CCC, to continue discussing this matter on this thread would be unfair to Dan and the others interested in AF so I'll respond to what you've said here then I suggest we carry on the discussion privately or at least in a more appropriate thread.
What part of what you've said do I consider flawed? I'll show you what I mean.
But emotions (feeling bad) comes from the subconscious mind, which doesn't respond to logical rational thought
Emotions aren't only the product of the "subconscious mind", can you define your use of the term further? In basic psychological terms the subconscious is only part of the strata of "mind" immediately below waking consciousness, to explain the process of emotion in these terms limits proper exploration of the mechanisms through which we experience "emotion". It's not that the subconscious mind can't respond to rational thought, it's just less effective than using symbolic or metaphorical language since this is it's 'native tongue'.
Anyone with a phobia knows full well how silly and counterproductive their reaction is, and yet knowing this at a conscious level doesn't help them
Dealing with a phobia requires a realignment of the individuals response to stimuli, this involves an incremental process where the person is brought closer to, literally and psychologically, the stimuli which invokes that particular emotional reaction. Knowing a phobia at a conscious level is essential to treatment as it's this level where the reaction manifests.
CBT people use almost an identical approach with the question: "is this useful?". It's obvious that it's not useful, and yet the critical message doesn't reach the deeper levels of the psyche where it can take effect. Wouldn't it be wiser to devise some sort of strategy to counter 'feeling bad' that uses symbolism, sound/rhythm, imagery, behaviour or feelings?
I can't even begin to tell you how far off you are in your understanding of the area you're claiming knowledge of. CBT has as much to do with AF, or enlightenment for that matter, as bricklaying has to do with quantum physics. Sure you could find ways to interpret either within the other but it would be the product of your own desire to make it fit. "What the thinker thinks, the prover proves", as Robert Anton Wilson said. No, it wouldn't be "wiser to devise some sort of strategy...." as these are only temporary coping mechanisms, sleights of mind which do not address the source of suffering and will not reduce it at a fundamental level.
The answer to the question "are you feeling bad?... why?" is always to do with desire ("I can't/won't get what I want"). If you "drill down" through the thwarted desire, the core belief at play is always to do with lack of self-worth ie. "I'm not good enough".
No it's not. How can you possibly reduce the infinite variety of human experience to that? Yes, the need/want is part of the duality which creates fundamental suffering as we look for something "other" to make us feel complete, but the psychological process you're referring to is of an entirely different level of functioning.
This is best treated by behaving as if the core belief isn't true. I'd suggest that anyone having difficulty with applying AF try this approach. It works.
How is this "best treated"? On what do you base your assertion? You'd suggest than anyone having difficulty with applying AF try this approach but, your own admission, are not pursuing AF, and are not applying the techniques used? In that case, how do you know it works? What works? What is the outcome you're referring to?
Everything I say is from personal experience and practice. Some of it is originally learnt from books, some of it I came up with myself. What's wrong with that? Are you suggesting that learning things from a website is somehow a better approach? Is that what you do? You criticize my not practising AF/meditation and for offering a psychology-based approach. There's a very good reason for me having this angle, and that is that a lot of people lurking here suffer depression (which they sometimes dress up as Dark Night to make it sound more acceptable to the ego). Creating a strong sense of self is necessary for this. I don't believe anyone has ever got to no-self without first having a strong sense of self. My writing style in here does have a very forceful tone, and i'm not quite sure where that comes from because I'm not that way on other forums. But I will try to offer what i have in a more gentle way in future.
There's nothing wrong with trying to help, but don't sit there and claim you know best when you clearly don't. Yes, I am criticising your lack of practice in AF/meditation as without this you have no right to offer advice on technique, a purely psychological approach
will not work in vipassana or AF practice. You're trying to deal with the technique of attaining pure consciousness devoid of self so how would analysis of a psychological process, a process which relies on there being a seperate self to examine, be of use here? In a PCE there is no self, no mind, no emotion so how can you possibly get there through currently used psychological techniques?
A strong sense of self is necessary, I agree but, from a vipassana point of view, it means that we can clearly note the sensations which make up the sense of there being a self. While I also agree that some people may dress up depression as Dark Night, for whatever reason, there's a difference between the two which only experience will show you. I know this because I spent a long time as a dark night yogi and have been treated for clinical depression as well, so while dark night can mimic depression they can be examined as two different sets of sensations once we're more familiar with them.
Look, I left my first reply because I, and no doubt countless others, have tried a purely psychological approach to understanding reality and found that it always comes up short so I would like to suggest, not tell you, to try exploring other avenues of experience too. I said that I mean no offence to you and it's unfortunate that the limitations of writing, for me at least, mean that I too can come across as being forceful or like I somehow know better than anyone else which is far from the truth. My only wish is that you find freedom from suffering, the same as I wish for every single person, in this lifetime. How you attain this is up to you but you won't find it in a book, forum, website or anywhere outside of your current experience of being.