Working with Anger

Overview

Anger plagues all of us on a personal, national, and international level. Yet, we see people, such as the Dalai Lama, who have faced circumstances far worse than many of us have faced--including exile, persecution, and the loss of many loved ones--but who do not burn with rage or seek revenge. How do they do it?

Working with Anger presents a variety of Buddhist methods for subduing and preventing anger, not by changing what is happening, but by framing it differently. No matter what our religion, learning to work with our anger is effective for everyone seeking personal happiness as well as world peace.

Working with Anger was chosen for a Spirituality and Health Magazine Award as one of "The Best Spiritual Books of 2001."

"Combining the teachings drawn from Shantideva and the lojong teachings of Tibetan Buddhism with present-day examples, Chodron presents a compelling and accessible guide for practitioners in the Western dharma community."--Sangha Journal

Thubten Chodron offers her insights on anger, the ways that it manifests in our lives and the ways that we can skillfully work to transform it. Both inspiring and humble in its approach, this book is sure to be a help to many.--Sharon Salzberg, meditation teacher and author of Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness and A Heart As Wide As the World.

"Presented with clarity, wit, anecdotes and examples, the material is easy to read and to absorb. If you have an anger problem (who doesn't?) or are dealing with someone who does (who isn't?) you will be glad you found this book."--Light of Consciousness

"Chodron's suggestions are widely applicable, her words are grounded in everyday experiences that go beyond mere philosophy or esoteric practice. She addresses issues of envy, criticism, resentment, and betrayal, and explores how these experiences offer opportunities to generate greater love and compassion for others and ourselves."--NAPRA Review

"Thubten Chodron is one of our freshest voices of the dharma. Echoing the clarity of H.H. the Dalai Lama's own teachings on forgiveness and healing, in Working With Anger she brings us helpful, practical insights from her deep training in Himalayan wisdom traditions. Written in clear, user-friendly language, this superb handbook offers us concrete strategies for dealing effectively with the painful afflictions of anger, criticism and betrayal in contemporary life situations. Can we ever tire of such necessary, good advice?"--Trevor Carolan, David See-Chai Lam Centre for International Communication

"By presenting in everyday language the Buddhist methods for overcoming and preventing anger, Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron has made accessible time-tested practical guidelines that can be helpful for everyone."-- Alexander Berzin, author of Relating to a Spiritual Teacher and Developing Balanced Sensitivity.

"In Working with Anger, Thubten Chodron offers us a kind and genuinely helpful guide to handling one of the greatest challenges in living an emotionally intelligent life."--Daniel Goleman, author, Emotional Intelligence

"Working with Anger is a wonderful, wise, and life-changing book. Written in Ani Thubten Chodron's characteristic accessible style, generously laced with examples drawn from daily life, the book is filled with practical strategies on how to free ourselves from anger, resentment, and envy. If you are looking for a practical guide to overcome anger and live with greater tolerance, love, and forgiveness, I highly recommend this book."--Howard C. Cutler, M.D., co-author of The Art of Happiness.

"After reading this gem Working with Anger, I see a revolution happening in the field of psychology--a long needed one. Here we have a psychology that leads to true liberation--to access to one's higher powers and inner resources--to the Spirit within--to a true and lasting appiness and tranquillity--the birthright of every person.

Secular psychology holds that anger is a positive thing. It indicates that something is wrong. It is a power that can be used both for profit or political power. And, of course, because it is a legitimate "feeling", it needs to be expressed. Of course, secular psychology doesn't understand the law of Karma and that psychic forces, being forces, bring as much karma as physical forces.

But here we have an illuminated perspective on this issue. Anger is an undesirable and destructive force-- not something given us by the creator. It arises from various causes-- which are clearly explained in this book--pain, attachment, envy, ignorance and identification with false selves in us. We are not to express it, but observe it, understand it, see its root causes and apply antidotes that will neutralize its effect.

What I like here is that this work is not just about "moralizing and sermonizing" but gives practical, useable techniques to neutralize anger.

The good news is that anger can be neutralized. And, with wisdom, even the seeds of anger can be removed. The bad news is that the cure is not a 'quick fix", like a pill that you take to feel better. It takes work, commitment, and involves many failures. It involves embracing a spiritual regime and applying it religiously.

The book is beautifully and clearly written. It has a clarity and simplicity that can only come from someone who actually lives what she writes. Highly recommendable"--Joseph Polansky, Diamond Fire.

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Author Information

Bio of Thubten Chodron

"Venerable Thubten Chodron is someone whose life embodies the virtues of kindness, simplicity and clarity of vision, which lie at the heart of the Buddha's teaching. It is these perrenial qualities that shine through her writings and touch the hearts of many readers all over the world."--Thupten Jinpa, author and translator for the Dalai Lama Working with Anger by Thubten Chodron has been chosen for a Spirituality and Health Award as one of "The Best Spiritual Books of 2001." Spirituality and Health is a quarterly print magazine covering the people, the practices, and the ideas of today's spiritual renaissance. Their website is http://www.spiritualityhealth.com. Thubten Chodron is an American Buddhist nun in the Tibetan tradition. A student of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan masters, she became a nun in 1977. She has been resident teacher at Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore and at Dharma Friendship Foundation in Seattle. Active in interfaith dialogue, she also does Dharma outreach in prisons and teaches the Dharma worldwide. She is abbess of Sravasti Abbey, a Buddhist monastery in eastern Washington State. She is the author of several books, including Open Heart, Clear Mind; Buddhism for Beginners; Taming the Mind; Working with Anger; and How to Free Your Mind: Tara the Liberator. Ven. Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha's teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners.

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Additional Info

Imprint

Snow Lion Publication

Filesize

850.93 KB

Number of Pages

170

eBook ISBN

9781559398961