A big misconception doing the rounds is anger can be 'controlled'. However, that's far from the truth. Anger is like a fireball; it is bound to burn once out.
Suppose you have got an urge to cough. Can you stop it? No, you can't. Same way, when anger comes, it comes with all its might and doesn't stop midway. Akin to a Tsunami or a raging typhoon, before you could even try to 'control' things, the strong currents have already swept you away- far and wide.
So all you can do here is work on preemptive measures that may prevent the anger from arising in the first place. Simply put, anger management has to be done before the anger manifests.
But, how can we do that? What is the way to prepare oneself for an anger-free mind?
Our wise sages have given quite a few yogic techniques that, with consistent practice, can help you get to the state where those sudden bouts of burning rage began to lose ground- albeit slowly.
Deep Breathing
The first way is to diligently follow a morning and evening regimen where you sit in silence for 20-30 minutes with the spine erect. While seated comfortably, continue to breathe deeply- inhaling and exhaling fully.
Needless to say, it's a pretty simple exercise; nothing technical here and not at all difficult to follow. But you know what? This simple exercise is going to be the most challenging thing to do. Why? Because your mind is habitual of running heather-tether. However, the key lies in continuing with the practice- even when you feel like quitting.
Just watch the breath going in and out—only this much. Without getting lost in thoughts, if you start witnessing the breath, gradually, it will begin to deepen, and the racing mind will slowly come to a halt.
Quoting medically, when you are under the influence of extreme anger, the nerves tend to get stretched, triggering a lot of tension. What does it mean? Your BP shoots up. Your breath rate surges. If someone runs and the breath races, that would be a thing. However, a person is sitting on a couch, blazing with anger breathing profusely- What will happen to this one? Cortisol levels will rise. And when the cortisol goes up, it causes immense damage to your arteries and veins.
The one who fumes with rage always creates more trouble for himself. Remember one thing- If you love yourself even a bit, stop getting angry, and breath observation is the key to that.
Pranav | AUM Chanting
Another way to tending a calm and composed mind is to practice 'AUM' chanting while sitting cross-legged comfortably. Take a long, deep breath, and do a prolonged, audible Pranav chant.
Keep your eyes closed and the spine erect, keeping all your focus on the breath. Observe when it travels to the chest followed by the stomach. Notice the ballooning and shrinking of the chest-stomach region with the effect of this incoming and outgoing breath.
When you chant AUM, its resounding vibrations are known to calm your neurons. A study on this was conducted at Harvard University. When a subject was doing AUM chanting, an EEG was taken out, and the graph was checked. It was observed that when the practice continued for more than 20 mins, AUM vibrations favourably affected the cognitive, emotional and speech areas of the brain. After 20 mins, the pulse was checked, it was found to be perfect, and the BP also clocked normal.
For those who find it difficult to sleep or tend to wake up in between, if they practice Pranav with deep breathing, the sleeping cycle will gradually begin to normalise. The reliance on external pills and medications will also go away, gradually.
Anger is like burning coal that seethes one's own mind. If this much seeps into your understanding, then no one's crazy enough to harm oneself?
By following these simple morning and evening practices, not only the habit of fretting and fuming will slowly wane away, but the concentration levels of the mind will also begin to improve. In time, the change will come into your system- your body will start getting healthy, and the mind will also become tranquil. The day your mind attains the state of one-pointedness, and you encounter your true self, you'll find that the real happiness was always inside- as the embodiment of bliss is what you are!
Take a step in the direction of your inner well-being - Click here to explore the treasure trove of guided meditation techniques given by revered master Anandmurti Gurumaa, simplified for modern-day seekers.
