Why We Shout In Anger

A Hindu saint who was visiting the river Ganges to take a bath found a group of family members on the banks, shouting in anger at each other. He turned to his disciples smiled and asked:

'Why do people shout in anger at each other?'

The disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because when we lose our calm, we shout.'

'But, why should you shout when the other person is just next to you? You can as well tell him what you have to say in a soft manner.' asked the saint.

Many among the disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the other disciples.  Finally the saint explained:

'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other to cover that great distance.

What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is either nonexistent or very small...'

The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all that is needed. That is how close two people are when they love each other.'

He looked at his disciples and said:

'So when you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other more, or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.'

Being human we are all subject to moments that cause us to feel anger.  It is important to understand the effect that this has on our heart energy which this parable shows us so wonderfully.  It is with this understanding that we can take the action to move past the initial situation that may have caused anger and closed the heart and move to a place where the heart is more fully available.  This comes with conscious awareness and practice and can be a learned skill that provides a different option when anger arises.

We seldom make the most effective outcomes from a place of heightened anger - we often act and speak without concern for long term effects when we are agitated and angry.  The heart should always be involved as we make decisions and move to action.  When we are angry the heart becomes closed and we then are left to act from the wounded ego without the balancing of our heart energy.  Outcomes are never as good when we our action is done without heart involvement.

Learning to live from a heart open space is part of the education process that we hope to master as we come into this earth plane existence.  So it becomes important for us to choose to live in this place no matter what situation arises that tries to pull us out of it.  If we do encounter emotions that pull us out, to learn to have the wisdom to move back to a more heart balanced place as quickly as possible.  This is a life long process of self mastery, but one that ultimately leads to being able to walk in peace moment to moment.

In peace.............Margie