[ang-ger]
Anger, aversion.
I understand that anger is a part of the living process, is that correct?
Sadhguru: Anger must be a very beautiful thing, because a lot of people have taken onto it. It must be a very wonderful thing, because so many people have chosen it, like Coca-Cola. Probably more people are into anger than Coca-Cola, isn’t it? So it must be a really great thing so many people have chosen. But they have not chosen; they have helplessly fallen into it, that’s the problem.
They have fallen into it because, for most people? in a way they have chosen it unconsciously, because the most intense moments in their lives are either pain or anger. These are the only two intensities that they know and every human being always longs for intensity. So today watching these sports and other things has become such a big thing, because of the intensity in it.
You remember the film The Gladiators: these gladiators—it is a sport, a wild sport—war was a sport. Because it is not the violence, it is not the blood, it is not the killing that people like. People want to see something intense. Now why all these thrillers and action movies and sports events are so popular is that people want some intensity, somewhere. They don’t know how to be intense. Either through physical action, or through anger, or through pain, this is the only way they know how to be intense.
The very reason drugs and sex have become such a big thing in the world is somehow they want to experience some intensity, at least for a few moments; they want to know some intensity. It is the intensity which draws them. And as you know, I am always talking about intensity because that is the only thing that man is seeking for, and that is the only thing that will liberate man from his present bondages.
So anger is enormous intensity; (but) it’s an intensity which hurts you. It’s an intensity which can get you into a lot of trouble. It’s an intensity which can destroy you and the people around you. It’s an intensity which gets you into absolutely stupid states of action. Though you know it causes so much damage, here and there you want to get into anger.
And people like the angry man, please see. See, you want to go and watch a movie; if your hero, the Hollywood man, is a very calm, quiet man, you’re not so interested in him. If he’s an angry man, who stands up and does things in anger, not peacefully, you like him because he’s got intensity about him. So you would like to do the same thing, but you pay a very big price trying to be angry in the situations in which you live, because people around you are going to get even more angry with you, and they will do their own things to you.
People have done wonderful things out of anger also. A lot of people still believe genuine action will come forth only in anger. See now, for example, we have to fight a battle, let’s say, to protect ourselves, to protect our families, our country. We can fight a war without anger very efficiently, but people would like to fight with anger because they don’t know how else to become intense. They have to create anger; that’s the only way they know how to be intense, and that is the only way they know how to perform intense activity or fruitful activity in some way. That’s the only way they can get themselves to do certain things which they would otherwise be incapable of doing.
So don’t worry about your anger. At least in anger you’re becoming intense. But it’s time to transform this intensity of anger into higher levels of intensity where it’s very beautiful. At least somebody’s able to get angry, I’m happy. I can’t bear with the people who are eating eight meals a day and are just lethargic, and nothing happens within them; they don’t even get angry. If anger is happening, at least some life is cooking within you; life is still kicking, you know?
In some situations we lose our temper, but it is only later that we realize our stupidity. By then it is too late. How can we control our anger?
Sadhguru: There is no need to control anger. Right now, are you angry? No. So why should you control something that does not exist? How can you control something that does not exist?
Anger is a certain level of unpleasantness, both for you and everyone around you. Most of the time you suffer more than your victim. And when you get angry, you could do the most idiotic things of your life. It is definitely not an intelligent way to exist.Being angry about something or the other comes from a strong sense of likes and dislikes.
Being angry about something or the other comes from a strong sense of likes and dislikes. This comes from a very deep identification of a certain way of thinking and feeling, which according to you, is the best way to live, think and feel. When someone is not in line with that, you get angry with them. As your likes and dislikes and your identifications with something or the other become stronger, all that you are doing is excluding the existence. If you say, “I like this very much,” you are excluding the rest of the existence in a big way at that moment. The stronger the like or dislike becomes, the deeper the exclusion becomes. Anger overflows because you have not included someone or something as a part of yourself. The very process of liberation is to include, not exclude. In inclusion, you become liberated. The day when everything, the whole existence, is included in you, you are liberated. In exclusion you become trapped, you become separate.
Anger is Your Creation
You do not wish to be angry, of course, but it is happening because you are creating an outside source for what is happening within you – which is not true. Just see that it is something that you are creating. Why are you creating something that you do not want? There is only one basic cause – you are ignorant of yourself.Whatever you are, that is what you will spread around you. If you are angry, you will spread anger. With anger, more unpleasantness will come into the situations around you.
If you knew how your system functions and how to manage this system, why would you create anger? Anger is not only damaging the external situation, it is also damaging the internal situation. People are causing enormous amounts of anger within and creating health problems for themselves. Accordingly, consequences will happen for external situations.
For every action that you perform, there is a consequence. You cannot avoid the consequence. When you cannot avoid the consequence, action should be controlled. Actions can be controlled only if a human being is controlled within himself. When he is in perfect balance, only then will he perform harmonious action. Still there are consequences; that is always there. There are enough consequences in the life process as it is. You do not have to go about creating new consequences for yourself.
So, especially if situations around you are rotten, is it not very important that you keep yourself in the most pleasant possible manner and see how to spread this pleasantness around you? If your actions were coming from your intelligence, this is how you would act. If situations around you are hopeless, it is all the more important that you keep yourself as beautiful as possible and see how to make it happen. Whatever you are, that is what you will spread around you. If you are angry, you will spread anger. With anger, more unpleasantness will come into the situations around you.
Anger is enormous intensity
▵ Seeking Intensity
Anger is enormous intensity. Intensity is the only thing that man is seeking. The reason why all the thrillers, action movies, and sports events are so popular is because people want some intensity, somewhere. The only way they know how to be intense is either through physical action, or through anger, or through pain. The very reason why drugs and sex have become such big things in the world is because somehow, people want to experience some intensity at least for a few moments. Intensity releases you from many things. Anger could also release you from many things, but the problem with anger is, it is not pure intensity within you; it gets entangled with the situations around.Anger could also release you from many things, but the problem with anger is, it is not pure intensity within you; it gets entangled with the situations around.
It is not necessary that only your anger should propel you into action. The most intense experience you have had in your life is probably anger. That is the reason why you are sanctifying anger, because it propels you into action. Unfortunately, you have never known the intensity of joy or love. But love and compassion can also propel you into action – very gently, but very wonderfully and effectively.
At work and at home, would you like to live with angry people, or peaceful and joyful people? Obviously you would want to live with peaceful and joyous people. Please remember, everybody around you is expecting the same thing. Every human being around you is always expecting to live and work with people who are peaceful and joyful.