Apathy <-> Grief <-> Fear <-> Lust <-> Anger <-> Pride
THEN
Courage <-> Acceptance <-> Peace
This is the chart of emotions presented by Lester Levinson, the creator of "the release technique", basically attaining through systematic letting go. It demonstrates the basic 2-way sequence people experience. Note that "lust" isn't just sexual - it's desire of all forms. Here's how it works: Someone violates a rule of yours, that invokes your pride, if you hang on to that, you get angry, if you hang on to that, you start wanting something to change, if it doesn't, you get scared it might not ever, then you grieve for your loss, then you numb yourself from all feeling and become apathetic.
OR, someone violates a rule of yours, you have courage that you can face this violation and remain safe, you begin to accept what is, and you eventually come to peace.
If you buy into this, the good thing about anger is that it's only 2 steps away from courage, which is the first emotion on the "positive" side - across the abyss between AGFLAP and CAP. So you have much less to let go of when you're angry than you do when you're apathetic. Doesn't make it easy, but it makes the light at the end of the tunnel a bit brighter.
fear and anger on Levinson's chart of emotions
Apathy <-> Grief <-> Fear <-> Lust <-> Anger <-> Pride
THEN
Courage <-> Acceptance <-> Peace
This is the chart of emotions presented by Lester Levinson, the creator of "the release technique", basically attaining through systematic letting go. It demonstrates the basic 2-way sequence people experience. Note that "lust" isn't just sexual - it's desire of all forms. Here's how it works: Someone violates a rule of yours, that invokes your pride, if you hang on to that, you get angry, if you hang on to that, you start wanting something to change, if it doesn't, you get scared it might not ever, then you grieve for your loss, then you numb yourself from all feeling and become apathetic.
OR, someone violates a rule of yours, you have courage that you can face this violation and remain safe, you begin to accept what is, and you eventually come to peace.
If you buy into this, the good thing about anger is that it's only 2 steps away from courage, which is the first emotion on the "positive" side - across the abyss between AGFLAP and CAP. So you have much less to let go of when you're angry than you do when you're apathetic. Doesn't make it easy, but it makes the light at the end of the tunnel a bit brighter.