Section Headings [ Change in Terminology] [ Abreaction of Guilt] [ Abreaction of Pride]

[ End Stages] [ Universality of Abreaction] [ Examples of Abreaction]

In the previous chapter, I showed that an emotion can switch to its complement, or binary.

This switching is the essential ingredient in forming regular sequential flows of emotion. Some particular sequential flows are very important for understanding the formation of attitudes and beliefs, as well as shaping behaviour and relationships.

When we investigate empirically our range of emotions we will find that some emotions are linked together to form four kinds of invariable sequence, which are ways in which the unconscious mind operates. I discovered these sequences by empirical awareness, that is, by deepening my degree of self-awareness until I could detect the sequences simply by observing the changing emotions flowing through me.

However, empiricism by itself does not generate any explanations. I had to use my reasoning ability to understand the mechanics of the linkages. In other words, the sequences are discovered by awareness, but why and how the sequences flow as they do have to be understood by using one’s reason. So what I offer here is my interpretation of some ways in which the unconscious mind functions.

These invariable sequences can be called "laws" since they are invariable in their operation and are general to all humanity. These sequences, these laws, are four kinds of abreaction. Abreaction is the purging (cathartic) effect that the release of emotion gives. And the emotion that is released is anxiety. The four laws eliminate the anxiety that is attached to four other emotions, these being guilt, pride, narcissism, and jealousy. The four kinds of abreaction become the abreaction of guilt, the abreaction of pride, the abreaction of narcissism, and the abreaction of jealousy. Anxiety is released in stages, and up till now only a couple of of stages have been identified: these stages are those of excitement (in one law) and of tearful weeping (in another law).

I need to introduce a change in traditional terminology.

Up till now the terms "catharsis" and "abreaction" have been more or less synonymous. Since I need a new word to label the sequences, I have separated these two terms. I name the invariable sequences "abreaction", and restrict the term "catharsis" to the stage of excitement that begins just one particular sequence. Catharsis is now simply the first stage in the abreaction of guilt.

The four laws are four kinds of invariable sequence, which I label the abreactions of guilt, pride, narcissism and jealousy.

The next two pages describe the abreactions of guilt and pride, which are the two most common ones.
The abreactions of narcissism and jealousy can give rise to the experience of conversion, and are described on my websites The Strange World of Emotion and Patterns of Spirituality – see Links page for their addresses.

Copyright @2002  Ian Heath
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