The body itself is designed for pleasure. Value fulfillment seeks out pleasure. The entire idea of free will involves the making of choices between various gradations of pleasurable behavior. Value fulfillment even with the animals insists upon a qualitative enjoyment of life’s existence—one that automatically fosters a loving cooperation with the rest of nature as the individual follows impulses toward various kinds of pleasures. But the word pleasure often has a negative connotation to official morality. (Long pause.) If you follow the pursuit of pleasure in this creative manner, then you will automatically begin to discard faulty concepts of responsibility.

(9:20.) In the world of official thought, work does indeed seem to imply responsibility. It seems to many that left alone people would not want to work at all, and that people’s pleasures would lead them into frivolous behavior. In actuality, of course, people’s pleasure, if it were understood and pursued, would lead to far more fulfilling and productive work, or working lives, since individuals would automatically know how to choose productive activities that brought them pleasure, and that were then pursued for their own sakes.

(9:46.) At the same time, he recognized the excellence of our joint creativity. When you overstress the idea of responsibility, pleasure largely goes out the window, so he is now learning to redefine the term, “pleasure,” and to experience it in its many forms. He is learning to identify himself with his pleasures —a highly important point—one that, understood, can release triggers of healing energy and creative impetus.

[...] And I kept scribbling The Pleasure Principle in my small notebook. [...] In the bedroom for a nap I did another verse of the poem and suddenly understood that physically I’d gotten in the habit of identifying myself with pain instead of pleasure. [...]

Most of the material disappeared instantly, like some dreams, but I did remember that Seth told me to stress pleasure over responsibility and that thought was in my mind as I fell to sleep Friday PM.

Enjoyment instead of responsibility: I determined to try that out Saturday, and I did enjoy myself writing a new poem; the theme—pleasure! [...]

[...] Here I would like to speak instead of the pleasures of man, for one of the distinguishing characteristics of value fulfillment is its pleasurable effect. It is not so much that man or nature seeks to satisfy needs, but to exuberantly, rambunctiously seek pleasure—and through following its pleasure each organism finds and satisfies its needs as well. Far more is involved in the experience of life, however, than the satisfaction of bare needs, for life is everywhere possessed with a desire toward quality—a quality that acknowledges the affirming characteristics of pleasure itself.

In your terms, there is a great pleasure to be found in both work and play, in excitement and calm, in exertion and rest (long pause), yet the word “pleasure” itself has often fallen into disrepute, and is frowned at by the virtuous.

THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE.
GROUP DREAMS AND VALUE FULFILLMENT

(Long pause.) End of session, except to remind you that the dream message also reflects material that I have been giving you concerning creativity and the stressing of pleasure above responsibility. You paint because it gives you pleasure initially. You have the sessions together and you do the notes primarily because these endeavors bring you pleasure. [...]

I may indeed dictate a new letter to you (as Jane said recently), to make our position clear, but Ruburt’s main position is not one of service: it must be one of pleasure and creativity. Pleasure and creativity automatically and spontaneously alter the world for the better, without methods and even without effort. [...]

In the first scene of this dream you see a probable self, who could reasonably be expected to be the kind of son your father might have, gifted with his hands mechanically, assertive enough to own his own business, however—after all, a part of the American dream, embarked upon employment that he enjoyed, and yet one that provided a service, hence physically seen between the ice (and roller-skating) rink, representing pleasure or fun, and the grocery store, representing service or nourishment. [...]

[...] It is more pleasurable — though my ideas of pleasure have changed some since I was a physical being — being more rewarding and offering far greater opportunities for creative achievement.

Permanency and stability basically have nothing to do with form, but with the integration of pleasure, purpose, accomplishment, and identity. [...]

[...] It’s a pleasure.”

(Long pause.) While you and Ruburt embark upon a resolved path of getting to the bottom of Ruburt’s difficulties, it is highly important that Ruburt in particular increase his experience of pleasure, and his concentration upon it, so that pleasure can counter any other emotionally distressful feelings that may emerge along the way.

[...] While these must be uncovered, they should be balanced by a new determination to seek out pleasure (emphatically) — the pleasure will help couch the fears.

(5:09.) When people become ill, worried or fearful, one of the first symptoms of trouble is a lack of pleasure, a gradual discontinuance of playful action, and an over-concentration upon personal problems. [...]

