THE 7 PLEASURES

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

All information in this article is for educational purposes only. It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

Pleasures can be of different types. This is important because some people that pleasures must be physical. This is not at all true. Here is how to classify pleasures according to the 7 system:

1 Level Pleasures - physical. These are pleasures that involve the five physical senses.

Examples. The pleasure of touching, seeing, hearing, tasting, warmth and other purely physical feelings. Activities include walking, running, skating, eating, sex, dancing, riding a bicycle or moving the body in any way.

2 Level Pleasures - emotional. These pleasures impact the emotions and are more than just physical sensations.

Examples. They are physical sensations, but they may cause a person to laugh, cry, scream of have some other emotional reaction. The brain interacts more with the sensation.

3 Level Pleasures – simple mental. These pleasures have a mental component, usually one that satisfies and builds up the ego self. The ego thrives on power, control and basic knowledge.

Examples. There is pleasure in driving an automobile or riding a horse, for example, because one is in control of a large, powerful object. There can be pleasure in mastering a technique such as swimming or even typing because it gives a person a sense of control over one’s life. Many people enjoy playing with a smart phone or with other equipment.

4 Level Pleasures - social. These pleasures involve other people in a social way, such as co-workers, family and associates.

Examples. There is pleasure just being with others in a crowd, at a party, at a sports event, or in an office. It is the pleasure of interacting with others.

5 Level Pleasures – creative expression. These have to do with creative effort or work or partnerships.

Examples. An engineer might derive a lot of pleasure from having designed a functional machine. Another person may derive a lot of pleasure from painting a portrait, organizing a home or office, building something or perhaps fixing a machine or device. This type of pleasure may have to do with teamwork at a job.

6 Level Pleasures - intellectual. These are pleasures associated with larger ideas, concepts, doctrines or principles.

Examples. Some people derive a lot of pleasure thinking about ideas such as environmentalism, capitalism, or concepts such as integrity, grace, faith, beauty, or something else.

7 Level Pleasures – spiritual or religious. These involve contemplating one’s connection with God, the universe or the High Self.

Examples. Many people enjoy just thinking about God, or about their connection with the universe, or with the divine, or with the spiritual world.

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