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I feel like I have no control over feelings that arise

Dude aren't you an avid meditator? You control your thoughts then, don't you?
By control I mean alter in some way according to your own conscious efforts. By that definition when you are counting your breaths and thoughts crop up during meditation you choose to keep counting and the thoughts go away. I'm not talking about rigid control, but you can definitely gently guide your thoughts along a certain way if you so choose.

Also, by studying you are controlling the thoughts you have regarding a particular subject, which may overlap and alter the thoughts you have in any number of other areas.
I hold that you can preemptively control your thoughts by conditioning yourself to think and act a certain way when a certain event takes place, that's not to say that it's guaranteed to think the "way you want" when the time comes, but it makes it easier for sure.

Are you talking about something different?

I tend to have some uncontrollable thoughts too, like sometimes I think to myself "what would realistically happen if I just slapped a guy at the bank?" often times when I get those thoughts they are far more violent than that example however. I just notice them and ignore them at this point, like you said, that's the best way to have them move on.
 
No, meditation isn't controlling your thoughts, or shaping them. When you say that, you assume that there are thoughts out there, somewhere, or maybe inside?--thoughts that one must struggle with to assert a dominance over to feel empowered or sane or enlightened.

Meditating is effortlessly letting these thoughts arise and dissipate like the wind blowing.

Typically, life is like swimming against a raging current-- it is only when you learn to let the stream carry you, that you get anywhere.
 
What I learned when I read about vipassana meditation was that you should not even attempt to control the feelings that arise. It's perfectly natural for all kinds of feelings to arise within you. What you should do is mindfully observe the feelings rising in you, existing for a period of time and then subsiding on their own as events unfold and require your attention and new feelings arise. Don't try to hold onto good feelings and don't try to avoid bad feelings. Accept that feelings just are and that you will feel them. They will come and they will go. Be mindful of them. Don't try to control them. You can't. What you CAN control is your BEHAVIOR. Focus on that.

Wow! That is an interesting concept. I have never heard of Vipassana before. I will check it out.
 
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The feelings that arise in YOUR body are YOUR feelings - what then is the "I" that has no control over the feelings that it creates in - and for - ITSELF?!
 
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