This retreat from pleasure begins to cut down upon normal activity, new encounters, or explorations that might in themselves help relieve the problem by opening up new options. [...]

Ruburt’s dream was excellent, showing that he is now making the best of his past, rediscovering playful beliefs — the trinkets — and sources of pleasure and activity. [...]

There are other people who firmly believe that the pursuit of pleasure must lead to pain, and there are also others for whom pain itself is pleasure. [...]

At first thought, it certainly seems as if people love life and fear death — that they seek pleasure and avoid pain.

(This concerns my recent suggestions to Jane that she concentrate upon the beauty and pleasure of the moment; even when she is performing a difficult task, or finds herself brooding, etc. [...]

(In other words, when I tell her to live in the pleasurable aspects of a moment, I don’t mean for her to use this as a method of sweeping unpleasantness under the rug, etc.)

It shows a change of belief —being willing to bring the body physical pleasure instead of the Sinful Self’s idea of, say, penance or atonement. Pleasure is good for the body and the soul. Religions have been denying the right of the body to pleasure for centuries, so changes in those attitudes are significant. [...]

Then I bid you both a fond and somewhat pleasurable good evening. [...]

Rightness is indeed pleasure, yes. All pleasure—all true pleasure—is indeed right. However, pleasure in the terms of which I spoke referred, unfortunately, to a smug and rather unpleasant satisfaction at having attained a certain position. [...]

[...] He is right, but he is wrong in taking pleasure in his rightness. [...]

([Gene]: “What, pray tell, is rightness other than pleasure in the sense in which you used the term?”)

[...] Energy is active, positive, propelled by what can almost be called an instantaneous pleasure with itself and its characteristics.

[...] While there is indeed pain in the world, it is the miraculous principle of pleasure that propels life itself.

[...] The idea of identifying with your pleasure, identifying yourselves with your pleasurable feelings and emotions, is highly vital. [...]

Your natural sense of enjoyment and pleasure will lead you back to your “work” naturally and easily. [...]

[...] The focus upon the idea of pleasure will further alter the situation for the better, however, for again it inserts a different kind of focus. [...]

[...] Feelings of self-worth, self-esteem, and pleasure with one’s abilities promote feelings of well-being, health, and exuberance.

The session should, on its own, clear up some of Ruburt’s difficulties and increase his pleasures.

(Much louder and forcefully:) As far as your trip is concerned, concentrate upon the pleasures that are possible within it, so that neither of you manage to overstrain yourselves and forget the condition for one minute. [...] You should each be ashamed of yourselves for ignoring the abilities, the freedoms and the pleasures that you have, and instead concentrating on the one area in which lacks are apparent, while at the same time not utilizing the methods I have given you to fully help yourselves in that area—and instead focusing your imagination to continue the situation.

[...] You are each concentrating on negatives when you ignore the freedom that does exist, and denying yourselves pleasures that could help enlarge that freedom. [...]

[...] There is no reason why such a journey cannot be enjoyable, creative, healing, and bring you each great pleasure. [...]

[...] It is extremely important that he concentrate upon those pleasures of life that he does enjoy. Eating good food, experiencing, again, the joy of reading, the joy of creative thought, the pleasure of friends, and so forth, for those benefits will then be increased more than a hundredfold.

Ruburt receives esthetic pleasure from looking at the clean rugs or windows—a pleasure which actually encourages his creativity. [...]

[...] Your house is perfectly set up, however, so that if you wanted to it can be expanded to suit further needs: the large center portion (gesturing) serving as your communal living quarters—this area—and with some creative extensions you could have quite appropriate separate working wings at either end, providing you both with more work space, feelings of privacy, and esthetic pleasure. [...]

[...] Any small pleasures that she has should be used in an effort to involve her with pleasure. As much pleasure as possible must be given her to counteract the concentration upon hopelessness and disaster. [...]

[...] They are as important to the operation of that reality as electrons are to your physical one (long pause), providing inner pathways for the accumulation of wisdom and pleasure.

[...] The pleasure principle can probably be likened most to the latent appreciation of beauty that is everywhere apparent if you look for it: the ecstasy of each form of life for the wonders of its own existence, in which love’s values go beyond themselves, and yet a condition in which each species or life form “realizes” that its own fulfillment adds immeasurably to the existence of all other forms.

[...] It knows pain and pleasure. You grow toward pleasure. [...]