“Holding onto
anger is like grasp-
ing onto a hot coal
with the intent of throw-
ing it at someone else.
You are the one who
gets burned.”
– Gautama Buddha (563-483 B.C.) Hindu Prince and founder of Buddhism
IT’S USUALLY ‘CUZ WE FEEL WE’VE BEEN DISSED –
(Resentment)
“We asked ourselves
why we were angry. In
most cases it was found
that our self-esteem, our
pocketbooks, our ambitions,
our personal relationships, (in-
cluding sex) were hurt or
threatened. So we were
sore. We were “burned
up.” (The Big Book,
p. 26)
ONLY A FLESH WOUND –
“We examine not
only the circumstances
surrounding these resent-
ments, but we look at the part
we played in them. What in us
was so threatened that we ex-
perienced such deep emotion-
al torment? Often, we will see
that the same areas of our
lives were affected again
and again.” (It Works,
How & Why, p. 30)
“Holding onto an-
ger is like grasping
onto a hot coal with
the intent of throwing
it at someone else.
You are the one who
gets burned.”
– Gautama Buddha (563-483 B.C.) Hindu Prince and founder of Buddhism
Releasing-Anger: A Brahma Guided Meditation (4:00)
While reflecting on your own fourth step discoveries, what triggers your temper to rise, lately?
Let us enjoy reading this Zen Tale of Overcoming Anger.
A Zen student said to his teacher, “Master, I have an ungovernable temper. Help me get rid of it.”
“You have something very strange,” said the teacher.
“Show it to me.”
“Right now I cannot show it to you.”
“Why not?”
“It arises suddenly.”
“Then it cannot be your own true nature,” said the teacher, “if it were, you would be able to show it to me at any time. Why are you allowing something that is not yours to trouble your life?”
Thereafter whenever the student felt his temper rising he remembered his teacher’s words and checked his anger.
In time, he developed a calm and placid temperament.
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