Anger and Energy

[Guest guest]

Usha wrote earlier today, "I apologize for the letter that Yvonne

wrote to you off-list. I am angry at her for writing this."

 

For whatever reason, this excerpt got me thinking about anger, and I

thought I would share a quick thought, for whatever it's worth. This

is not directed at Usha in particular, by the way; it is for anyone

who happens to find it and need it:

 

We should all strive never to be angry at anyone over anything.

 

That's it, really. Back when he was in Public Image Limited, the

punk-rock vocalist Johnny Rotten/Lydon used to famously

chant, "Anger is an energy!" But I've found that anger is an energy

that acts a lot like refined sugar: A quick burst of inefficient,

rapid-burning horsepower ... followed by a hard crash.

 

More to the point: ANGER is the enemy of sadhana. It will stop you

cold or send you off along unfruitful tangents. This I promise you.

Forgiveness is the cure. Love is the cure. That doesn't mean

inviting ill-wishers to stomp all over you; to harm you and yours.

It does mean trying to respect and understand and love them in your

heart, sending them prayers and energy and goodwill.

 

May I quote Sri Amritananda Natha in this regard? He teaches:

 

**********

 

"Judgments form the core of the structures of ego. Hatred, Doubt,

Fear, Shame, Aversion, Family, Race, Conduct: These eight passions

form the sub-structures of ego.

 

* We HATE something or someone who brings misery to us.

* We DOUBT if what is in front of us is good or bad.

* We FEAR animals or persons unknown to us, who speak a foreign

tongue.

* We are ASHAMED of doing things we really want to do.

* We develop AVERSION to things we judge as bad.

* We form the idea of our FAMILY and try to do everything for them.

* We identify with our RACE and pronounce others inferior or bad.

* We believe that we have to conform to the norms of CONDUCT without

questioning, for fear of punishment or rejection.

 

Thus we develop the emotions of Hatred, Doubt, Fear, Shame,

Aversion, Family, Race and Conduct, from trying to protect the ideas

of 'I' and 'mine'. These are the sub structures of ego. All because

of the nature of our sense-based information!

 

Ego is separation of the One Reality into two polar opposites:

Subject and object. Ego is illusion; illusion is based on sensory

information which filters reality. But Ego breaks down if:

 

1. We understand the nature of senses,

2. We understand the need to let go of our attachment to senses,

3. We train ourselves to work free of filters and limitations,

4. and finally, if we let go of our sense of limits by suspending

judgments.

 

All these are the objects of Goddess worship, and Tantra of

Lalitha.

 

This is exactly what Lalitha's form teaches us; she holds the five

senses in one hand and the mind which seeks them in another. "Mano

roopa ikshu kodanda, pancha tanmatra sayaka." Yoga is keeping mind

separate from senses, which bring in limited senses to couple with

unlimited senses. This is what we mean by saying that we die to the

profane world, to be born into the divine prospect of immortal

beauty."

 

**********

 

Amrita also said this: "The world is full of richness and variety.

The old religion is in fact the oldest religion there is. It is the

religion of love. When separation entered religion, it caused

alienation among nations. Alienation creates boundaries. Cooperation

is the real key-two heads are better than one, ten sticks together

are stronger than one stick. Cooperation. Resonance with nature and

environment. Harmony. Peace. These are human values approaching

divinity. Competition, struggle for success, fear of failure, loss

of face, frustration, anger, violence - these are neurotic, subhuman

values. They disrupt peace, stability, harmony, environment."

 

Words worth paying attention to -- if you've ears to hear them.

 

Aim MAthangyai NamaH