According to the dictionary: feminine noun, from the Latin Ira. Choler, anger, indignation, rage, desire for revenge.
For the Catholic Church: Wrath is not only against others, but can turn back against someone who lets hate sow seeds in his heart. In this case usually he is led to suicide. We need to understand that punishment and its imposition belong to God.
In “Verba Seniorum” (The Word of the Ancients): Two wise men who lived in the same chapel in the Sahara desert, chatted one day: “Let’s fight so that we don’t become disassociated from the human being, or we will end up not understanding properly the passions that torture him”, said one of them.
“I don’t know how to begin a fight”.
“Well, we will do the following: I am putting this brick here in the middle, and you say to me: it’s mine. I will answer: no, this brick is mine. Then we will begin arguing and we will end up fighting”.
And so they did. One said that the brick was his. The other argued, saying it was not. “Don’t let’s waste time over this, keep this brick,” said the first. “Your idea for a fight was not very good. When we perceive that we have an immortal soul, it is impossible to fight over things”.
In a laboratory study: Janice Williams followed up for six years 13,000 men and women aged between 45 and 64 years and, basing herself on their behavior, discovered that people who get intensely irritated, and frequently, have three times more chances of having a heart attack than those that face adversities more serenely (Williams, 2000).
That happens because, at each episode of Anger, the organism releases an extra load of adrenalin in the bloodstream. The high concentration of adrenalin raises the number of heartbeats and, at the same time, makes the blood vessels narrower, raising blood pressure. The repetition of such episodes may give rise to two problems usually associated to the heart attack: alteration of the heart rate and a sudden dilation of fatty deposits that might be in the arteries. (Source: Ballone G.J. – Anger and Hate, negative emotions)
In popular Brazilian music: While there is strength in my heart I don’t want anything else/ Just revenge! Revenge! Revenge! Crying out to the saints / You have to roll like the stones that roll on the road / without ever having a place of your own to be able to rest in. (Lupicínio Rodrigues)
In the words of William Blake: I was angry with my friend: I mentioned this to him, and the anger went. I was angry with my enemy: I didn’t mention it to him, and the anger increased.
On hate for foreigners (xenophobia): “All Western countries are infiltrated by Moslems. Some of them are even able to talk amiably, while they wait for the moment to kill us. They say that the events of September 11 (2001) happened because of a shock of civilizations. That is a lie: a shock of civilizations calls for two distinct civilizations and that is not the case. There is only one civilization: ours. “ (Statements made by the leaders of the Danish People’s Party - – DPP – sowing the seeds of hate and the new Fascism, which Europe and the entire world are watching grow without taking serious steps)
Comment from the Tao Te King: All weapons are instruments of evil and are absolutely not the instruments of the wise prince. He uses them only when urged by necessity. Calm and repose are what he appreciates; victory by the force of weapons is undesirable for him.
Considering it necessary is a sign that the man takes pleasure in killing other men, and he who takes pleasure in that killing may not run an empire.
When we want to weaken someone, we should first strengthen him. If we want to defeat him, we must first raise him. If we intend to deprive him, we must first give him presents. This is what is called subtle discernment.
Thus, the submissive and the weak will conquer the tough and strong.
(next: Gluttony)
For a long time when I was about 18 years old, I had a lot of hate in my body. It destroyed me and my heart. One day I started to let go. My life changed so much. My heart is alive again and I know my true “self.”
We project a lot of anger onto other people and sometimes we do not know “why?” In the world of psychotherapy it is known as transference. If someone in our lives has hurt us in the past we can hold onto it and it can come out in all the wrong ways when we are older.
Transference can be many other forms of projection also. Falling in love with your therapist or a teacher in school. It all links back to something else.
Just adding this out of interest for the arrival of Paulo’s new book and the kind of magic you encounter in his books compared to the wrong thoughts of magic and the misconceptions about it that can hurt us. I have left out some stuff as it is damaging!
During the past decade in North America, a growing number of mental health professionals have reported that between 25% and 50% of their patients in treatment for multiple personality disorder (MPD) have recovered early childhood traumatic memories of ritual torture, incestuous rape, sexual debauchery, sacrificial murder, infanticide, and cannibalism perpetrated by members of clandestine satanic cults. Although hundreds of local and federal police investigations have failed to corroborate patients’ therapeutically constructed accounts, because the satanic etiology of MPD is logically coherent with the neodissociative, traumatic theory of psychopathology, conspiracy theory has emerged as the nucleus of a consistent pattern of contemporary clinical interpretation. Resolutely logical and thoroughly operational, ultrascientific psychodemonology remains paradoxically oblivious to its own irrational premises. When the hermetic logic of conspiracy theory is stripped away by historical and socio/psychological analysis, however, the hypothetical perpetrators of satanic ritual abuse simply disappear, leaving in their wake the very real human suffering of all those who have been caught up in the social delusion.
Kealan
Good Morning,
Looking at the mental process of anger, I beleive it to be based in fear, as are all negative emotions. Anger is our fear pointed outward at someone or something outside our self. We gan only get peace then if we take it from someone else or destroy what we beleive to be the source of our fear. Insane, yes; but we have been taught well.
Peace,
Doug McKee
Dear Paulo and Everyone,
Happy Valentine’s Day to all those who celebrate it and even to those who don’t!
I really liked the story about the brick! It shows the foolishness of men when they identify with their egos, and it is true that when you look upon yourself as an immortal being, then there is no need for fighting! Ha!
On a different, yet related note, just yesterday two different friends of mine brought up the subject about how they can each cut people out of their lives when they are unhappy with them, without thinking twice about it. I was shocked and surprised to hear my best friend, the only person who has never once hurt me in the 25 years that I’ve known him, tell me that he would cut me out in a heartbeat, too, if I ever treated him badly.
