On the emotional plane, that which enslaves the individual and absorbs all his attention is excessive passion – passion in the broadest sense and not with only a sensual connotation.
Excessive, inordinate passion for anything shows a degree of imbalance within the emotional plane. For instance, when an overwhelming erotic passion for another person reaches a point where murdering this person is contemplated because of jealousy, we definitely have a disease state rather than a love state. Passion for a cause, even a lofty one, that brings the individual to the point where he contemplates destructive actions against others is definitely a diseased state rather than a justified idealism. A healthy state of the emotions never goes so far as to bring Ot Ë Mew Model For Health ana uisease about destruction, but rather tries to follow the “golden mean” of the ancient Greeks.
Fanatical and dogmatic attitudes that divorce themselves from logic and understanding show a degree of unhealthy emotional involvement that usually results in some type of catastrophe, either for the individual or for others. Passionately loving somebody may mean that the degree of attachment is so great that if the love is not reciprocated, the individual may commit some kind of crime (homicide or suicide).
We too often mistake our emotional needs and insecurities for real love and affection. The latter two presuppose giving without reservation. It is emotional attachment that constantly makes demands of others under the pretense of giving. Certainly, the opposite of passion – apathy – is no more desirable. Apathy is an extremely unhealthy emotional state, very much akin to the idea of death. What is desirable is a state of serenity and calm that is dynamic and creative, not passive, indifferent or destruc- tive – a state where love and positive emotions prevail, as opposed to hatred and other negative emotions.
In order to justify their origin and destiny, human beings have to transcend their animal nature and have to make conscious efforts to evolve, not so much in their physical body as in their mental and emotional spheres.
I believe that it is clear now that passion comes from weakness rather than strength on the emotional plane. Thus the definition for this plane should be: Health on the emotional plane is freedom from passion, having as a result a dynamic state of serenity and calm.