Surviving Anger With Serenity: Meditating Your Way Through a World on Fire

Fireproof fly-swatters at the ready, everybody...

There I was, many years ago at the start of my personal practice, sitting cross-legged on the floor, attempting to meditate for the bazillionth time, when it dawned on me: the world has become a raging inferno of irritations. Picture a thousand flaming mosquitoes, each one vying for a piece of your sanity. Even as a commited pacifist, it would make you itch for a giant fly swatter.

But amidst the chaos, I stumbled upon a realisation - meditation could be the key to staying sane when the world around me seemed intent on chewing up my last nerve like a hungry beaver.

I began to think of meditation as a mental hazmat suit, designed to protect my sanity from the daily onslaught of infuriating headlines, social media spats, and my neighbor who insisted (and still insists) on revving his motorcycle at all hours of the day (if you’re reading this, Gary, for heaven’s sake, please stop).

Take, for example, the infuriating political landscape. While you can't control the actions of those in power, you can control your reaction to them. Meditation allows you to observe your anger, acknowledge it and then let it go like a helium balloon at a child's birthday party. As it floats away, you can't help but roll your eyes and possibly even chuckle at the absurdity of it all - which is far better than flying into a rage and typing out an ill-judged tweet aimed at your local MP.

The next time you find yourself embroiled in a social media argument with someone whose opinions make your blood boil, take a step back and meditate on the situation. After all, chances are you won't change their mind, but you can save yourself from the emotional whiplash of an unproductive debate. Picture yourself as a zen master, sipping tea while your adversary angrily pounds away at their keyboard and feel the sweet serenity wash over you with a warm wave of schadenfreude, as you picture their frustration at your indifference.

Of course, meditation is not a one-size-fits-all solution. For some, sitting still and focusing on their breath is about as enjoyable as a surprise dental appointment. The beauty of meditation, however, lies in its adaptability. You can meditate while walking, dancing, or even (as I've discovered) furiously kneading bread dough as if it were the face of the aforementioned MP. The key is finding what works for you and incorporating it into your daily routine.

By now, you might be wondering if I've found eternal peace through my meditation practice. The answer, quite simply, is no. But in a world where we're constantly bombarded with reasons to be angry, meditation has become my go-to coping mechanism - a sort of "panic button" for the soul. I may not have achieved full-on zen mastery, but I can confidently say that my mental fly swatter is at the ready, prepared to swat away life's flaming mosquitoes with all the grace and humor I can muster.