in my poetry workshops at the prison i always reminded the guys who came that it didn't seem to matter what "culture" we grew up in, men were men, which meant we were pretty much trained in and allowed 2 emotions: anger and none. i began writing at 17 because my emotions just would not go away, but i had no idea whatsoever how to recogni…
in my poetry workshops at the prison i always reminded the guys who came that it didn't seem to matter what "culture" we grew up in, men were men, which meant we were pretty much trained in and allowed 2 emotions: anger and none. i began writing at 17 because my emotions just would not go away, but i had no idea whatsoever how to recognize, identify, differentiate and deal with any of them--which made me angry! meanwhile, i'm 71 now and have learned there are different kinds of anger, and some are holy--even prophetic in the classic hebrew sense. the dalai lama also recommends starting w/your own religious/spiritual traditions, which doesn't mean you have to stop there. i've returned to merton and other christian contemplatives, but i also study with pema chodron and cold mountain (aka han shan). i confess, however, i've lost the capacity in recent months to go out among my "fellow" humans without intense, unbearable anxiety and rage. It's partly due to illness, but also to the "stupidity" which is more rampant than any virus. as usual, you've given me a lot to think about and reflect on. thanks!!
Thank you, Wayne. I can totally relate to that public anxiety. Sadly, I think it's cost me a couple friendships too, at least for now, because there are things I just don't want do or be around the people who do them!
in my poetry workshops at the prison i always reminded the guys who came that it didn't seem to matter what "culture" we grew up in, men were men, which meant we were pretty much trained in and allowed 2 emotions: anger and none. i began writing at 17 because my emotions just would not go away, but i had no idea whatsoever how to recognize, identify, differentiate and deal with any of them--which made me angry! meanwhile, i'm 71 now and have learned there are different kinds of anger, and some are holy--even prophetic in the classic hebrew sense. the dalai lama also recommends starting w/your own religious/spiritual traditions, which doesn't mean you have to stop there. i've returned to merton and other christian contemplatives, but i also study with pema chodron and cold mountain (aka han shan). i confess, however, i've lost the capacity in recent months to go out among my "fellow" humans without intense, unbearable anxiety and rage. It's partly due to illness, but also to the "stupidity" which is more rampant than any virus. as usual, you've given me a lot to think about and reflect on. thanks!!
Thank you, Wayne. I can totally relate to that public anxiety. Sadly, I think it's cost me a couple friendships too, at least for now, because there are things I just don't want do or be around the people who do them!