Anger

Anger is one part of personality which we want to deny most of the times. It is that dark side of our own self which we try to hide from the world. While raising kids,  we try to teach them to give up the anger and solve conflicts with calm manners.

 

I think this is quiet right. Anger mostly makes things go worse. First and foremost it harms our own self. It causes many health related problems. It is a punishment which we give to our self for some one else's mistake most of the times.

 

Anger hurts people. Physically assaulting some one is not the only abusive act but the strong words as a by product of anger can be equally damaging. It affects relationships at times creating permanent gaps.

 

We also see many bad incidences happening in the world as a result of anger. Road rage causes so many accidents every day. The angry mob never has a compassionate heart. It causes damages without considering its fairness. Homicides, revenges and at times even suicides are caused by this anger.

 

In Hinduism, anger is rightly addressed as one of our "ripus" i.e. one of our enemies. It blocks our mind's ability to think rationally.

 

Even though, this is true, I still believe that anger is not entirely bad. Most of the times, it is the execution of anger which is bad. In fact, I would like to say that you are the force of nature when you are angry. Anger is an alarm to wake you up and to make you realize that the situation you are in is not OK. Wake up and do something about it. It's an emotion that inspires you to act. It provokes you to take a step ahead to make a change.

 

It is the anger only which gives rise to freedom fights, civil rights movements, women rights movements and so on. Without anger and discontent the victimized group keeps suffering for ages. It accepts the exploitation and discrimination as it's destiny. It's some one's anger only which inspires some one to rise against all odds.

 

But then comes the tricky part. Anger is like a weapon which can protect but also can kill. If energy or a force is used in constructive manner then only it can create, otherwise it can only destroy. Similarly, anger is one profound emotion that decides your destiny depending upon the route it takes.

 

If we take a charge of choosing this route then this emotion can become a tool to make a difference, at least in one's personal life if not in the world. Universe, nature or almighty, whatever one might call it, has given us a mind full of these emotions. Every emotion in our mind is so powerful that it is a source of energy in itself. Again this universe or almighty has been kind enough to give us a free will to make a choice regarding channelizing this huge resource of energy. It is up to us to choose the constructive or destructive path. Every path chosen also comes with it's consequences. Choosing a path to direct the anger constructively is never easy.

 

If it was so easy, there would not have been a need for so many anger management programs, medications, counseling, support groups etc.

 

Still I feel that life's experiences are our best teachers and our own mind is only the best supervisor of our mind. In a stressful situation, it's our mind only which can remind us that this is not a time to use abusive words, this is not the time to use our hands to destroy, it is a time to give reply to destiny by our hard work and strong willpower.

 

Training mind in such a way can be a hard task. I would love to hear from you the ways to do so. What does work for you in the moment of anger? Is it counting backwards? Is it meditation? Please feel free to share.