Love this thread too! Jg, Seahorse... I remember your posts from this summer... Wow. It is really a privilege to have been here long enough to start to see people get pointed back towards life...

Anger.... Boy, I was one of those people who just buried that whole idea. I think I went years without getting really angry at anyone close to me. Oh, wait. I was depressed. There was no one close to me.

For me the worst form of anger by far is GUILT. Anger turned on oneself.

I've read over and over that guilt is a function of ego...

And sure enough I got to spend some time with my friend's children...

He had a few under 7.  I watched them for days.  And they simply don't feel the "guilt" we do. If they get caught.... the smile or frown... But then it's OVER.

It was nothing short of astonishing.

A flash of anger is a natural thing... But oh how we grown-ups love to let it fester... and build...

We get angry and our brain jumps in and tells u a story. You're not just mad because Mom did something just now... No, your brain decided that while it's mad it needs to find more explanations...

Pretty soon you've found fifty things you are "angry" about.

One of my greatest challenges is to FEEL THE FULL EXTENT OF MY FEELINGS IN THE MOMENT.

Yes, I'm THAT angry about this little slight.

Why?  Because  I'm emotionally sensitive. 

So rather than hide from the feelings with thoughts, or justifications, or plans...

I try to let myself just feel the anger. Or the fear.  I don't let the judge in my head judge me for having it. Or look for a better reason to justify my anger.

That way it comes.... and is gone.

And like a child, ten minutes later if you took my emotional temperature there would be no trace.

I'm successful at doing this...

 at least 1 time out of every 57 tries....  Hah!

Practice will hopefully make for a quiet mind.

t