I asked what he meant by ‘badly’, and he said that if he called me and I acted annoyed with him, yet, wouldn’t tell him what was bothering me, and if I did this three times in a row, then he would just stop calling me forever.
I felt so sad to hear that from him because we have always had such a special, mutually caring relationship. But, then I realized and said that I would never do that to him, though, because I always tell him and everyone the truth of how I feel. He said, “I know you would never do that to me and I would never do that to you. So you don’t ever have to worry about it.”
My other friend, whom I’ve known just as long, brought up the same subject with me, explaining how she is dealing with someone who won’t be honest, and how she plans to just cut her out of her life if this doesn’t change.
I thought it odd that they both mentioned this on the same day. But, also realized that it goes along with what I was talking about on the blog the other day about the need for honesty. It really is very difficult to have a relationship with someone when they don’t tell you how they truly feel about you. It’s very simple, but, many people don’t know how to deal with the truth, and as William Blake has said, it only increases anger and distance.
My prayer for this Valentine’s Day - the holiday of opening our hearts to love - is that we obtain the gift of being true to ourselves so that we may always be true to others. May we use this gift to forge strong bonds of love between us in order to create a perfect world.
May you all have a peaceful, love-filled day.
-Deb
Dear Paulo,
After much maturing I now know, even when one has lost all hope there is no point to drink the cup of wrath. It is far greater a poison than one could ever expect.
Happy Valentine’s Day to all!
S
I know this has nothing to do with the subject of anger, but…
I just couldn’t resist:
here’s Paulo’s HP commercial…
it’s oh so cool
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oaybo46kMC8
It’s Oh so Cool ! ya ! Sad to see paulo doing a commercial though ! So afterall it’s all about the money ! honey ! is that it?
No certainly there is no harm, nothing ethically wrong in it, etc etec. but then just ….
Aditya
[quote comment="1511"]It’s Oh so Cool ! ya ! Sad to see paulo doing a commercial though ! So afterall it’s all about the money ! honey ! is that it?
No certainly there is no harm, nothing ethically wrong in it, etc etec. but then just ….
Aditya[/quote]
Dear Aditya,
i dunno… i find that paulo is endorsing a brand and not loosing face… the ad is all about his interests and what the internet represents to him.
aart
The fact that he talks of the blog (that i’ve been reading for the past 6 months) truly warms my heart.
I don’t know how much money he could have made, but quite honestly, I don’t care.
I know that by the end of the day he will used it wisely: i’ve read in many interviews that he puts money in his children foundation in rio.
But then again, i don’t care about the money honey, just the sheer coolness that the ride can provide!
fear probably comes from what we don’t know, thus fear surfaces from any unpleasant memory links in order for ourselves trying to make sense out of it. Even while writing this, i am experiencing small amount of fear from wondering if i communicate correctly what i wanted to say. Thus this is an example of; due to me not confident enough to express myself in foreign langauge that has me checking my words many times. The part of “little confident in my langauge skill” actually comes from my uncertain past experience i experienced myself or observed experiences of others, thus the memory links. Me “checking my words many times” becomes a reaction just like anger, in my case, is anxiety. And reactions from fear come in many forms, anger being one of them.
i am one of the blind men, happen to place my hands on this column, and i am still in the process of trying to figure out how an elephant looks like. Pardon me if the above does not make sense to you.
to peace, honesty, love and the HP commercial.
Hi there again. Nice to ’see’ you all again here.
Thank you for your encouraging words, Aditya, it is nice to learn from your culture.
I hope you are all okay.
Hurtfull words or beatings do not touch the inner spirit, she flews away at the same time, into another world where there is love, peace and freedom.
This world always seems to be in a fight, this world seems to have a terrible amount of gods. Who all claim the wrath of God. And I cannot comprehend.
What difference does it make which name we use for our God/dess (thanx Deb).
But that’s probably a question to myself. I do not know what to believe anymore, from time to time.
I also know that fear cannot be taken out of someones head by words alone.
Anger can be the face of fear. Or it could be when people feel there is injustice. Like the swans: when they have young swans, they will protect them at any cost. And this is of course just a metaphor for us humans.
Sorry for being a bit moody.
Love to you all,
mirjam
Hey everyone!
I read this column and blog often, but I never comment
I really like the phrase ‘Once we perceive we have an immortal soul…’ I’ve been thinking about this the past few days and it seems that this perception affects more than fighting. In my life, it seems that it makes it hard for me to continue to do useless trivial things (not to be confused with useful trivial things) just for the sake of doing them. It makes me more willing to talk with anyone at any time and indulge in absurd situations. And less willing to hold on to things in my life that just seem to take up space. I guess it just makes me want to do things for the ultimate good all the time. The only problem I have with this is that people always think I’m crazy! oh well!
But I’ve been crazy for so long now, I don’t even want to imagine how my life could be any different.
Anyway- good quote- I’m gonna use it in an argument sometime.
Erin
The people we associate with are like a barometer. They reflect the feelings of our soul (notre etat d’ame): sunny, rainy or stormy -.
So keep an eye on your daily weather cast.
Marie-Christine
HI ! aart !
AS I said nothing wrong in it, absolutely nothing wrong in endorsing one brand or the other, specially if one beleives in it. But then just imagine !! Pope comming out for a commercial for say HP, President Bush for Pepsi, The Grand Queen for Coke, James Bond comming out to endorse this or that. Why limit oneself to present relaities, let’s say Christ for Compaq, Buddha for Budwiser, Lao Tzu for Lever.
