53 On the Energy of Emotion
Beloved Peter,
Love.
Yes.
Anger is an emotion, it is something that comes of its own power and is
natural, and to try to resist or fight against anger is useless.
The more you fight it the more powerful it will eventually be; as all
you will end up doing is repressing it, and letting it build up.
However, if you see anger with lightness, if you look at anger as something to laugh about, then the very quality of that anger changes.
Really, by not taking it seriously, what you are doing is actually being
observant of your anger.
As soon as you can look at your anger, and say "there's no reason
to take this seriously", then you are being observant.
The way to transform any emotion, be it anger, sorrow, fear, joy, lust,
or any other, is to be observant of it.
The second you become observant of your emotional state, you transform,
it changes, into something different.
And then you cannot be lost in it.
If you let your awareness shut down, you let yourself be swept away, then you become an animal.
But if you choose instead to observe the emotion, be it rage, fear, joy, sorrow or lust, then this emotion becomes the best fuel you could have for meditation.
Emotion is Energy.
It is raw fuel, waiting to be used appropriately.
You can choose to harness it, to channel it to lead you forward, or you
can let it run wild and be swept away by it.
And it is your choice.
No one is helpless in this.
Anyone who "loses control" and is "hopeless angry"
or "hopelessly depressed" are only that way because they choose
it.
Choose to be meditative instead, and you transform this weakness into
strength.
Love
Swami
