Looking at Anger

Thich Nhat Hanh, in his book Being Peace, explains the fourteen precepts of mindfulness training and said this about anger:

Aware that anger blocks communication and creates suffering, we are determined to take care of the energy of anger when it arises and to recognize and transform the seeds of anger that lie deep in our consciousness. When anger comes up, we are determined not to do or say anything, but to practice mindful breathing or mindful walking and acknowledge, embrace, and look deeply into our anger. We will learn to look with the eyes of compassion at those we think are the cause of our anger.

In the West, we might ruffle a bit upon hearing "we are determined not to do or say anything" when anger arises. Psychology teaches us to speak up for ourselves, that it's healthy to let our anger out. Perhaps both are valuable. Perhaps if we are first determined not to do or say anything, we will do some real work on ourselves, get our thoughts straight, understand the root of our anger before we speak up. Then when we do speak up it can be stronger, more compassionate, and more honest than simple rage. "To look deeply into our anger" is an act of faith.