In enjoying your sheer coolness just take care not to become cold.
my present outburst against Paulo’s commercialisation is because I have a saintly image of him in my mind, at least the mind that churns out such books as he does, belongs to saintly wisdom. It’s my angusih over breaking of an image of mine.
limi,
hmmmmmmmm.
Aditya
If we search for eternal happiness and always curse the darkness, we will probably see little but sorrow and pain.
But if we try to see and accept the consequences of the occasional fights and times of destruction, don’t you think we might enjoy the good times even more?
And, if our ultimate goal is not peace and happiness, what is it?
Let’s start finding out what we can do; why “fate”, “destiny”, “god” or “evolution” put us here, with all of our unique abilities and passions.
Be prepared to realize, that your role might not be as glamorous as you would have hoped for. But it is still not less important to the functioning of the Great Machine.
If your calling is to bring some light to the dark corners of the world, then please do so. Your flickering light will disclose beautiful colours and forms that had never been seen before.
But don’t forget that you too will cast shadows. You will create a contrast between the light and the dark and many people may start to realize what they have been missing.
Your light may trigger envy and wrath.
Marie-Christine,
I like that idea about the barometer.
And I’m happy to report that I’m so blessed, these days, to be basking in the brightest, blinding sunlight of my most amazing associates!
Erin, I agree with you, I can’t imagine living life not as a crazy person! How boring would THAT be?! A sane life is not worth living.
Mirjam, yeah it is a bummer that you can’t just take fear out of your head. It does take some work, but, the good news is that the conquering of the fear is a sweet reward that in the end gives you a tremendous sense of power. It’s always worth it and it’s always, in the end, about trusting Love.
Take care everyone!
Love,
Deb
Aditya,
I know it’s very disconcerting to realize that your heroes are merely only human. I think Paulo is human!? Are you, Paulo?
I haven’t met him yet, so, I am not sure! If we were to judge by that HP ad, hmmmm….he doesn’t have a head, so who knows? 
The beauty in realizing how human our idols are lies in the knowledge that we can also attain the goal of fulfilling our own dreams, and to get to that stature, if we desire to do so.
I imagine that it’s unsettling for Paulo (when he’s not grooving to the tune of his ego! Ha!) to be in the position of people looking up to him.
I had a tiny experience of this a few years back when I had an article published in a local magazine. I had met a friend of a friend and when she heard my name and said, ‘I just read an article by Debbie Holmes, is that YOU?”
I said, ‘Yeah.’
And she said, ‘Oh My God! I can’t BELIEVE it! Debbie Holmes is here in my OWN HOUSE!’
I just laughed at her and said, ‘It’s only ME, little ole Debbie Holmes!’
So, I can imagine how Paulo must feel, to a SMALL degree. Although, no, I can’t imagine how he feels because he’s not even human!
You know I’m just funnin’ with ya, Paulo.
Don’t get your ire up!
Love to you all,
Deb
The FAMOUS Debbie Holmes! Hee hee! 
[quote comment="1541"]Aditya,
I know it’s very disconcerting to realize that your heroes are merely only human. I think Paulo is human!? Are you, Paulo?
I haven’t met him yet, so, I am not sure! If we were to judge by that HP ad, hmmmm….he doesn’t have a head, so who knows?
The beauty in realizing how human our idols are lies in the knowledge that we can also attain the goal of fulfilling our own dreams, and to get to that stature, if we desire to do so.
I imagine that it’s unsettling for Paulo (when he’s not grooving to the tune of his ego! Ha!) to be in the position of people looking up to him.
I had a tiny experience of this a few years back when I had an article published in a local magazine. I had met a friend of a friend and when she heard my name and said, ‘I just read an article by Debbie Holmes, is that YOU?”
I said, ‘Yeah.’
And she said, ‘Oh My God! I can’t BELIEVE it! Debbie Holmes is here in my OWN HOUSE!’
I just laughed at her and said, ‘It’s only ME, little ole Debbie Holmes!’
So, I can imagine how Paulo must feel, to a SMALL degree. Although, no, I can’t imagine how he feels because he’s not even human!
You know I’m just funnin’ with ya, Paulo.
Don’t get your ire up!
Love to you all,
Deb
The FAMOUS Debbie Holmes! Hee hee! :)[/quote]
To the famous Debbie Holmes!
What an honour and a pleasure to email you
I completely agree with what you have said and at the same time I understand your sentiments Aditya.
All of us have people we look up to and we cannot help sometimes to imagine that these people are faultless. Indeed, most of these individuals are suffering from the same doubts, concerns and temptations that we feel. Their inspiration often comes from their own suffering and current suffering. Having read most of Paulo’s work, I have never felt that he has put himself on a pedestal and said “I am perfect and this is how you should live!” Far from it. I have always felt that this is the last thing he wants. I don’t know how much of Paulo was in his writer’s character in the book ‘The Zahir’ but I can imagine that his life is similar.
We are all humans stumbling along the road to our own destiny. We follow what is right for us and that is when we know that we are on the right path.
I don’t mean to seem as if I am lecturing you Aditya since I did understand what you wrote.
On the subject of Wrath, my brother is staying with me this weekend and we fight all the time! I will be doing my best to control my temper!
Love to all
Charlie
My Sparkling Friend, Debbie,
Hello, glad to talk to You here
I just loved Your as always funny and perspicacious view on the surrounding world and such a true and sacred words of the 2nd paragraph below 
“I know it’s very disconcerting to realize that your heroes are merely only human. I think Paulo is human!? Are you, Paulo? I haven’t met him yet, so, I am not sure! If we were to judge by that HP ad, hmmmm….he doesn’t have a head, so who knows?
