It seems the theme of recent months has been anger, so we wanted to discuss it as it relates to yogic philosophy.
To paraphrase a teaching from Sadhguru: anger is simply a very strong system of likes and dislikes, and of other people’s tendency to do things that don’t fit our concept of the correct way to live. Since it’s so easy to become angry living in the world with these expectations, yoga philosophy suggests we let our anger become a meditation on the self.
Rage or aversion
When confronted with anger, we tend to react in one of two ways. We may become enraged and act out that rage, or we may feel a deep aversion, wanting to avoid the person, experience, thing or place. Unless we are facing abuse or bodily harm, the teachings recommend that we instead try to catch ourselves in the moment and practice acceptance.
Acceptance doesn’t mean settling. It means being present and seeing the reality of the situation. It is what it is. I am responsible for my reaction. How do I move forward responsibly? We harness the energy of anger for something efficient and effective.
Krishna’s teaching
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna tries to explain to Arjuna that even a war can be fought in the spirit of ahimsa, non-harming. One way is recognizing actions taken for the greater good. Another is the energy behind the action.
Have you ever spoken to a family member or friend with anger in your heart, only to want to pull the words right back into your mouth? Acting in anger, you receive anger back full force. You may have missed the chance to explain the deeper triggers behind your anger, and the result may have been far worse than the original thing you were angry about. Solutions are rarely found this way, and it can happen a thousand different ways in our lives.
When the yogi feels anger rising, subtle or overt, they try to catch it and ask, “Why?” Then they act from understanding rather than reaction. I can fight the same war two ways: with blind anger or with utility. The results, the karma, will be far different. One is far more effective than the other.
Equanimity starts on the mat
Peace of mind is important to the yogi on the path. That doesn’t mean ignoring injustice. It means creating change effectively, from a place of equanimity within.
That work starts on the meditation cushion or the asana mat. We come back to it over and over, because there we get to catch the mind and bring it back hundreds of times. That’s where equanimity, a sense of evenness, begins to rise. If I can see the reality of my body and mind in a pose, I can see the reality of my body and mind in an argument, a debate, at work or in a relationship.
The revolution we seek has to start from within, so it can be led with open eyes, a focused and even mind, and a deep sense of compassion: all things that rise from a steady yoga practice. Let anger be your meditation point to grow from. As you grow, so will the people around you, and the whole world will shift. The cycle has to be broken somewhere, and there is no better time than now.
