Time for change!
Try to imagine what would your day look like without irritability or anger? How many moments, days or even years have been lost in unnecessary grudges and resentments that seem to poison so many lives? So many lost moments could have been saved by a simple realization that anger is an emotion that can be transformed into a creative force and wisdom.
Anger is one of the most common and destructive emotions that negatively impacts our body and mind almost daily. At times anger may seem to give us a tremendous sense of power, but at the same time it undermines our happiness as well as happiness of others. Do you think that you get angry only with people? How about getting upset about the weather, or spilling your coffee just seconds before you have to leave the house? Or what about getting angry at your pets or your life situations?
Below are five simple tips for you to begin to transform your anger, and life, today.
1. Reflect on the Negative Effects of Anger - In order to increase our understanding of anger and cultivate inspiration to practice overcoming it, you will need to reflect on some of the negative effects of anger on the body and mind. Science has proven that when we experience anger, there is a poison, a toxin, that is released into our digestive systems. Anger increases the internal heat in our body and causes more wrinkles. On an emotional level, anger robs you of your joy and happiness. It spiritually weakens your connection with the Divine and destroys your relationships with others. Remembering these negative qualities, and knowing that when you are angry this is happening within you, will help you to overcome this harmful negative emotion.
Sit for a few minutes, in the morning, and think about how anger affects your body and the mind. What does your body feel like? Can you remember some signs such as rising heat in the body, tensing your stomach and muscles, clenching fists? What about your face? Did you feel the blood rushing to your head? You may also think for a moment how anger may have contributing to losing something precious in your life such as a friend or a partner or even a job. It is, after all, a painful experience.
2. Contemplate the Benefits of Overcoming Anger - The next step would involve contemplation on the benefits of mastering anger. By practicing patience, love and forgiveness, some of the antidotes to anger, you will begin to feel in control of difficult situations. One of the most important antidotes to overcoming anger is forgiveness. You must be able to let go of the past. It is detoxifying to both the body and the mind. Forgiveness helps to remove the burden of hate or pain. Forgiveness helps to release you from fear and showers blessings upon you. Forgiveness is like cold water to a blazing fire.
So in your contemplation of the positive effects of overcoming anger, what do you come up with? How can you forgive more? Who do you need to forgive? And make sure that you remember to forgive yourself for being angry as well. It’s not always about others, sometimes our anger is simply being able to forgive oneself from past wrongs. What other benefits will you develop when you overcome anger? The more examples you come up with, the more inspired you will be to slay this negative emotion.
Remember that every situation where irritability or anger arises, is in fact an opportunity to develop any of the positive antidotes – patience or understanding, kindness, love and forgiveness.
5 TIPS FOR ANGER MANAGEMENT
FOR THE ASPIRING YOGIS