[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Negative Negativity

[Carolyn Gimian]

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

January 20, 2008

NEGATIVE NEGATIVITY

Negativity breeds tension, friction, gossip, discontentment; but it 
is also very accurate, deliberate, and profound. Unfortunately, the 
heavy-handed interpretations and judgments we lay on these 
experiences obscure this fact. These interpretations and judgments 
are negative negativity, watching ourselves being negative and then 
deciding that the negativity is justified in being there. The 
negativity seems good-natured, with all sorts of good qualities in 
it, so we pat its back, guard it, and justify it. Or if we are blamed 
or attacked by others, we interpret their negativity as being good 
for us. In either case, the watcher, by commenting, interpreting, and 
judging, is camouflaging and hardening the basic negativity.

 From "Working with Negativity," in THE MYTH OF FREEDOM and the Way 
of Meditation, page 93. Shambhala Library edition.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used 
by permission.

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Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications,  the Archive of 
his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
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