If it feels good, do it!

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 07 Dec 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

jmd	07 Dec 2003
Given a recent event in Australia, I was reflecting on what has become somewhat of a catch-phrase in both 'magical' and new-age views. 'If it feels good, do it' In so many ways, I am so much in agreement with the statement - but absolutely NOT in the way it has so often been taken. There is no doubt that as one reflects and senses into the situation at hand, and the inherent goodness is felt, then to go ahead and do it seems the right thing. This is quite different to 'if it feels enjoyable, engage in it!'. 'If it feels good, do it!' requires that one take the time, makes the effort, and opens oneself, to what it is of the task or situation at hand - and determine its healthiness - its goodness, its 'rightness'. It seems to ask of us that this be entered not from prejudices, but for its own intrinsic merit... So how to relate this to Tarot? Similarly. For a deck, if, as one senses into it, it is felt that it leads to greater health, that it brings wholesomeness, then obtain it and use it. For a spread or reading, if it leads to health, narrate it...

dadsnook2000	07 Dec 2003
jmd, I agree with you. "If it feels good, do it" and its opposite, "If you don't like it, stop" have to be applied with a sense of honesty and respect for yourself and for others. It's really at the core of "spirituality", IMHO. Once you "know" something, you have to act on it. You can't ignore it. That is how we truly grow. "If it feels good, do it" is much like that in that when we sense a goodness or rightness for something, than we can trust it and accept it. Applying the phrase loosely to momentary satisfaction is just cheating yourself if doesn't serve a purpose or if it hurts someone. Dave.

isthmus nekoi	09 Dec 2003
Ah, jmd this reminds me of Thelema.... "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law" and "Love is the Law; Love under Will". The key elements in doing what feels right are responsibility and respect. w/o these two, the whole concept goes very awry. In doing what feels right you must purge yourself of what Crowley calls the "lust of result" or what I'd say is the "lust of reason" (reason in its empirical, moral and cause-effect senses) or else all you're doing is negating the ego instead of aligning it w/the Self.

lunalafey	09 Dec 2003
isthmus nekoi You said it with "The key elements in doing what feels right are responsibility and respect." I'm for 'feels good' if it comes with the right intentions..... this is where we get into selfish and sefless and what harm could it cause down the line? if it's a matter of how you shuffle your cards- hey- if it feels good, then it is right for you. But if beating your dog makes you feel good because it gets your aggerssions out.....NO....I know it's an extream example...... It's too easy to 'run away' with a saying that works in specific ways- *SIGH*.... humans

skytwig	09 Dec 2003
Oh, but i must interject an Existential perspective here....... I love Existentialism, primarily because it seems to be an intellectual manifestion of preservation of life itself, of humanity in particular. I just watched a disturbing news piece about the 311 boys.... a street gang that makes videos of beating the cr*p out of innocent victims..... They LIKE violence. One sociologist pointed out that these boys, out of all the things they could videotape, chose violence!! It was so disturbing. I know you weren't promoting doing what one wishes without a sense of responsibility, but i wanted to explain why i really don't like that phrase. I prefer The Wiccan Rede: "An it harm none, do as ye will. "

Bluemanticore	10 Dec 2003
Skytwig, I agree with you. "If it feels good, do it!" is a bit problematic IMO, because what is good to one person is bad to another. "An it harm none, do what thou will" works better for me, because I think it is easier to agree on what will be or will not be harmful to a person. There is no gray area regarding what will hurt someone as there is in judging what is good or bad to a person. The first usually gets decided logically while the second gets decided more along emotional guidelines. Anyway, so long as whatever it is you want to do won't hurt anyone, be it you or another person, it is okay to do then. BlueManticore

The If it feels good, do it! thread was originally posted on 07 Dec 2003 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.