"Anger is the enemy..." or is it?

[Tiger1962]

I agree with you, and its a shame that some instructors don't always see the real deal.

[The BB of C]

I think if you let anger engulf you, you will lose total track of what you're doing and end up becoming self-destructive. However - if you experience no emotion, you have nothing but physical to draw from.

A good amount of my motivation, drive and power comes from me channeling my anger and what I am angry at.

[nacal]

Channeling anger is a very dangerous prospect, especially if you dont have a good grip on anger control.

It is healthy to let out your anger or it will engulf you and lead to rage.

I have a problem with this myself and if i get angry it quickly spirals out of control... No one can control rage.

I do feel though that anger has no place at all in the dojo for good or bad reasons due to angers ability to quickly spread to everyone around you through your actions.

Higher energy levels and intensity can be achieved through application, technique and breathing.

If the great masters can achieve mighty feats without anger, why cant we?

[Throwdown0850]

Channeling anger is a very dangerous prospect, especially if you dont have a good grip on anger control.

It is healthy to let out your anger or it will engulf you and lead to rage.

I have a problem with this myself and if i get angry it quickly spirals out of control... No one can control rage.

I do feel though that anger has no place at all in the dojo for good or bad reasons due to angers ability to quickly spread to everyone around you through your actions.

Higher energy levels and intensity can be achieved through application, technique and breathing.

If the great masters can achieve mighty feats without anger, why cant we?

I agree here somewhat, I myself have had anger issues. I also agree that anger has no place in the dojo as well. BUT, I think that everybody gets angry its just how they release it I guess is the issue.

[JusticeZero]

It's natural to FEEL angry. It is not good, though, to BE angry.

[bushido_man96]

Channeling anger is a very dangerous prospect, especially if you dont have a good grip on anger control.

It is healthy to let out your anger or it will engulf you and lead to rage.

I have a problem with this myself and if i get angry it quickly spirals out of control... No one can control rage.

I'm not so sure that this is true. Have there been studies that show that rage=out of control? Are there studies that show that because one is angry, he isn't in control? I feel that I am always in control of my actions, regardless of the emotional state that I am in. If I hit a wall out of anger, I hit it because I want to, not because I am angry. Hell, I've hit walls when I am not angry, too. Am I out of control? I don't think so.

If the great masters can achieve mighty feats without anger, why cant we?

Why should we have to? I respect what the great masters did, and how they did it. But, I don't have to copy their lifestyles and emotions verbatim in order to become a great master myself.

[tallgeese]

I'd also be careful assuming that the old masters did things without fear, regardless of what has been passed down as truth.

Fear is too normal and universal emotion to purge from one's mental makeup for them to have done away with it totally.

[nacal]

sorry this is just a view from my own struggle to control my emotions.

The level of control over emotions would definately vary from individual to individual.

Would there be less chance of hitting a wall if you werent angry?

bushido_man96 - you've got me thinking bout this one, i'll see if i can find some studies about anger rage and emotional control...

I'm thinking back to past incidents where I have "raged" and caused damage to myself and the environment around me but I have never hurt anyone - could this be a certain level of control?

hmmm very interesting.

[nacal]

I'd also be careful assuming that the old masters did things without fear, regardless of what has been passed down as truth.

Fear is too normal and universal emotion to purge from one's mental makeup for them to have done away with it totally.

Thats true, but anger is a differant emotion from fear.

I can only go by what I have read and i wasn't there when great masters did actually the things they did.

Will be more mindful next time

[sensei8]

My 14 year old son, Nathan, is speech delayed. Whenever he's frustrated that nobody understands what he's saying, with is not his fault, he gets angry. His therapist says to Nathan, "If getting angry helps you to say this word; do it. But don't be violent!" Nathan gets mad thru his frustration, but, it helps him at THAT moment to properly focus...WHAM...the word comes out very understandable. One day Nathan was having some difficulties with double consonants, Nathan said, "What's wrong with me?", as his body language spoke volumes of despair/sadness, it tore me up inside...but...he worked through the word and was able to say it very well.

Anger's a negative unless the anger is meant as a positive, as it was with my son.