The beauty in realizing how human our idols are lies in the knowledge that we can also attain the goal of fulfilling our own dreams, and to get to that stature, if we desire to do so.”
Sending my love and gratitude to everyone who opens their beautiful souls here !
Love,
Dasha
I’m thinking over the last four lines of the Tao Te King and I don’t really get it, especially not when I try to make a connection with national ministers and presidents of today… Noone of them seem to be very powerless or weak and certainly not submissive (when they commit the sin of “wrath”). Through their connections with leaders of global enterprises they pretty much rule the world. I’m missing a piece of the puzzle here…
Just red the stories in the section of Lust, because I missed all that. Thank you ACfernandez for your inspiration. You inspire me to go on.
At the moment I’m studying social studies and my goal is to work with people who, for whatever reason, made harmful choices for themselves and/or others.
But at the moment I’m still fighting my own battle. But reading your words, I believe we can do it!
Thanx Deb, for your words and support to everyone.
Thanx A.V.C. for your words and raising good questions. Your last piece make me think. If we create light, we create darkness? But what if we only work with light, not create it, because it’s already here. If we work with light. Working with energy. It’s balancing.
There is one particular song from Steve Vai: For the Love of God. This song sets me free and raises my spirit.
Love to you all,
mirjam
Paulo Coelho sir, the following has nothing to do with the subject discussed, but i am curious to know. Why did you do the HP ad and why not show your face?
limi
Hey!
I didn’t realize that people still write on the older blogs! I feel left out…like I wasn’t invited to the party.
So, I crashed in on the lustful party.
I just wanted to mention that I posted something there to a few of you who stuck around. I especially wanted Mirjam to read what I wrote, in hopes that it might be helpful. I thought I’d come on here to tell you, Mirjam, in case you didn’t go back to that site.
That’s all I wanted to say. Now, go back to enjoying the current event.
But, first, could someone please pass the hor’ deurves? I could use a wine refill, too. Thanks so much!
-Deb
I thought long and hard about responding to this topic and wanted to keep it in a reflection of my truth and my own experience, not wishing to please nor impress others with any measure of great wisdom or knowledge.
In my experience, I know wrath to be far beyond anger or simple squabbles between human beings. I believe wrath to be a measure of
emotion where the mind no longer functions with any intelligence and can lead to a desire to reap pure destruction and death upon the one or ones to whom the wrath is focused.
It can be harbored, yes, for a short period of time, but eventually the wrath will destroy the one who carries it or it will be carried out with pure vengence and clarity of purpose. Wrath knows no mercy. It is an entity of it’s own. An energy of the greatest magnitude.
I have known wrath personally. I have felt it within my being.
In Jasper County, Texas an African American man was dragged behind a pick up truck to his death by three white men. There were pieces of him found along the road for miles. They did this while he was alive.
In New Orleans, Louisiana, after Hurricane Katrina babies were raped during the aftermath of the storm.
In Champaign, Illinois a man was beaten to death by a gang of young people in the street. There were several witnesses who did not call for help nor come to his aid.
I personally watched a video of a dog being burned alive in a garbage bag by two youths who used lighter fluid to ignite it. They were laughing as the dog screamed until it mercifully died.
I can go on and on.
Upon learning of each episode of the above, I was filled with a sense of rage so great, yet a sense of powerlessness. There was nothing I could do.
When I watched the video of the dog, I will admit with all honesty I wanted to kill the two individuals involved.
Yet all I could do was cry for that animal, and cry knowing there exists a side to humanity which is so cruel and lacking in conscience it can act out in manners which tears my heart to shreds.
Killing those two men would not have made my choices any better than theirs. Acting out of wrath, despite my emotions, would only have placed me on a pedestal of self imposed executioner, as have many others before me. And action based out of emotion can clearly be extremely unwise.
Instead, I work through my anger. I use it as a motivation to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. Thus, I volunteer with convicted sex offenders. Perhaps there will be one less baby raped. If I had opportunity I would do more.
One of my dreams is to go to Haiti and volunteer with children with aids in orphanages.
Am I ashamed to admit I have experienced wrath? On this site of individuals who are so in touch with their spiritual sides and all of these amazing words of wisdom, it is difficult to admit.
What I can say is acting out in wrath, rage, or anger solves nothing.
Harboring it destroys and blackens the soul.
Letting it go frees the spirit of not only me, but also the one whom I am holding spiritually hostage with my hatred.
That is not always easy.
Sometimes we hold on to our rage as if it were an infant in a blanket, we nurture it, we protect it, we watch it grow.
As a mother without her child, who would we be without it?
over a period of time you even though you are angry with your enemy you wont fight
Dear Marie-Christine, it’s nice you mentioned the weather. Here the weather changes every day. Sun like spring, or stone cold like winter, or storms like autumn, or lightning or snow and rain. Hmm. Like moodswings.
Dear Deb, you really make me laugh. Ha! I’m more a pizza-woman, with a lot of cheese. And a red wine for me too.
I’ve read your piece in the Lust-section. Thank you, I will think about it, your words make sense. And I thank Doug. I have to think about your words. I always have been my own therapist, so it takes time.
While going through these pieces, reading and writing, I feel a lot of things are straighten out. And that’s great, really.
I think, the words of Doug (also in the Lust-section) really makes fear or anger what it is: illusion. It’s nothing, except being a waste of time.
We can cast and run around with swords or wands, making circles or chanting whatever, it really comes down to accepting reality.
I believe that’s the true magic.
Being a so-called ‘witch’ (I really do not like the word) helped me control anger, because I have to work with certain laws. Working with magic is not becoming powerful or acting as the hand of God/dess, it’s just a way of life, knowing where we came from, being one, seeing the holiness, experience the beauty of life. Even when we do the dishes or cleaning the windows.
