Breathing to Transform Anger                             PRANAY08.TXT
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       Constant anger has become an integral part of our stress-filled modern
       world. We're so accustomed to expressing our anger in an angry way that
       not only does it feel quite natural, but we also often feel
       self-righteous about doing so. As I point out in my book The Tao of
       Natural Breathing, however, some researchers have found that, depending
       on how we do it, expressing our anger can be dangerous to our health.
       Those of us who experience frequent anger often find ourselves dwelling
       incessantly on it and justifying it inwardly or else expressing it
       outwardly, often in strong emotional outbursts. However vital and
       important it might seem at the moment, the end result of expressing our
       anger is often a racing heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and a
       depletion of energy, both in ourselves and others. It is possible,
       however, to begin to free ourselves from our anger and to lessen its
       impact on us through a combination of special awareness and breathing
       practices. The next time you notice that you're angry, for instance,
       instead of dwelling on it inwardly, expressing it outwardly, or trying
       to suppress it, simply "listen" to your anger as it manifests at that
       moment throughout your body. Sense how it feels. Notice the posture
       you're in and any tensions or constrictions in your breathing. Take a
       deep impression, a kind of internal snapshot, of what your anger is
       doing to your body, as well as of the underlying thoughts and feelings
       that are fueling the anger. This can all be done instantaneously, in a
       moment of inner sincerity and awareness.

       Now, without trying to hide from what you are experiencing, simply
       count (mentally) at a steady pace the length of your inhalation and
       then the length of your exhalation. Then, for your next seven breaths,
       inhale to the same count but double the count of the exhalation. So,
       for example, if you found that your inhalation lasted four counts and
       your exhalation three, count to four for your next seven breaths as you
       inhale, and to six as you exhale. (The key to this exercise is to
       lengthen your exhalation. This will help turn on your parasympathetic
       nervous system, your "relaxation response.") After breathing in this
       way for seven breaths, take another deep impression of yourself.
       Include your body, emotions, and breathing. See how your need to
       express your anger either to yourself or others has changed. Are you
       still as angry as you were?

       It's important when trying this exercise to remember that you will have
       a tendency to say to yourself "I'm too angry to do this exercise right
       now." Or you might say, "But I've got to say something to this person
       right now. I can't just let them get away with this."  Or you might even
       say, "Its unhealthy not to express my anger." If you hear yourself
       making such statements to yourself, take a moment to look at yourself
       as if from the outside. If you can really see yourself objectively at
       that moment you will experience what your anger is doing to you, and
       you will want to try the exercise immediately. We need to find the
       courage to face our anger with full consciousness, express it
       responsibly when necessary, and transform its energy into something
       that is useful to us. If you persist in trying the exercise at the very
       moment you sense that you are angry, you will soon find yourself being
       able to give up expressing it, or able to express it in a less
       mechanical, more helpful way. You will also find that you have more
       energy for whatever needs to be done. What's more, as you become more
       and more aware of your breathing, you will start perceiving your
       anger earlier, before it reaches the point of no return. This will
       enable you to deal with it in an intelligent, responsible way.