Analysis of Anger. Dharma meaning.
Negative-Positive meaning in the West.
(Part One of Two)
Dharma teachings offer a specific meaning to anger embracing Western definitions and excluding other Western definitions.
No word has an inherent single meaning. The meaning of a word depends upon its application.
In Dharma use, anger reveals an unresolved problem in the mind owing to stress, impressions, problematic feelings, denied corners of the mind, pressure, gross and subtle. The impact of the unresolved past has an impact on what is arising, did arise or will or might arise.
Anger contains self/ego (I am angry). Anger distorts perception inhibiting our capacity to see a situation clearly. Such a perception inhibits our potential to address a situation in a clear and purposeful way. Anger reveals itself in emotional life and also in a cold, feelingless viewpoint.
Anger from another functions as one the hardest issues for our species to cope with.
Such reactivity impacts our sensitivities bringing about a contraction in our heart. The attitude of another can spark a trauma with the body, as well as the mind, remembering in painful ways what happened. Such traumas can leave a fearfulness of further exposure to anger and other associated expressions of anger.
Anger may reveal itself in the action of violence including an emotionless and deliberate infliction of suffering on another. Threats or cold deliberation confirm the unresolved desire (such as decisions by Presidents/Prime Minister, the military and more) to wage war or support war.
40 Words Relating to Anger
Go through the list of words.
Do any of the words apply to yourself or another(s)?
Do you wish to perpetuate your anger?
Do you wish to perpetuate the anger of another another(s).
1. Agitate
2. Animosity
3. Belligerence
4. Blast of words
5. Blow-up
Bullying
7. Coldness
8. Contempt
9. Craze
10. Detachment
11. Discrimination
12. Embitterment
13. Enrage
14. Flaring Up
15. Furore
16. Fury
17. Harm
18. Hatred
19. Hot-Headedness
20. incense
21. inflame
22. Infliction
23. Infuriate
24. Judgemental Mind
25. Jealousy
26. Lividity
27. Lose One's Temper
28. Madden
29. Malevolence
30. Malice
31. Merciless
32. Outrage
33. Prejudice
34. Punishment
35. Rage
36. Rant
37. Resentment
38. Retribution
39. Revenge
40. Road Rage
41. Torture
42. Vengefulness
43. Venom
44. Vindictiveness
45. Violence
46. Vitriol
47. War
48. Weapons
49. Withdrawal of attention
50. Wrath
Dictionary Meaning of Anger and in Psychology
A strong feeling that makes you want to hurt someone or be unpleasant because of something unfair or unkind that has happened. Cambridge Dictionary
Anger is the strong emotion that you feel when you think that someone has behaved in an unfair, cruel, or unacceptable way. Collins Dictionary
Anger is one of the basic human emotions, as elemental as happiness, sadness, anxiety, or disgust. These emotions are tied to basic survival and were honed over the course of human history. Psychology Today
A strong feeling of displeasure, dissatisfaction, or annoyance, combined with antagonism or hostility towards a particular cause or object…Oxford Dictionary.
Rage and fury suggest loss of self-control from violence of emotion. Miriam-Webster Dictionary
There are those who See Anger as Positive
· Righteous Anger
· We have the right to be angry.
· Anger is healthy – an evolutionary response.
· Anger drives us to achieve things – such as justice.
· Anger gets me to act.
· I feel alive when I am angry.
Ten Questions of Concern about a Positive View of Anger
If anger has so much virtue to it, as certain academics/psychologists/experts claim, then the more anger we express to promote our concept of the good thing to say or do, then the better off society will be through increasing our anger.
If I intentionally increase my level of anger, how will I know when I have gone too far?
When I use my anger to support the cause I promote, will I have the choice to chill out at any moment I wish?
If I reinforce my anger, will I go on to say, write or do something that I regret.
When my anger fades, will my motivation for change fade as well.
How will I know the difference between anger as an unresolved problem and the so-called right to be angry.
Is any kind of anger, an outcome of stress, caught up in impressions and a blind spot?
If I am not burning up energy in my anger, what will encourage me to act in a worthwhile cause?
What is difference between passion/critiques/wise judgement/resolution/, uncompromising voice/action and anger?
Can the angry person, and the self-righteousness that goes with it, stop their anger spilling over onto others or themselves with intention to hurt, harm or humiliate another?
Do I really want to let my anger burn up clarity and stop myself from becoming a wise agent of of change?
MAY ALL BEINGS EXPLORE ANGER
MAY ALL BEINGS FIND CLARITY IN COMMUNICATION
MAY ALL BEINGS ENGAGE IN WISE ACTION
Part Two. Ways to Work with Anger
Thank you for this thought provoking topic. I can recognise a few of the angry words. I’m finding it helpful whenever I feel that typical contraction of aversion, jealous or angry to ask myself “ what’s being triggered here”. This tends to take the heat out of it and halts any onward action.