useless cognitions. If a cognition is useful for my goal, I accept it; if not, I ignore it. This reduces the emotional weight of thoughts like guilt. (From a biological perspective, I'm relying more on task-related networks rather than the DMN.)
2- ZEN MEDITATION — SHIKANTAZA. With this type of meditation (after roughly 100 hours of practice), the perceived intensity of emotions starts to decrease. Especially with deep and prolonged practice, you begin to see that there isn't much in life that is truly worth taking seriously. You start to experience directly that emotions are essentially neural pathways shaped by natural selection, heavily involving limbic system activation. And when the limbic system isn't activated, it can feel like there is nothing truly worth doing in life. concepts like "purpose," "sacred goals," or "values" start to seem like just a few empty words. (Another way to observe this is in patients with limbic system damage and their loss of motivation, or even something like "post-nut clarity," haha.)
[[[However, I should add this warning: long-term and regular shikantaza meditation significantly reduces suicidal impulses or desires. There are a few possible reasons for this:
A- The emotional burden of negative states that lead to suicidal thoughts decreases. Even if you feel bad, you take those emotions less seriously and are less likely to prolong them consciously.
B- Dopamine receptors may become upregulated. Similar to a "dopamine detox," you start to derive pleasure from smaller, simpler things more easily.
C- Anxiety decreases. ]]]
3- Learning philosophies that frame death as something sacred and emphasize that human suffering is momentary—over in the blink of an eye—and convincing yourself of them. (I'm not exactly sure how to achieve the "convincing yourself" part yet, but once I figure it out, it will be AMAZING.)
