Just for today…I will not be angry

For me, this might be the easiest principle to live by. I’ve always quite disliked being angry. That’s not to say I don’t get angry, but when I do, I am quick to let go of the anger. Actually, many Reiki masters translate this principle as “just for today, I will let go of anger,” which I think better illuminates the fact that it’s a process, not a distinct event.

How do I let go of anger? First, I acknowledge that anger is a perfectly natural emotion, and I allow myself to feel angry, rather than denying it by stuffing the feeling down. Suppressing/repressing emotions does NOT get rid of them. It just stores them away for later, and if done on a regular basis creates a storehouse of unexpressed emotion in the physical and/or emotional body that could eventually lead to disease.

Second, I ask myself what exactly am I angry about? Did someone hurt me? Were my expectations not met? It’s important to realize that the cause of the anger is 100% internal. Take two different people and put them in the same situation, their responses might be totally different. It’s not the external stimulus causing the anger, it’s the internal response to the stimulus. In most cases, it doesn’t take too much thinking to figure out what has caused me to respond with anger. It’s reassuring to know that the anger is caused by me, because that gives me control over my own emotions, instead of handing that power over to someone else, or to circumstances.

Here is where forgiveness comes in. If someone has hurt me, or failed to meet my expectations, I can forgive them, and I can forgive myself for putting myself in a position to be hurt or let down. After forgiving, I can now let go of the anger, recognizing it as a passing emotional event, like a passing cloud on a sunny day.

So, as a Reiki practitioner, how do I deal with anger? I let go of it by taking ownership of my own feelings, and by practicing forgiveness. In my experience, the more I practice forgiveness, the easier and more immediate, almost automatic it becomes. And then, I simply let it go. I do not dwell on the emotion. If I find I have misguided expectations, then I   will put some thought into adjusting my expectations. If I was hurt, I can put some thought into how I can address the situation. And I can think of these things from a place of rational thought, unobscured by anger.

If anger is a problem in your life, there are many books and courses available that teach very simple but effective anger-management techniques to help you regain control of your life. Mindfulness techniques and breathing techniques are also both helpful for dealing with anger.

Namaste,
Pauline

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