I was quite an angry teenager.
Dissatisfied with the status quo.
Malcontent and resentful.
Hence, I got to know anger pretty well.
To find my way to handle it.
Or, in some cases, to repress it.
Anger is a high charge emotion.
And it can come out in intense outbursts.
Especially if not taken care of.
Some people are afraid of their own anger.
Afraid to hurt themselves, or the people around them.
Which also happens as a consequence of societal stigmatisation.
Among those who struggle to show emotions, anger tends to be the most visible.
Since it protects the person against feelings of fear and grief.
As it is often easier to share frustration and discontent, than to feel what’s beneath.
Writing about anger was very therapeutic for me.
I have become more honest with myself.
And aware of what hides behind my shadows.
But sometimes writing is not enough.
The charge is so high that physical activities are needed.
And letting anger out in the real world is required.
I find this card to be very explanatory of the concept.
The figure there is almost tied up in knots.
He repressed his vitality to meet a lot of external demands.
But suppressing his natural energy is extremely dangerous.
And this is visible in the cracks of an intense eruption at the edge of the card.
“The figure needs to seek a healing outlet for this potential explosion. Punch a pillow, jump up and down, or scream at the empty sky. Anything to shake up your energy and allow it to circulate freely.”
About a year ago, I recognised myself in this card.
And these are some of the physical activities that have helped in the process:
Boxing, and similar sports
Bioenergetics, and similar body-work practices
Jumping up and down
Singing a song in a high pitch
Going to a music festival
Screaming at the empty sky (or in a pillow ;)
Playing a wind instrument
Try that out, the next time anger takes over.
And enjoy the aliveness that comes after.
Have an authentic journey,
— Livio
22/03/2023
Writing about anger is not enough
It's interesting that you haven't mentioned swearing 😬. Or maybe that's not enough for accumulated anger?
Livio, It is interesting how different people deal with anger. My wife expresses her anger by hitting a pillow. I analyze and try to understand what is happening inside. Thank you for bringing the topic up. Dave