| Dear Friends, This week's quote is from spiritual awareness class CC 46, which was published in Volume 3 of The Living Light Dialogue. This teaching was selected in response to a request for more understanding regarding anger. Since the student's question, which is italicized, and the answer is long, it will be continued next week.
"Speaking along the same lines, I've been doing a lot of thinking about anger, credulity, and, and . . ."
"Suspicion, perhaps."
"Suspicion and logic. And I found in myself that I have a kind of purist attitude that if I am going to be spiritual or spiritual in orientation, then I ought not to express any anger or recognize that I have it. And what happens is that I take it out on myself somatically and end up with knots in my neck and shoulders. And I've been trying to do a lot of thinking about it. I see a relationship between my own frustrations and my tendency to either totally believe something or totally suspect it, but I don't see the balance of it. And I feel like I'm just beginning to give myself permission to express anger. As you were talking about, I am human and I will experience anger now and again. Though the part of me that wants to be very spiritual says, "Oh no, I don't ever feel anger." And I would like to hear from you anything that you can share with me that would help me."
"Yes, thank you very much. The lady is speaking on the function known as anger. Now we understand that anger, of course, is simply an expression from our magnetic or emotional field. Now, it's a release of energy. You know, there's an old saying that before you get angry, count to ten and you won't be angry anymore. Well, what it simply means is that you are making the effort to rise that energy to, of course, a different level of consciousness.
Now, if a person, for some reason or other, finds some enjoyment or pleasure in expressing anger, then, of course, there is for them a need to express it. However, what does it bring to us? Now, many people like to express anger or temper or whatever you want to call it. What does it gain us to express it? Well, for one thing, after we've expressed anger, we're usually pretty relaxed. Some people think it's peaceful. I don't, myself, think it is, but, at least, they say they feel better. Well, of course, we feel better, because we've got the energy locked into that level of consciousness and once it finally gets expressed, then, of course, we do feel better, even though we're exhausted, usually, afterward.
Now, we also know that it is merely and purely energy; that it can be directed by the power of our own will or self-control. However, when a person gets to release their energy through that level of consciousness known as anger and they feel so depleted of energy afterward, what it usually brings them, of course, is attention from someone. And when it brings some attention, they're getting their energy back, because, you see, energy follows attention. That is a demonstrable law of the universe. Therefore, if we as individuals give attention to people who express their anger and their emotional outbursts, then, of course, the only thing we're doing is to guarantee the continuity of it. Because, you see, they're depleted of energy when they have finished. And so, like a sponge, they're trying to absorb it back up again. And naturally, they're going to get it from any person, place, or thing that they can. So we must face within ourselves, "What is it within me that enjoys expressing my anger?""
To be continued next week.
It is difficult to control something that we do not understand. So, if we do not have some understanding of what is actually taking place, we will continue to express in ways that are often detrimental to ourselves and those around us. However, understanding is not sufficient to change an established pattern. Change requires repetition and redirection of our energy and our attention. Regardless of our patterns, regardless of our circumstances, a better, more harmonious life is possible for all.
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Sincerely yours, Russell Fitzgerald Vice President |
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