Our nation is angry.
Anger fueled by recent, violent events, the uncertainty of pandemic, being shut in and shut down. Small businesses failing financially or being violated by riots, to mask or not to mask, liberal versus conservative… We have of late, been estranged from one another, kept from the nurture of touch and close social connection. For many reasons today, we fear one another.
Anger rises from fear—society is ripe with anger, distrust, conflicting information—a hotbed for the ire of anger.
Yes, we are angry.
Anger, channeled in the right direction can be good— fuel for action—impetus to create change. Imagine a fire—anger is the kindling. Soft fire brings us warmth, light, cooks our food, warms our hearts—if tended properly and watched with respectful vigilance, a lovingly contained fire mellows to a point of great usefulness. When a fire reaches a certain point, it’s warm embers glow radiantly, bright, and in time serve us both in beauty and practicality.
Uncontained anger however, like a fire out of control, wreaks havoc, not only on others but within ourselves. Anger, unchecked, can spread—like wildfire.
With awareness, we can move from the hot, angry, raging fire to the glowing ember that seeds change. We can become that radiant light that soothes and warms our being and radiates out to others.
So, anger is good? Within reason, yes! I want to do something about the issue that is making me angry! If I’m angry I will get up and act! I will make a difference! Think again of the kindling, we need the heat—the agitation—to ignite the flame. Yes, sometimes a bit of anger can get things moving—from there we tend our fire, lest it rage out of control, potentially hurting us and others, and rapidly burn itself out, having been of no use. Fire fueled by unleashed anger, however, will spread like wildfire, exponentially multiplying and destroying many in its path. Those who crusade from a place of anger burn out quickly leaving a path of needless pain and loss along the way. Rage is, indeed, blind.
Anger is a natural emotion, it is not wrong to experience it—it is how we choose to wield it once we recognize it has arisen that makes a difference in our life and the lives of others. Identify anger early and wield it with love. We are responsible for our own actions, and, yes, action is good! Particularly when that action is fueled by the warmth of loving kindness. Leaders (we are all leaders) who take action with loving kindness are most effective. They have a glow about them (embers) they garner support naturally, they affect positive, lasting change. In acting from a place of loving kindness, we positively influence those around us.
From a yogic perspective, our practice is to take the seat of the witness—only through self awareness may we harness the power to shift our untethered waves of emotions into positive action. Thus we pause, breathe, center, ground, and continue to breathe with the conscious awareness that keeps our passions directed into loving action.
Do not underestimate the power of love and its potential for impactful change. With love, one has the power to move mountains, unite nations, create peace. Love is far from passive—love is the greatest force and strength imaginable.
In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “In doing something, do it with LOVE, or never do it at all.”
Now, go move mountains.
By Aerowenn Hunter