nantogph

Do Taoists get angry?

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Throwing out some thoughts based on previous posts...

 

Taoist anger gets the job done. The mighty Hun expanding up and out to meet life´s challenges when they are called on to do so. Un-taoist anger sits around in the body where it stagnates into depression or heart disease, or else loses it´s connection to essential meaning and purpose and spins out of control.

 

Liminal

I think we are on the same wavelength. It's just so hard to describe with words!

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A highly cultivated Taoist only seeks harmony to maintain tranquility with a peaceful mind. Thus angry would be a forgotten item on the list.

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I think an un-Taoist anger will not sit around and stagnate in the body. The reason is that there will be an outburst of anger when a person gets upset and become violent. There is a tendency to get even or revenge to release one's anger.

 

I beg to differ. Anger that could neither be released nor dissolved, but which is simply suppressed is the psychosomatic cause of many an illness. Plenty of people tend to keep anger inside, and often this behaviour is expected in social interactions. Violent outbursts are generally the result of anger that has been stored for some time, then suddenly gets released. Of course, some people tend to "get even" in more calculating ways.

 

A Taoist will dissolve the anger by being encompassed with great tolerance and forgiveness.

 

Whenever you can genuinely do this, that's great! Practically speaking, I found that showing a degree of anger (even if only pretended) is necessary to be understood in certain situations. Even Zen masters do this.

 

A Taoist probably will make up an excuse to forgive for those who initiated the anger.

 

It's hardly necessary to "make up an excuse" for the offender if you truly forgive somebody. However, the latter has got to do with understanding the other person's reason for their offensive behaviour and/or seeing in what way you may have contributed to the situation yourself.

 

"Tout comprendre est tout pardonner."

Edited by Michael Sternbach
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Taoist anger gets the job done.

 

What 'job' are we talking about?

 

The mighty Hun expanding up and out to meet life´s challenges when they are called on to do so.

 

Who's calling on them? Are we now celebrating Taoists as some kind of nomadic warmongers?

Edited by dustybeijing

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What 'job' are we talking about?

I believe its the 'job' of overcoming a particularly obstinate obstacle. There are times anger (or its feigning) is a tool that works when patience or sweet reason fail.

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