TALKS

Do not maintain Anger: Learning to look at living beings with the eyes of Compassion

August 2, 2020 

In this talk, Dharma Teacher Fred Eppsteiner continues with the talk from last week on Patience. Fred shares with us teachings from the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing by Thich Nhat Hanh; "Taking care of anger."

Fred encourages us as individuals and for society, to do our best to understand anger and make the commitment to give up anger, impatience, and annoyance and take up the practice of love, compassion, and understanding.

By putting down our story, thoughts, and anger in this moment we are clear. There is space. And from here we can clearly look at the suffering of the other person without the filters and projections of our own “stuff.” Now we can be present to them, and just look with the eyes of compassion.

The Sixth Mindfulness Training: Taking Care of Anger

"Aware that anger blocks communication and creates suffering, we are committed to taking care of the energy of anger when it arises, and to recognizing and transforming the seeds of anger that lie deep in our consciousness. When anger manifests, we are determined not to do or say anything, but to practice mindful breathing or mindful walking to acknowledge, embrace, and look deeply into our anger. We know that the roots of anger are not outside of ourselves but can be found in our wrong perceptions and lack of understanding of the suffering in ourselves and others. By contemplating impermanence, we will be able to look with the eyes of compassion at ourselves and at those we think are the cause of our anger, and to recognize the preciousness of our relationships. We will practice Right Diligence in order to nourish our capacity of understanding, love, joy and inclusiveness, gradually transforming our anger, violence and fear, and helping others do the same.”

Do not maintain Anger: Learning to look at living beings with the eyes of Compassion Audio | Video