When we feel rage or wrath, we can better sing and dance, run/doing something physical or headbanging (be careful with that
), paint, write - whatever. Then the Gods will know our hurt and pain.
Love to you all.
mirjam
Good Morning acfernandez,
Your post is eloquent, and you have stated the problem with wrath so very clearly.
I beleive we almost all feel wrath, especially when confrointed with the situaltions you mentioned.
I used to get very angry also, but I learned a few things that help me control my anger.
I know my emotions, all of them, are what I feel about something only while I am thinking about it.
I may be absolutely correct about some situation, as you are in decrying those examples of insane and senseless violence, but when confronted with those situations I now stop and ask myself the following questions.
Will my anger serve any good purpose?
Do I want to be part of the problem, or part of the solution?
Is being correct and getting angry worth giving up my peace?
Mother Theresa, in refusing an invitation to participate in a march against war, replied, “If you ever have a march FOR peace, I’ll be there.”
I find it more productive to become involved in efforts that promote peace rather than empowering “wars” on anything by feeding it with my anger. We can never make Peace by making war.
Peace,
Doug
acfernandez,
You failed in your attempt to write without impressing anyone with your knowledge, because I was impressed!
Ha!
Thanks for sharing your story. Again, I can relate, and I think it’s great that you can admit that you have felt vengeful upon hearing of those atrocities. I think it’s perfectly normal for all of us to feel this way when we hear of such horrors. Admitting these feelings is the healthy response, because, until we can admit and face our dark sides, we will continue to be controlled by them. I think when people hold these feelings inside, as you mentioned, is when the feelings end up taking over and need to be acted upon.
Keep up the great work of spreading your light.
Love,
Deb
a very fine article as usual..
mr coelho is very inspiring..his writings had a great influence on my life in the few past years..
anyway i asked alot for an arabic version of this blog but recieved no reply at all..
so i took the initiative and made it my self
http://wola.wordpress.com/
not all the articles have been translated but i’m working on it..
i’m not a professional writer or translator i’m just a guy who studies electrical engineering but i’m doing my part..
hope what i’m doing could inspire or help or even draw a smile on anyone’s face..
mohamed
Dear acfernandez,
Your posting struck me to the core. Your honesty and depth of feeling is immense.
I really hope that you realise your dreams.
Charlie
I believe that it is true that we are responsible for all of our actions.
But I also believe that every one of us has sleeping demons deep inside. Under certain circumstances, they can take complete control over all our thoughts, feelings, words and acts.
They can send us far beyond “anger” into a horrific realm where the entire soul turns black, as acfernandez said.
Anyone near you will see it in your eyes.
Extreme situations such as war can trigger the demons that I am talking about. Everyday, we are watching the consequences on television.
Do not make the mistake of believing that it could never happen to you. That you are not capable of such cruelty.
Many of you will have heard the expression “Know Yourself”. It is essential to all on the spiritual path, but whatever you do, do not underestimate the forces within yourself - especially not the dark ones!
Before you approach your demons, you must forgive yourself. Otherwise, they will use that guilt to weaken you and take control.
Hence, look objectively at all the errors you have made in your life. Try to understand the context. Try to understand why you acted in the way that you did. When you see all the pieces of the puzzle, you will have forgiven yourself.
This is a difficult process. But it has to be completed if you want to be able to control yout demons. If you have not done that yet, let the demons sleep.
[quote comment="1583"]a very fine article as usual..
mr coelho is very inspiring..his writings had a great influence on my life in the few past years..
anyway i asked alot for an arabic version of this blog but recieved no reply at all..
so i took the initiative and made it my self
http://wola.wordpress.com/
not all the articles have been translated but i’m working on it..
i’m not a professional writer or translator i’m just a guy who studies electrical engineering but i’m doing my part..
hope what i’m doing could inspire or help or even draw a smile on anyone’s face..
mohamed[/quote]
Hello Mohammed,
definetly what you did made me smile!!!
Have you checked out the arabic version ade for Paulo’s new book?
http://lb.paulocoelhoblog.com/witch-of-portobello/
Best
aart
[quote comment="1594"][quote comment="1583"]a very fine article as usual..
mr coelho is very inspiring..his writings had a great influence on my life in the few past years..
anyway i asked alot for an arabic version of this blog but recieved no reply at all..
so i took the initiative and made it my self
http://wola.wordpress.com/
not all the articles have been translated but i’m working on it..
i’m not a professional writer or translator i’m just a guy who studies electrical engineering but i’m doing my part..
hope what i’m doing could inspire or help or even draw a smile on anyone’s face..
mohamed[/quote]
Hello Mohammed,
definetly what you did made me smile!!!
Have you checked out the arabic version ade for Paulo’s new book?
http://lb.paulocoelhoblog.com/witch-of-portobello/
Best
aart[/quote]
dear aart
i’m very glad i made you smile i hope i can make more people able to read and enjoy mr. coelho’s writings..
and about the witch of portobello i know about it but i didn’t start reading it yet as i have alot of books to read now but thanks alot for mentioning it to me..your reply really made me happy that someone took the time to reply..
thanks alot..
Hi there,
Nice to have you here, welcome Mohamed!
What inspiring and colourful pieces you all write again!
Like many I too have felt the wrath in myself. I even thought for a short amount of time, that it made me stronger. Until I realized I was the same, the opposite, the other end of a pole. I had the same war boots on.
I understand your words, A.V.C. Sometimes it is better to let the dragon, the snake, the demon, etc. sleep, but sometimes we have no choice, it just happens. Sometimes we meet certain situations or persons. And we are forced to fight, we get burned, but we learn.
Going into the labyrinth and meeting ourselves in the middle.
