IS IT OK TO BE MAD?

Is it OK for we yoga people to get angry?  Shouldn't we be able to just breathe those prickly emotions away?  Just let those uncharitable thoughts drift on the clouds of that wide blue sky of the mind?

We may all have those "yoga goals", but we are also human and not always floating around in a state of bliss.  Life is challenging; people are difficult; best intentions are sometimes met with rejection.  It's enough to make you take to the mat and "gnash your terrible teeth and roar your terrible roar", isn't it?

But is that giving in to letting anger and frustration win?  Don't we want to be able to "let it go"?  Well, yes and no.

Sometimes anger and action are justified.  Sometimes anger is empowering and galvanizing.  Look at the important social movements and the struggles for justice all around us, past and present.  These likely came from a place of frustration and anger at the status quo.  While anger can manifest in a destructive manner, it can also focus the mind, creating a force for barrier-breaking.  We must learn to channel and tame anger.  There might be benefit in working with anger in yoga.

Just going around being mad at the world, resenting that our hard work seems to be for naught, is likely to eat away at us. Finding peace with the effort to effect change even when the outcome is uncertain (and perhaps not what we wanted), is the way of the yogic path.

We can embody anger in a positive, life-affirming way.  We can show that releasing anger frees us to embrace that energy in another form.

This article suggests that good releases for anger are:  http://spiritualityhealth.com/blog/jc-peters/yoga-releasing-anger

Power yoga -- give that fire in your belly the heat, strength, and deep breath it needs to burn!
Abdominal work -- the Scissors Kick or the Woodchopper should bring a strong core to the job.  Vocalize a strong HA! on the down chop!

I'd also suggest Lion's Breath as a great release of tension and emotion.  Sticking out that tongue, pouncing with claws extended, and a deep vocal outbreath will put your energy right where it needs to be.

I'm not big on denying, burying, or om'ing away any emotion, especially those we've decided to label "bad" or "negative".  Emotion is just emotion.  Our task to is identify its source, find what it wants to teach us, and channel it for the greater good.  With anger, that means not letting it have its way with us, paralyzing us in rage and dismay.  It means finding expression for its release so we can use the energy it gifted us to be focused and pure in intention.

Besides, anger means we care deeply about something or we wouldn't be mad.  That thing you care about is calling to you.  Answer with a strong heart, a laser beam of intention, and a determination toward good.  Then...breathe and growl!

Namaste,  donnajurene

Photo Credit:  pixabay.com