Anger

[Guest guest]

One obstacle that really bothers all of us in our

path of sadhna is Anger. All of us desire to control

it, but find it difficult to do so, when the moment

comes. We know not what we do in anger. Only when our

anger subsides, and we get back to our senses do we

realise, what we have said or done, and repent for it. We

regret having said what we said, or having done what we

did. We could have avoided the untoward effects if

only we didn't get angry at that moment. In fact, we

might have gained something if we kept our cool. Hence,

we all want to control our anger. But how

?<br><br>Before looking at how to control anger, let's have a

look at anger in general and its forms. We'll later

look at the philosophy, causes, ill-effects, and

finally the control of anger.<br><br>Anger And Its Forms

:<br>------------------------<br><br>Arjuna said:— Impelled by what, does man

commit sin,

much against his wishes, O Varshneya, compelled as it

were, by force? Gita Ch: III-36.<br><br>The Blessed

Lord said:— It is desire, it is anger born of the

Rajo-Guna, all devouring, all sinful; know this as the foe

here (in this world). Gita Ch. III-37.

[Guest guest]

svcs,<br><br>I could not agree with you more

about anger. Further, the anger when left uncontrolled

long enough turns to fear because of what anger can

do. It is a viscious circle which only saadhanaa and

positive rienforcement thourgh love can break and

destroy.<br><br>vicki

[Guest guest]

Is anger a learned response to negative stimuli, or is it some sort of deep down

human response to a threat to ego?

[Guest guest]

we take ourselves ( our ego ) too seriously and

as a consequence, give our ego importance. A person

who constantly reminds himself that he is not the

ego, but the universal and strives to see the

multiplicity as one, will eventually overcome the anger,

greed, lust, pride, envy and hatred, the six headed

demon.<br><br>regards<br><br>arun

[Guest guest]

Anger is not necessarily a response to negative

stimuli. It could arise from neutral or positive simuli.

For eg. If someone told a terrorist to fill his heart

with love, he'll get angry.<br>Hence, anger is neither

a response to a negative stimulus, nor a response

to a positive stimulus. <br><br>It is our own

desires, or notions when not fulfilled or contradicted,

that gives rise to a response called

anger.<br><br>Hari Aum !!!

[Guest guest]

Thanks svcs for continuing on this topic of

anger. <br><br>Anger is a natural part of human beings -

the small ego selves that is. It usually arises when

it’s expectations are not met. Expectations about

others, about ourselves, the shoulds, and shouldn’ts,

that we have been conditioned with. We are conditioned

with a variety of expectations – what one should say

or do; judgments, about what is good or bad, right

or wrong, etc etc. When our expectations are not

met, we respond with anger or some other form of anger

like irritation, annoyance, resentment etc. - some

form of unhappiness because we are conditioned to

expect what we think we need to get. Once we get to the

stage where we have removed from ourselves every drop

of anger, we are well on our way to

Self-realization. <br><br>Till then, we have to work with what we

have and forcefully suppressing a natural aspect of

ourselves only complicates the process. Try not thinking of

a pink elephant!!!! We can use various tools of

practice to cope with the presence of such negative energy

within ourselves and as we continue sadhana (spiritual

practice), such issues gradually drop away from our energy

sphere. So aside from using meditation, chanting, mantra

sadhna to remove anger, we have to work on removing our

expectations from the world around us. Desires drive us, but

if they are coupled with attachments and

expectations then that becomes a stumbling block. <br><br>HOW

we express that anger is, however, more of a learnt

behavior. We may be born with certain vasanas and

samskaras, (attitudes and desires) but what we are exposed

to and fostered determines how we deal with it. If

we learnt and have been encouraged to suppress

anger, we show it in various underhanded (passive) ways;

if we learn to do so by throwing things around or

hurting other people, we do so accordingly. <br><br>Anger

in its various forms can be a positive force, if

channeled appropriately. As long as we are in our bodies,

if we redirect our senses and emotions towards our

spiritual growth, it becomes an instrument for our journey

“home”. (Of course I am not talking about totally

realized people, I am only talking about those who are

still enroute!) Unless we are upset, outraged or

“angry” about injustice, we will not be moved to fight

for various issues. Anger drove the civil rights

movement, freedom movements in many ex-colonies, or reform

in the governance of many aspects of a country.

Whether it is reforming the health care system to include

more holistic approaches, or change jails systems to

do more than just incarcerate offenders, some form

of anger against injustice fuels all such movements.

<br><br>Sadhana or spiritual practice includes the goal of being

“in the world not of the world”. To me it implies we

do what we have to, to redirect our ego centered

tools of living into actions and practices that take us

closer to realizing our True Selves. <br><br>_/\_ Tat

twam asi<br><br>Uma