Knowing that our own dragon protects that what is in the middle.
We cannot control life, thank God, so we just go with the flow. Or not… I have to admit: I did not go with the flow for many years, I was swimming up against the stream. I do not know what is better. But maybe we become milder when we get older and wiser…
Love to you all,
mirjam
HI All !
wrath ! what is it ? Can one imagine Christ in a moment of anger, he is supposed to have driven the moneylenders out of some place, viloently, angrily. But he certainly harbour no desire for revenge. Whatever was,was in the moment. I am pained with the isntances of cruelty quoted, such brutality ! WE humans, the living beings who walk on two legs and wear clothes, are part animals and part divine. Some people are 70% divine and 30% animal, some are 95% animal and 1% divinity continues to lay sleeping in them. Some enlightend beings are maybe 99% divine. Purpouse of life seems to be to go increasing one’s divinity percent day by day, moment to moment.
As the means of communications improve, as the global warming happens, as the man becomes more and more stressed, as the madness and mayhem increases, We have to learn to turn inwards, see our own emotions. U know I was quite surprised that no one really cared when I lay a claim that i have a solution by which we can cure at least half the problems of the world. I am not really sure, I have an idea, maybe by discussiong with you all I could refine it some more. But then someone has to ask.
Was that paulo ( or his look alike ) in that commercial.
regards
Aditya
Dear Mirjam,
For some time now, I have been fighting to gain control over my demons.
It is strange how the smallest things can create wounds in our souls. I am slowly beginning to understand why some of my fears once arose. However, I still have a very hard time overcoming them.
As I have stated over and over again, almost as if to convince myself, I believe that Love makes all the difference.
She speaks to me of the person that I want to be and shows me the consequences of my actions. I sometimes confuse her with pleasure and happiness, but above all she is honesty and sometimes the sorrow that comes from understanding.
Her only object is the truth as she is the force towards Unity.
Hi, I’m sorry if I write too much in this Blog, but I only just saw the commercial from Paulo for HP.
I love it! I love the images. He’s showing some magic. He makes me laugh and feel happy. It’s the same feeling I had when I was a child and listened to a fairytale.
Commercials can reach a lot of people and it’s a good way of showing signs.
Money? We need money for good reasons, like Aart mentioned.
It’s what I love in Paulo. He makes magic reality. He takes it out of dark and wicked corners. Magic can be found in ordinary places, in reality.
To me, that’s his gift. He makes me feel like a happy child, he makes me not forget about that happy girl. His books are true treasures to me. Thanx dear Paulo!
Play! Be happy! Shine!
Love,
mirjam
Hiya all! I have really enjoyed all your posts, so I thought I would throw my hat in the ring. Wrath, the word itself makes me feel it when I think or say it. I will admit I to have felt it, and I have had to let it go. I worked in a residential facility for children and teens. Some of the things these kids faced in the short time they had had already in life were horrific. I am not ashamed to say that I wanted to hurt the ones that had hurt them so badly. It was especially hard during visits when I knew what those adults had done to their children. I still feel rage when I think about some of my kids and the pain they were in. Instead of acting on it, I have had to learn to channel it. Use it to finish school and equip myself to battle for the kids without stooping to the level of the abusers. Love is the only way to break the cycle of violence. I believe that more than anything. My spiritual journey is only reinforcing this in my mind.
Dear A.V.C.,
Maybe it’s a silly wish, but I would wish for everyone that fear would not exist. Fear even can be indifferent to Love!
Your words about Love are so very true and beautiful. I seem to forget about Love from time to time, busy in a fight or busy with my mind. We tend to forget about the heart.
I think fear has a purpose, like seeking and knowing Love, finding her. And then I mean unconditional Love, like you mentioned. When fear meets the unconditional Love, it will say: ok, I trust you, I believe in you. Love indeed is honest and she forgives. She binds the opposites together, because the angel cannot survive without the demon.
Love is the grail. Why we do forget her every time again and again?
She sets us free when we are in our prisons, she keeps us safe when we are out in the open. She is always there, what ever moment you are in, remember!
Love to you all, wherever you are,
mirjam
i have read your book “the warrior of the light” and it is very oriental. i liked the way the words are delivered and i have the art of war in your book.
it inspired me…especially now that i’m seminarian…
Mirjam Hi !
Romatic thoughts that Love is there to set us free when we r in priosn and to keep us safe when we r in the open. Can we tell the same to innumerable souls who have persished in prisons and millions others who suffer injustice even accidents / death when they are out in the open.
REGARDS
aditya
HI Rion ! Good thoughts, there.
When we feel hurt, one of the reactions is rage. I think u have rightly said and as u have practiced for your self, that rage needs to be channelised, otherwise it becomes wrath, isn’t it. wrath is a unconsious response while a cossciois response to rage will be …….
regards
aditya
Aditya,
The question was not directed to me but, yes we can.
However, there is nothing romantic about the Love I am talking about. She has nothing to do with sentimentality.
Opposites will strive for equilibrium, no matter what sacrifice may be required.
0 = ( 1) (-1)
Dear Aditya,
I am very glad that I am still a romantic person. Life would have no meaning without romance, to me.
You fight against Love, I am sorry. Love really does not fight, she is there. We can fight for Her and that’s what I’m doing.
Being raised in a country where we do remember the meaning of Freedom every year and where we have coureagous people who do there utmost that we do not forget the horrors which took place approx. 60 years ago in Europe, we do care about freedom and peace. We remember our Victims and our Heroes, which even came from the other part of the world. I wasn’t there myself, but my parents and many other people I know/knew lived through this war and they probably passed there experiences on to their children.
