ANGER — Michael
How amazing was anger then. How beneficial was it. How warm, fuzzy and comforting did it make us all feel?
On a flight back to New York from Seattle, I watched 2 movies, ‘Captain America Civil War’ and ‘Batman Vs Superman Dawn Of Justice’. More than all the action, explosions and superhero mystique, something in these two movies resonated with me. I was fascinated that both movies dealt with Anger; with individuals who were going through anger because of grief and loss; in both cases the loss of family.
This was an anger that brought about the ‘need’ and desire for blind vengeance and revenge. This anger was a contagious cancer that spread from the movies antagonist and contaminated the heroes. Heroes who, with all their immense power, were not immune to anger; they too had unhealed scars that were waiting to be torn open.
These scenarios brought up quite a reaction in me. These movies were mirrors to our society. I realized how anger driven our cultures are. How people hold onto their anger and clutch it close to their breasts. Like a security blanket or Teddy Bear. Anger is so intensely warm, sharply fuzzy, full of purpose, and recognizable like a dear old friend; and just like a dear old friend Anger does not like to be betrayed. Forgiveness is the greatest betrayal one can bestow on anger. If you do not maintain anger, then you are doing a disservice to what made you angry. It is a vicious roller coaster ride. However, roller coaster rides are only really fun at amusement parks.
Anger has been a staple of human civilization for as long as bliss has existed. It has been around for as long as crops could fail, and chickens were erroneously counted before they hatched. Why? Because there has always been more seemingly to be angry at than to be happy about. Watching the news, you will see this, 40 minutes of things to anger you, and 5 minutes of something silly to smile at.
In spiritualism we are taught to seek bliss; constant linear bliss. To be in a state akin to Buddha or Christ. However, we do not live in the wilderness 2000 years in the past. We live in an intense hyper-stimulating world that is constantly throwing scenarios toward your faces. We are told to turn the other cheek, to ignore and internalize but not taught to actually deal head on with the sting of the wasp on our backs when we are in a blissful state. Ask yourself; when the wasp stings, do you accept the momentary pain and let it move over and through you or do you internalize the pain. If you bump your head on a wall, do you curse the wall. “I’ll get you wall … I shall make you pay.”
We all, for the most part, know the premise of Star Wars. Those who do not know, there are the Sith and Jedi; The gist is the archetypal and ‘eternal’ story of yin and yang. Ego versus selflessness. Angels versus Demons. Jesus [NOT God] versus Satan. The Sith draw their power from anger. Anger brings strength. Anger brings adrenaline. Anger has seemingly immediate consequence and result. However, this result and consequence come at a price. The Sith are always deformed and have bad dental hygiene, are blinded by their ego and betray each other. The Jedi are peace and tranquility. Not love by the way; it is messianic path, the path of solitude. The problem with tranquility however is that for all intents and externally superficial purposes it is observation-ally boring. There is no drama or conflict in tranquility. There are only winners. There are no losers. Our society is based on a foundationary need for there to be losers and winners. We want our team to win. If a city must burn, better theirs than ours. If we are living in a society weaned on conflict, one wonders what is this proliferation of conflict doing to us on a cellular level?
A cellular level? That may sound crazy, but anger is passed on generationally and cross culturally. Hitler happened because he was so very angry. He never let go of his anger and here we are today still TRYING to pick up the pieces of that brief, VERY brief, moment in time. How amazing was anger then. How beneficial was it. How warm, fuzzy and comforting did it make us all feel? Think of all the people who never grew up to possibly cure cancer or solve mathematical problems that might have taken us to the stars already. Think of the art, books and innovations that we will never get to see. That is the byproduct of anger; not creation and evolution but digression, destruction and pain. None of these things will cure diseases; they do the opposite.
We all feel anger possibly every day for whatever reason. Be it a spilled or crappy latte, a traffic jam, the news or the alarm going off just as you FINALLY achieve REM sleep. In a world of 7.7 billion people who are doing their own thing and in an environment that is not always copacetic with our beliefs and intent this is not surprising. The issue however that arises is how we deal with that anger. Does it become a Giant Woolly Mammoth frozen in the glacier of our psyches or do we accept it as just being a moment in infinite time that has already passed on?
I am not standing in pontifical glory on my Olympian perch expounding on how one should not feel anger or how one should be non responsive to external stimuli. As I stated before we have all grown up cultures of anger, drama and conflict. As active people who want to be social and do things and meet new people and go exciting places, we are opening ourselves up to not just bliss and satisfaction but anger and all the other things that escaped from Pandora’s Box. The real focus here is how do you deal with it. How do you not let stubbing your toe, ruin your entire week? How do you not let interacting with a negative person who showered you with angst, give you ammunition to pass that same energy onto everyone you interact with later that day.
There are many ways to not become a victim of the Darkside. The first foremost in my opinion is to not internalize. Do not hold onto anger like it is your soulmate. LET IT GO. Understand that it is a momentary reaction to stimuli and move on. Listen to calming music, do breathing exercises, look at a silly cartoon. Write about how you feel. Talk to someone. Go for a run. There is so much that can be done to regain bliss. So many activities with which one can dissolve the feeling of anger. So many nonviolent solutions. The basic key is to let it pass over and through you, like radiation and when it has passed you let yourself appreciate the beauty that is inside of yourself and allow yourself to feel happiness and be open to love and bliss. Beauty needs you and will appreciate your presence more than anger ever will. Always remember that. If you let anger overcome, overwhelm and encompass you, you will not see all the beauty, love and reasons to be happy that surround you.
Don’t postpone joy. Anger is just another sensation in life and not a destination. Enjoy the blessing of this journey that we are all so lucky to have been given.
Cue music [Three songs here]: listen to these.
This Article Was Written by Michael. A Platform Writer For Party Girl Yoga This Season. Check Back Here Next Week For More Articles Written By Michael! #konguloproun Follow Him on Instagram! IG: @konguloproun
