Page 35 - NAMAH-Oct-2018

Reversing anger through Integral Yoga

James Anderson

Abstract
The Integral Yoga has its own unique way of dealing with anger, as it does for all wrong movements. The ultimate
goal is to transform it. The immediate priority in this process, for the sake of our well-being, is to reverse it by
staying aligned to the Truth.

Anger is a hidden killer. It circulates in the Truth-Consciousness into every facet of daily
earth atmosphere and its seed is present in life. Every movement, however negative,
virtually all of us. It can destroy our well- has a truth behind it and this consciousness
being. When we are driven by this wild force, makes it take shape. Anger has its own
we lose contact with our centre and when it different hues and levels and every one of
is expended, our consciousness dumps down its gradations, including ‘righteous anger’
into an abyss. We are left exhausted, full of will one day be integrated within this
self-blame and stripped of all energy. Its effect Truth. Transformation over-passes every
is toxic on all it touches. predetermined boundary and is consequently
very much a long-term process. So reversing
“Yes, anger is a harmful and wasteful force, harmful anger is a more immediate goal and a very
both to the person himself and to the one on whom necessary stepping-stone in this vaster context.
it is thrown. You are right in saying that it must be The integral approach determines the whole,
got rid of. Anger immediately opens the door to so as our anger starts to reverse the nature
hostile forces; it is as if you were calling them (1).” changes too. It is something never addressed
and healed in isolation.
The usual answer in therapeutic circles is
to attempt to ‘manage’ anger; the reasoning The Mother has said that anger “… is always
suggests that this is something that can never a sign of weakness, impotence and incapacity
be truly conquered. Integral Yoga however (2).” However these words would be barely
aims at even more than vanquishing this recognised in the society of today. Anger has
formidable vibration. Its goal is always become a common way of ‘getting things
transformation; there are no half-measures. done’. It is viewed as an essential means of
This process involves the insertion of the exerting power. ‘This is what ‘I’ want!’ Anger

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