Letting Go of Anger

[Jakuden]

It does get easier with time and practice... eventually sometime you find yourself in a situation where you would get angry, and suddenly realize “I don’t have to suffer anger over this, I can just get on with life!” And you turn your attention to what’s actually there in front of you instead, letting the anger go like a big red balloon up into the sky.

Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH


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[Risho]

Jakuden I really like that analogy of letting go of the ballon

yesterday someone gently tapped the bumper of my car while i was at a stop sign; there was a very minor scratch, no one was hurt, but I felt anger rise up like a flash in a pan; I wasn’t angry over the scratch; I was angry because the driver would not admit anything and played stupid; so in a stern voice i told her Pay Attention and Take Ownership lol

when I settled down in a few minutes I realized she was probably afraid and my own fear of feeling invalidated by being lied to caused my anger. I think a lot of times we are driven by fear and sometimes that fear causes us to put on a suit of armor (to steal a metaphor from Pema Chodron); I think if we can realize people are just like us that anger is not necessarily real; it may just be a habit reaction; I try my best to stay calm and observe and not act from a place of high emotion as that is often times a period of temporary insanity where we are devoid of logic.

This comes back to zazen to not believe our thoughts and that stoic idea of detachment that we have been discussing. I think when I act out of fear or anger it’s to protect something that may not need protecting; I try to ask myself do I want to be right or do what is right, which may not be the same. Anyway easier said then done but I guess that’s why we have the bodhisattva vows and precepts as a compass and a practice to make us painfully aware of how we don’t always act properly hahaha

sorry for going over and typos; typing from an iphone

gassho

risho
-stlah

[Shokai]

I drove a company vehicle for years, One of the first things I remember from any driver training sessions was not to admit blame at the scene of an accident. Let the legals work it out. This could have been her reason to remain silent.

gassho, Shokai
stlah

[gaurdianaq]

I drove a company vehicle for years, One of the first things I remember from any driver training sessions was not to admit blame at the scene of an accident. Let the legals work it out. This could have been her reason to remain silent.

gassho, Shokai
stlah

This makes me extremely sad that this is the attitude that companies encourage. Like I understand why they do that in the sense that they hope they can avoid having to pay for any damages, but it still makes me sad.


Evan,
Sat today

[Risho]

Yeah me too - but I can understand it too - people will claim all sorts of fake injuries to get money, etc. I mean civil injury cases in the US don't have any standards in terms of what payouts are linked to types of injuries. If I were unethical, I could get a "shady" doctor (or chiropractor) to sign off on me having severe injuries that are non-existent and just make a killing in terms of the money I'm awarded for even a small bump like this.

This is a similar problem with all the extra costs to doctors who have to pay for malpractice insurance.

Anyway - I don't have a jaded view that everyone is like this but there are people who are like that, which is why we have to have these very strict hands off protocols. It's a crazy saha world. ahahaha

But the most important part is that I'm right - I mean if everyone realized I were right - I wouldn't get angry anymore, so this is everyone else's fault. hahahahaha

Gassho

Risho
-stlah

[Jundo]

Yeah me too - but I can understand it too - people will claim all sorts of fake injuries to get money, etc. I mean civil injury cases in the US don't have any standards in terms of what payouts are linked to types of injuries. If I were unethical, I could get a "shady" doctor (or chiropractor) to sign off on me having severe injuries that are non-existent and just make a killing in terms of the money I'm awarded for even a small bump like this.

The Buddha's Law: Seek to be honest. Sit down and keep your mouth shut.

The Civil Law: Keep your mouth shut.

Alas.

Gassho, Jundo (Zen Teacher & J.D., Duke University School of Law, '86)

STLaw

[Risho]

But if I remember, the 11th precept states that I'm always right hahahahah point taken

Gassho

Risho
-stlah