I was reading Vernon Howard’s booklet ‘Conquer Harmful Anger 100 Ways’ recently and came across this inspiring and insightful suggestion. I particularly like the three examples he gives of how, without knowing it, I feed the fire of anger every day. The nicest thing is he tells us that by just seeing this we can change the course of our day to something new and nice, a million miles away from the angry nature. -Leo Bee
#91. UNSEEN FUEL. Want the fire of anger to fade out? Stop adding fuel! Try to see how you are tossing more logs on the fire without realizing it. Believing in a gloomy nature is fuel. Not seeing inner development as a law of life is more fuel. Obeying a harmful suggestion from your own mind is still more fuel for the fire of anger. Attention to this changes your whole appearance. The old fire gives way to a new glow, which is forever.’
When a fire dies away it leaves ashes out of which something good can grow.
Exercise:
Ask myself, could I be pouring fuel onto the fires of anger inside me without even realizing it!? Then be cheerfully curious about what will happen if I stop adding this unseen fuel.
“a million miles away from the angry nature”
If you want to make your world wider, more interesting, and fun then see what ‘spirit’ possesses you. What nature is there? A light spirit is everything! If your spirit is tainted by anger even in the slightest way (yes, only 1% will do you damage) then your world, your outlook, your view gets smaller, more confined, and unpleasant. Don’t complicate this, for that’s what a heavy spirit does…this is really very simple- Wake up right now! Anger is not your friend. Great post Leo!
Yesterday I was running late to meet a friend for lunch. There were no parking places at the restaurant and no street parking close.
Near the restaurant, was an empty parking lot with signs that said; “Tow Away Zone” No Parking. My thoughts were that I would take a chance and park so I could meet my friend on time.
After lunch, I walked to the lot and found the parking lot full without my car.
I called the number on the sign and was told I needed to pay $300 to take back my car. I wanted to whine and get angry.
Funny, even though it was my fault and did a very careless thing, my mind would play scenarios of how unfair they were and it was too much money, etc…
But, because of Vernon Howard’s teachings, I couldn’t get angry or depressed because I know for a fact that leads to nowhere nice.
I have believed in a gloomy nature in many ways for almost my entire life! It has become so habitual I have almost forgotten that I don’t need to do this. Thank goodness Vernon Howard is here to shake me awake. One way I do this is by unquestioningly accepting a general sense of gloom from other people and myself in body language and general manner of expressing tension and pain. I am also interested in the ‘fuel’ of not seeing inner development as a law of life. If inner development is a law of life, the implications are wide reaching for cheerfulness and health. It means I can watch myself passively and without judgement, not trying to change anything, because if inner development is a law then I must see where I am honestly. It also means with sincerity (as much as I have, however little) I can never really be wrong if I am sincerely trying to obey the law of inner development. The law of inner development will take care of the rest.
I can never really be wrong if I am sincerely trying to obey the law of inner development. The law of inner development will take care of the rest. I love that Leo. Thank you!
Amazing how one sentence from one point in one of Vernon Howard’s many booklets could have had this insight waiting the whole time to be found. Like a diamond waiting patiently in the earth to be found by the diamond hunter. The implication is the earth could be crammed full of diamonds I have not yet found. Lucky me!
I had an event involving many people and a variety of situations. The unseen fuel was at every turn since life didn’t go as I had planned. This person didn’t do what I expected, then that person didn’t do what I wanted, all evening, one thing after another there was a little or big thing that didn’t go my way.
When I thought this should have happened instead of that, I was immediately punished with anger, but when I just let something happen without reacting, there was no pain. What a nice secret to investigate and free oneself from whatever happens. It doesn’t matter what happens if there’s nobody reacting at every turn. What good is it to be somebody if it causes pain at every turn?
Let’s settle it…Anger will drive us mad while pretending to be a viable solution. I would’nt let wild pigs roam around in my physical house, so why would I let wild anger roam around in my inner house (my mind). Both would be destructive. ‘Seeing’ where I am going wrong is the solution!