Channeling Anger

ANGER?!?  Our culture does not teach us (particularly women) what to do with anger -- only that it is a bad thing we shouldn't have or should not express.  (As a friend pointed out, rouge males frequently get to bash and batter in all forms of entertainment.)  Anger is a natural response to many situations -- but learning how to channel it so we don't do harm to ourselves or others can be a valuable lesson.  This year I have been angry because a person we trusted with our taxes let us down -- acting unprofessionally and failing to communicate during the whole process, leaving us in the dark as to possible resolutions that could be achieved by a more  honest and open attitude.
  

Thinning it down to see the potential for what "could be."

Hindu Goddess Kali

Cultural Anthropology introduced me to a few options I found helpful -- not in a religious way, but more to address unidentified parts of my psyche.  t was interesting to find out that, particularly the mythic art of other cultures not only made room for anger, but found ways to incorporate anger in creative ways through art, ritual and myth.

I found it helpful to re-define anger as a "fuel" or a "tool" that may first appear threatening and destructive, but provides a needed venue for creative forces.  In Tibetan Buddhism some of the most wrathful deities are highly honored because they are so big and tough and powerful the keep the really bad guys under control or scared away.  The Egyptian goddess Sekmet is another example, as are the Hindu goddesses Kali and Durga.

After moving to the Big Island of Hawaii, we have experienced Pele's powerful energy first hand as she threatened to cut our charming Pahoa Village in half.  We had a close encounter that epitomized the dual nature of destruction and creation seen in these amazing volcanic islands.

The result of months of work -- a beautiful, lush new garden bed.

Since May, when we first discovered the tax mess I chose to use my anger as my fuel and tool -- with my pick axe, chain saw and o'o bar as my weapons of choice.  We never expected it would take over six months to resolve the tax mess, but   my garden, and I, have benefited greatly!  There were many dense, wild areas of our one acre that were a mess -- overgrown with invasive vines, shrubs and trees.

This situation presented me with an  opportunity for TRANSFORMATION -- the kind that uses DESTRUCTION to complete a new CREATION.