Monday, November 06, 2006

Best way to manage your temper? Lose it!



The title quotes a the tag line of the movie 'Anger Management' and I hope blogs are outside the ambit of copyright laws.. and i guess the patrika or bhaskar guys won't sue me for using their cartoon.. the cartoonist's name has been retained on the right end!



Anger has been labeled as one of the worst enemies of man... in a whole lot of texts that talk about roads to well being.

It is said that supression or repression of anger is likely to cause stress and subsequent ailments of the heart or blood pressure. A blasting expression of anger has never been known to solve problems, instead it often worsens them and leaves behind a really unpleasant taste! The person with whom we are angry, would not take it lightly and would either get back at you with scathing remarks..... conclusion being indefinite escalation of the matter and indefinite delay in the resolution of the issue.

Recognizing the harms of anger, perhaps, in the age old history of Indian civilization, Krishna had said to arjun

(Bhagwat Geeta, Chapter 2, Verse 63)

Translated in English, it says, "From Anger arises delusion, from delusion, bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost and when intelligence is lost, one falls back into the material pool."

Leaving the philosophy of the material pool aside, haven't you also gone through the time when you, in a fit of rage, said something unpleasant, hurt someone and regretted later on. When in an argument, if you let your emotions about the subject get the better of you, and you lose your sense of objectivity... and end up losing reason too! You'll end up uttering something you never intended to and then not be able to put across your other more valid arguements.

Going into Greek philosophy, Aristotle had said, “Anybody can be angry. That is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way, that is not easy.”

Modern theories are replete with issues related to anger management and how an explosion of anger bypasses your thinking cells and causes a havoc!

Most of us, being humans, would find it very difficult to contain our anger.. to not get angry... is an unrealistic solution.. suppression has it's own share of problems.. and explosion.. could be the most devastating of all! So what do we do? get our own share of punching bags or find ourselves an agony aunt each.. who'd be a vent to all our frustrations and consequent anger?

Or maybe try the Dr. Asthana way.. try laughing out aloud.. to cover up your anger.. hoping that it'll go away! doesn't work for you? Then.. look nearby Dr. Asthana.. Munna? yeah.. maybe a constant smile at life.. and the world around you.. (after a close up brushing of teeth of course) might help you reduce your own stress levels.. and by smiling at strangers on the road.. you never know you might just make their day... (frought with risks if you're smiling naughtily at that pretty woman who just passed. ) so use your sensibility.... and do what the call the internal jogging.. smile away to glory!

All of this attitude might just help you get greater control over your anger.. and this calm of yours.. can be an extremely powerful tool... wouldn't you enjoy the sadistic pleasure of seeing an opponent cringe.. after his multiple scathing remarks still failed to bother you.. or disturb you or make you angry. Ultimately.. if you really are angry about something.. it's probably best to let it out instead of filling it all up inside.. and explode some other day. Simple reasoning, one's mind is too small.. (at least mine is) to be able to keep pleasant and unpleasant thoughts both together. so long as you're angry about something.. you'll really find it difficult to enjoy the little pleasures of life! Trust me, it's important to indulge yourself in these pleaures at times!

Take control of your life.. don't let your anger make you do things that you don't want to.. and if it does.. then don't let your ego come in the way of saying sorry to someone you might have offended..

wanderer

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