We always invent other wars. And we might attack someone who is not our enemy. We might be caught up in a fight which is not hours.
I have been in my own prison for a very long part of my life. I have seen and experienced prisons of other people. I know fear. I just speak of my own experience. And for me that was a battlefield.
And, really, I think when people have nothing anymore, when they have nothing to loose anymore, don’t you think that Love is all they have? Isn’t it Love what moves them to go on? Love for their country, love for their life, love for their wife and/or children, for their friends, or love for their Gods? Try to find out your meaning of Love.
Epictus: no man is free when he is not his own master.
Thank you.
mirjam
HI Mirjam, Hi AVC,
Thank God u wrote what u did. When life appears sad ( loveless ) for me it shows in my writings also. Anyway u have thrown me back on course. Mirjam - tell me how do u fight for love, by love alone ain’t it.
I too am a hopelessly romantic, I too beielve in miracels; sometimes the faith is shaken ( after a defeat too many ?) and it spills over to my pals ( on the internet it’s u and this blog for some time now .
If i understand ‘Them’ correctly, then the Love which is the last refuse, when u have nothing else, that too has to be not clinged to, that too can be voluntarily given up ( no one, not even God ) has the power to snatch away u’r love from you, but u may choose to surrender it also; Then something beutiful happens, out of your nothingness ( for u have lost and finally given up everything, all u’r dreams & sorrows ) a new, divine love emrges, which is not caused by you, which is not forced upon u’rself by you, which descends on you & u glow ( remember the aura we see in ‘their’ ‘pictures’.) Mirjam I cannot thank u enough for shaking me out of my ……
AVC - What u say matches closey to what Buddha said, middle path is the way’ equillibrium is the middle path.
Finally - Sins are many, be it for individuals or be it for the collective humanity, sins are many BUT solution is one.
regards
Aditya
Hi aditya,
I’d like to hear your idea.. The idea that you believe could solve half the problems of the world.. Please tell, describe, or explain it to me, you will sure that both of my ears will hear you..
Love
Egoz
Hello Aditya and all,
I did ask you about your magic formula, remember? Seems to me you played around the answer though, I’m still curious!
-wink wink-
Greetings,
Clover
HI ALL!
So sorry it took me long to get into blog again. I’ve been thinking on wrath all this Lent week which is the most important one for Orthodox Christians. Wrath is the root of all hatred and violence that has been accumulated in our world. We have lost the ability to treat those with whom we disagree with dignity. The attack mode prevails every major area of human endeavor. There are many examples of aggressive approach to any problem…What can I do inmy simple life? I can’t change the way everyone else acts, but I can chose for myself the way I interact with this. I have come to believe that my best chance of seeing a world without war is not to be warlike.
Let us eradicate the deadly poison of wrath from our souls.
Hi! Egoz, thanks for asking
Hi Clover,U Did ask me, now I remember, I played around just to see r u really curious or just …. ha ha ! wink wink.. from my side too.
See there is no magic formula, solution is what we have been told down teh ages by all the “masters” - look within. But how does Humanity learn to look within, well humanity cosists of individuals. A great work is required, pssibily something originating at UNO level.Great only in intent not on cost ! Here is what I have to say on the issue, i may be worng, would appreciate your comments, speicllay after u read thru this rather long post –
Stress levels are going up is no secret, be it in metros or even remote villages. After-all as population reaches unprecedented heights ( or depths should we say !) quarrels, quarrelsomeness is going to increase. Added no doubt, by another confusion of more and more choices. Confused individuals are never at peace, frequently stressed out. Outward manifestation of this inner stress can be looked for in the stressing out ( warming ) of the environment.
Only way out for Humanity is in, to turn within. Unprecedented problems call for unconventional response. Humanity in general and individuals in particular will have to turn within, will have to become more and more meditative.
For, many, at least half of the problems we are facing today are the result of our own actions, actions which were not well thought of, actions which are based on belief that for short term gains long term interests can be compromised. Situation has reached such a stage that, even after retirement people want to keep on working, if someone does not have any ‘work’ he starts to die ! Imagine !! Not all work is worship, Hitler too was working hard ! Only conscious work can be useful, eventually, only Conscious work can approach worship. We are all going, going, faster and faster but hardly ever pause to look where, what for ? We have forgotten calm contemplation, meditation is a far cry. Even 2 minutes of silence & restful contemplation becomes unbearable to us. Actions which originate from meditative minds will be less and less harmful.
Root cause of the problem is hyperactivity. Solution to present day humans and their problems lies in making the whole of humanity more and more meditative, to be able to rest consciously and then can come working consciously.
Easier said than done for us adults, who have training for many things but not for conscious rest of body and mind. In our schools colleges we learn speed but not the guidance system to that speed. Imagine a car, which does not stop at all, not even for fuel, then how useful it will be / how disastrous it may be, that is how we have become. If we compare ourselves, this body mind complex to the Car, we just don’t stop. In sleep we are hardly existent consciously, so that is not of much use to us, in fact it’s nature’s way of making us unconscious, so that the body mind machine can get some rest.
One starting solution can be – We will have to start focusing on young, those who are starting their grind of schools, who are in colleges….
In our schools we have the time divided in many ‘periods’; each perid(s) dedicated to one subject. Starting from Class I, out of so many ‘periods’ per week there should be at least two periods ( not continuously ) for pure meditation; for silence, where a ‘teacher’ will come like other subjects, after 10-15 minutes of intense physical action ( as in dancing, jumping ) and mental actions like ‘gibberish’, the students maintain just pure silence. Maybe aided by some music for part of the duration. The details may be worked out by some ‘experts’ including people like Paulo Coelho, so that the effort can be kept secular.
