Re: Confussion over Accepting Anger as a Part of Self
Posted by Deirdre on October 15, 2001 at 21:06:45:

In Reply to: Adventures of an old coach with depression. posted by John on October 11, 2001 at 15:30:20:

John or Perk said "He said, "Often guilt is unexpressed anger."

Thank you both for all your thought and attention to this.. though some

of it makes sense to me I am confussed about one thing.. If I hear you

both correctly, there is guilt at not being able to express anger or at

least to accept my own anger. And John you have made a point of

instructing that anger does not need to be raged or acted out so I

understand that it needs only acknowledgement. But why? Why does it

need to be acknowledged? I have now acknowledged that I am angry and

there is still no peace within.. I accept that anger is a part of my

experience and yet I still feel the tightness in the abdomen and the

tightness in the jaw.. How does the acknowledgement of my own anger

make anything different? I have added anger to my shadow side and

accept that it is a piece of my experience.. but that truth does not

set me free in any way. So supress or express I really don't see the

value in anger.. This is not meant as a challenge.. this is truly

confussing to me.

John that was a beautiful and incredibly touching poem of Thick Nhat

Hanh and as coincidences occur {smile} I happen to be reading his

book "ANGER - Wisdom for Cooling the Flames". He expressed "embracing

your anger" and I don't understand embracing that which has so much

potential to harm.. I am truly stuck on this one.

Best

Deirdre

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