Can we really trust our feelings?

Sure, as long as we are conscious of their true origins. And even if not, sometimes we can trust, other times no. Feelings are odd things. They can come out of nowhere, or they can be highly circumstantial — like the rush of extreme fear when a bear jumps aggressively from behind a tree. They can also be mysterious "gut feelings." Usually, we have some awareness of their unconscious underpinnings. We sense whether a feeling is a solid "gut" instinct, something "creepy," or simply "good" — as in, "I just liked that guy; there was something about him that made me feel comfortable and trusting."

But . . . and it's a big "but," we know we have to be careful. The guy or gal who sweeps us off our feet on a first date needs further scrutiny. We have all fallen into that pit, haven't we? It is a deep, dark chasm, and usually very difficult to climb out of. Did you ever wonder why, back in the day, marriage engagements often lasted what seemed an eternity? There were many social and cultural underpinnings, but one major reason was simply to get past the "swept off your feet" syndrome — to make what was largely unconscious, conscious.

So, what's the big deal? If our impressions of things and people rely too heavily on feelings — especially when we are not conscious of their origins — we can end up in serious trouble. Most of the time, it doesn't really matter what our feelings are about other people. We see an actor we like or meet someone in the grocery store we immediately dislike. Actors don't matter much in our daily lives; their entire craft is built on creating impressions based on unsubstantiated feelings...<<<Read More>>>...