Presently there is so much stress on making ‘use’ of one’s time that we don’t even sit to ponder ‘utilise for what ultimately’. No wonder adults are becoming either alcoholics or workaholics or more commonly a mixture of both. Hardly anyone seems to be at ease with her/him self. So much stress.
Just a glimpse of meditation in all schools of all creeds and culture can go a long way in curing humanity from its increasingly insane behavior.
And one very important, very very important point, no separate teachers to be appointed for ‘meditation’, Volunteers from amongst existing faculty to undergo 7-10 days of training in silence ( Vipassana kind of ). For up-to class V more music can be used, from Class V onwards music to be minimized and maximum time to be given to silence.
Only way out is in, if you know what Zesus said, Buddha, Krishna, Mohammad, Nanak,….., anybody worth his salt said; if you care to listen to your ‘Gods’. Sooner the better. After-all a period of silence can not do any harm.
Hi ! Nona !
Nice reading what u wrote; we humans need to learn to treat wach other with dignity, but that will be possible only when we learn to treat ourselves with dignity and love. Don’t u think. wrath is the root of all hatred and violence, but at a more subtle level, wrath emantes from an absence of love. rather than working towards removing something as in removing wrath, it is better to work on something, like feeling the love that is all around, what do u say.
guess chaps have become tired now and are awiting the next ‘Sin’ to ’shoot’ their considered views…. wink wink … i liked that.
love
aditya
For every man and woman there is always a narrow road to salvation. And though every such road is different from another, in many respects they are all one and the same.
The conclusion of many people on this forum (as indeed in the rest of the world) seems to be that everyone will have to find their own keys to the gates of that great city of light that they may have seen in their dreams.
And perhaps they shall not find those keys until reason has been exhausted. When all emotions have been experienced and overcome. When everything solid and known have crumbled into pure insanity and chaos. When all that could ever be lost has been irrevocably lost. When the loss itself has lost its meaning to sacrifice.
I drink to all those who claim to have find their keys, because it is the Great Work of a life time and I do not think that there are any shortcuts.
However, I am a always doubtful when anyone says that they have created a skeleton key. Anyone with the sufficient knowledge would already have passed through the gates, I reckon.
Always like the answers already contained in these write ups. And sometimes amused - but then one also wonders about the wealth of knowledge lost, had they not been put into words as they are done. Humbling to know how much like little children many of us are when one sees the language used to convey the messages. And like the words of those ancients, each a brick that slowly builds up inside that what is usually termed as character!
And maybe a lot of wrath over what really is character?! And whose brick it really was or is that has been used. Maybe no one’s since not all collection of bricks make for statesque structures of elegeance and strength…
And since they are words with meanings beyond the mere obvious, not everyone uses them or sees them as they are…
But then, since each would like to assume the best and if they can look up or learn to look at those statesque strong structures, maybe in wrath wonder if they too had not seen the same bricks and wonder at the difference and may be in wrath throw the barrage of empty stones that may lead one to suicide though the jesuits may be a little wrong about whose wrath causes whose suicides… and why? But that explains other things amongst loneliness, if a statesque structure of strength chooses to vanish amidst the barrage…
The wrath - upon the one who gave them those eyes to see and hence cause the barrage…
But that would go beyond mere envy, when wrath is fuelled by jealousy…
A rose without thorns may make other roses jealous about why the rose needs not any thorn…but they rarely throw barrages…in wrath…
Yes, wrath is such an interesting thing…but the question always remain primarily over and about what causes them, if one may honestly examine the source or sources within one self (but before the barrages please)!
Hi there,
Dear Aditya: how nice to read your writings. There is a lot to think about. It is so very true that we run to fast, we are always busy. I was just thinking how tired I get from the pace I ‘have to’ live in. I hardly can make time anymore to meditate and when I make time, I’m too restless. So thank you. If we would take a breath and relax and meditate, the world would probably more peaceful.
How to fight for Love? Yes, by Love itself. But Love can be sharp too, it’s not something weak or anything. Too me, it isn’t anyway. I cannot think for others. Fighting for human rights or animal rights is, to me, also fighting for Love. Fighting against racism or fascism is, to me, also fighting for Love. Fighting for Mother Earth and her children.
Of course, I could not do that without the greatest love of my life: my husband.
I too, forget to many things and my faith and is weakened. Sometimes we really do not see that the things most important are there in front of us and very close to us. We tend to make things very difficult, while the miracles are really found in ’simplicity’.
Meanwhile, I’m also thinking about the keys, AVC mentioned. And the sacrifice. After the beginning of the year comes a time for purification, leaving the old, which can be felt as sacrifice.
H Mirjam !
I saw how many posts I have made on this blog as was scrolling down to write a para for what u have so rightly said. But now seeing what I just did, I cannot allow myself morethan a short para ( I don’t want to try the moderators or even paulo’s patience ).
Love is the strongest force that is, but it’s strength lies in the strength of the stream not the rock. Love cannot initiate any action with the intention of hurting anyone, however wronged may one feel. And life is quite worthless without a ‘good fight’. Love is like gravitation, it holds the individuals togather; but we all need our own spaces too, just like the hevely bodies or even subatomic particles do; else there is a boom !
thanks & what do u thing ! is it a good idea to introduce periods of silence which in effect will equip children to understand the tool of mediatation, lateron whenever in their life they need it, they won’t need to be conned by any of the ‘godmen’ whew ! Besides that advantage to children, it’s understood that the actions emanating from meditative & thence conscious minds will be less and less harmful for themselves, society, world and for this earth too.
regards
aditya
This is exactly what I expected to find out after reading the title nº 139: Fourth Deadly Sin - Wrath at Warrior Of Light. Thanks for informative article