Treating Anger with Yoga:Meditation Technique to Manage Irritability

As per a study published in Medical Science Monitor, in a study conducted on twenty four women, undergoing yoga training for three months, it was observed that the therapy aided in reducing anxiety, stress and depression considerably, compared to the control group. Yoga practice in the Western world is increasing with over 14 million people in the United States practicing yoga on a daily basis

Meditation is beneficial

Yoga and Meditation for Irritability and Anger: How Yoga and Meditation help you?
Irritability and anger are strong destructive emotions.Yoga poses are highly restorative and healing. While meditating on their anti-dote – ‘patience’, will help restore calmness, and make life pleasant for you and for others around you.

• Practicing yoga reveals to you just how much of stress and tension you carry in your body everyday.
• Remaining calm and tranquil in the face of adversity is a blessing, and you need to develop it.
• Buddhism and Hinduism recommends dealing with irritability, impatience, anxiety and anger through meditation.

Yoga Posture to fight Irritability and Anger: Shashankasana
Shashankasana is a yogic posture that can instill patience and calmness in an individual. The steps invovled in the technique are,

• Sit down on a yoga mat, in such a way that your buttocks rest on to your toes and the back is upright.
• Place your palms on to your lap.
• Gently inhale, raise your arms in front of you, parallel to the floor. Then slowly bend forward, so that your forehead touches the floor, hands stretched straight out in front of you.
• Stretch the body and relax in to the pose. Don’t strain yourself. You should feel comfortable, while in the pose.
• Let the breathing be gentle and rhythmic. Hold the pose for sometime. Feel physical and emotional pains melting away. Then gradually release.

This asana helps the body to become passive, quiet, and serene, and slows down bodily activity. It rejuvenates the body and clears the mind and allows you to completely let go of all negative emotions.
A daily practice of this yoga posture (in the morning when you rise and in the evening, at the close of yet another taxing and testing day), will yield promising and beneficial results.

Meditation to manage Irritability and Anger

Meditation manages Anger

Meditation when used in combination with Yoga therapy can be very beneficial in the management of irritability and anger.

• Sit down comfortably on the floor, cross-legged, or on a straight-back chair. Ensure that you won’t be disturbed for 20 minutes.
• Focus on to your breath and try to bring peace and calmness in to yourself.
• Bring to mind, the last time you flew off the handle, and were really angry with someone. Are you still angry with him? Was it transient irritability exploding in to anger? Did getting angry with him help you? Did it hurt you? Think how you would feel if you could give that person space, no matter how much he irritates you. Try to give up the need to fight, getting offended, or irritated. Feel peace sweep over you.
• Gradually come back to the present.
• Focus on your breath for a few minutes, then, end the meditation session. Regular practice will reap huge benefits.

This technique will benefit in several ways,

1. Working on this technique makes you more tolerant towards others
2. It encourages patience and forbearance
3. Prevents you from losing your head, whatever may be the provocation
4. This technique reduces stress to a very great extent
5. Promotes peace in your relationships.