If you circumambulated every holy shrine in the world ten times; it would not get you to heaven as quick as controlling your anger. — Kabir.
I love the poetry of Kabir because he has such a sense of humor. He also has a biting wit, once saying, “I don’t think there is such a thing as an intelligent mega-rich person. For who with a fine mind can look out upon this world and hoard what can nourish a thousand souls.”
He makes a wonderful point about anger. Note he says controlling anger, not being angry. We are supposed to be angry at injustice and putting the wealthy on pedestals because they “hoard.”
I think what is most difficult for me is controlling my anger at little irritants — the rocks in my shoe. When I was younger, I noticed that some of my older friends could fly off into anger at the smallest things. Often their spouse would come up to me after the explosion and say, “He didn’t mean it. His blood pressure medicine is off.” Now that I’m older, I understand what she was saying.
That said I need to work at controlling my anger, not avoiding anger, but controlling it. Meditation and Yoga helps. Pausing is one of the best methods of control. But most of all I best control my anger by slowing down to analyze what is it I am angry about. Often times it might not have a thing to do with what or who I am taking my anger out on.
It also helps to always to include in one’s arsenal the words, “I’m sorry.”
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