Q: What causes anger?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Your desire for perfection is the cause of anger. Leave ro
om for imperfection. Perfection in action is almost impossible. Only 95 percent
perfection is possible in action. Though, perfection in speech and mind is 100 p
ercent possible.
Q: How can I control my anger?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Anger comes out of your love for perfection. Create some s
pace for imperfection around you. Make a list of all the things you consider to
be wrong. Then have people around you do everything on that list! When you get a
ngry, just observe that sensation. Observe how your teeth are clenching and how
the mind becomes. Take a few long deep breaths and see if it changes. However, I
have no experience, since I myself have never had this problem. So my advice ma
y not be authentic. You should ask others. There are many here who will tell you
. After regular practice of Sudarshan Kriya, anger tends to settle down.
Q: How intelligent is it to be angry on the past?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Is there any profit of being angry at the past? A business
minded person would never do that!
There is a story of Mullah Nassurudin. His son was about to hold an expensive el
ectronic equipment and he slapped his son. When asked, he said what the fun woul
d be to slap after it has broken! It is a sign of foolishness to be angry at som
ething that had happened in the past. People ask me if I don t get angry.
But at what should I be angry at? Past that has already gone!
You get angry at something which is happening in the present. But reacting to an
ger with anger! What foolishness! If somebody does mistake again and again, you
can show anger but don t get swayed away with that. Arogya vardhak gussa Healthy a
nger is that which stays only for that much time as a line drawn on water stays.
It doesn t mean not to show anger when someone is wrong but it is unintelligent to
flow away with that.
Sadhana is to protect mind from any vikara (Distortion that takes one away from
the self)
Q: Is anger related to ego? Several Rishis in the Hindu tradition have been know
n to be very short-tempered. How did this affect their peace?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Not several. One of the Rishis is known for his anger. But
always good happened through his anger. That s why I say, even the anger of a wis
e man does so much good, and love of an ignorant person causes more problems.
See, an illiterate mother, an uneducated mother, she doesn t like her children goi
ng to school because the young ones cry while going to school. Then she says, No,
no. Ok, don t go to school. They say they don t want to study, and she says, Ok, don t
study. Her love for her children has spoiled their whole life. Isn t it? So, even t
he love of an ignorant person does harm. And even anger of a saint always does g
ood.
There are so many stories about one sage, his name was Durvasa. In India, if som
eone is very angry, they say Oh, he is a Durvasa! means he is someone who gets ang
ry at the drop of a hat. But he would come back to normal state immediately. Thi
s is to say, don t feel bad about yourself if you have anger.
Even a Rishi had some anger. So, you don t have to be too hard on yourself by blam
ing yourself. That is just to give you self confidence. To make you feel, you ar
e ok, inspite of your little bit anger. That is only one rare case. That is to s
ay that enlightenment is unconditional. It is what? It is unconditional. You can t
put any condition on that freedom. Just to tell you, there is no conditioning.
So it s possible to get angry also. And, sometimes anger can also do good.