top of page
Search

Rage-itation - Experiencing Anger in Meditation

  • Writer: Admin
    Admin
  • Sep 3, 2019
  • 3 min read

You always see on Instagram serene pictures of people peacefully meditating, but what about those other kinds of meditations, the kind when you experience agitation or even rage in meditation? What’s happening in those meditations when it feels like you’re sitting on hot pokers and as soon as it’s done you want to walk up to the next living thing and punch it? I affectionately call these “rage-itations” with my students. Most everyone who practices regularly has experienced one from time to time and when they happen, it can raise questions: Why does this happen? Should you keep meditating if a rage-itation comes on? Do these kinds of meditations actually make you stressed? All meditations are good meditations It is a false assumption many people have that all meditations are supposed to be deep and relaxing. Some meditations have that lovely, cozy feeling which is indicative of "going deep," whereas some feel shallow, irritating or downright rage-inducing. These less-enjoyable kinds of meditations are caused by stress release. When we meditate, our bodies rest very deeply, even deeper than sleep. When this happens, the stress stored in our tissues stimulate the mind causing thoughts. These thoughts will have the flavor of whatever type of stress is being released be it heartbreak, fatigue or (in the case of a rage-itation) anger. A similar purification process happens when we sleep which is why we dream, or in the case of a great deal of unstressing, we have nightmares or wake up entirely. The interesting thing about meditations that have a lot of stress release is, while it can feel in the mind like you are stressing out, the body is at rest and absent of stress chemistry. So it is best not to judge how you feel during meditation but examine how different you feel outside of meditation. Don't pay attention to negative thoughts in meditation The mind doesn't like when it doesn't have a reason to attach to a body sensation, so if there's not a clear reason you're feeling something, it will make one up. For example, the body may be releasing some old anger from a break up that happened years ago during your meditation, but the mind experiences the unstressing without knowing the context so agitated thoughts come up about something else, something like how your husband put one of your wool sweaters in the wash again. This stress is on its way out, simply let it go. It's mental garbage, so don't go picking through the trash. These stress release thoughts don't need analyzing and putting more attention on them after meditation can put stress right back in your system. What to do if this keeps happening? Meditation works in waves. You will vacillate between going deeper and more shallow within a single meditation. Also, you will have a few meditations that are stress releasing which make way for having a few deep ones. The depth then stirs up new stress to release and the pattern happens again. However, if you are finding that you are having frequent uncomfortable, irritable or angry meditations, that is a sign of heavy stress release and can be mitigated by doing certain types of pranayama beforehand. Ask me if this is happening to you and I can give you instruction. Attending a group meditation can also help as the group all bending the field at once can pull you deeper. I find when I'm personally experiencing an agitated meditation, it try to laugh at myself a little. There's something funny about an angry meditator, and it helps keep me from taking myself and my meditation practice too seriously.

 

Adrian raging over being dressed like a unicorn princess hula dancer.


 
 
 

7 comentários


Elizete Fonseca Lima
Elizete Fonseca Lima
22 de nov. de 2024

Thank you for this insight! Let me tell ya, I am glad that my BF is off on a work trip, because the poor guy might have been used as the outlet for this foolishness 😭 It helped to be reminded that the mind dwells in chaos. I'm reminded of the saying: Your anxiety is lying to you. You are loved!

Curtir

a thousand petals
a thousand petals
26 de nov. de 2023

What about irritability after meditating? What is that from?

Curtir
Admin
Admin
26 de nov. de 2023
Respondendo a

Thanks so much for asking, it’s a very good question. The release of stress from meditation doesn’t always stop when the meditation is over. This is especially true if you’re doing a lot of meditation, like in a retreat setting. When I host retreats, we do what’s called rounding, which is a combination of yoga poses, breath work and meditation designed to dig out years of stress in a matter of days. People are releasing stress all over the place, all day long. And that stress can take many forms: irritability, fatigue, boredom, melancholy, anxiety. If you find yourself consistently irritable after meditation, you can try doing some breath work beforehand. Or get out in nature afterwards to help it…

Curtir

Nicolas Libertad
Nicolas Libertad
14 de jan. de 2023

Thank you! after my practice I was soooo angry and was looking for advice online. This helped me a lot. Thank you 🙏🏻😊

Curtir

Shelby rae
Shelby rae
29 de nov. de 2022

Thank you for this article. I needed it. I’m getting back into meditation and today I had one of the most frustrating/angry feelings after and during meditation. Left me thinking why am I doing this? Your explanation made me feel so much better and truly helped. thank you!

Curtir

Lindy Jefferson
Lindy Jefferson
11 de set. de 2021

Thank you. That’s exactly what I needed to read right now. I’ve been meditating twice a day for 8 days now and am finding the rage is coming out now despite feeling deeply relaxed in meditation. I wondered what was happening and your explanation has helped me.

Curtir
Admin
Admin
11 de set. de 2021
Respondendo a

Hi Lindy, I’m so glad it was helpful! And congrats at keeping a consistent twice a day practice for over a week! The beginning of starting a new practice is always hard. Eventually, the anger stored in your tissues will be purified from your system and this will lessen, though be patient as this can take a long time. Let me know if I can support you with your practice.

Curtir
bottom of page