Listen With Compassion – The Economic Times

A very good practice for preventing anger in the first place is to become masterful at listening. When we listen with true empathy, then we put ourselves in the other person’s shoes and realise they are, indeed, a person, just like us. It is important to put judgement on one side when we listen; this is often very hard to begin with as we grow up being taught to judge everything we see and hear. But if we can simply be completely attentive to other people, then instead of anger rising up, we will seek to understand them even if they speak or act in a seemingly very hurtful or unfair way.

Talk about your emotions and listen with compassion to others; understanding is a two-way street. If you can begin to listen openly and without any judgement to those close to you, even those who are most annoying to you, then you begin to see them with compassion. You can then quietly begin to explore your feelings around these people, turn them over like pebbles and take a really good look. Do you want to feel angry around that person or do you want to stay peaceful and calm, whatever they throw at you?

I hope that as you practise, you may find your anger cools as you tread with a lighter step. Nourish yourself with nature, with times of contemplation and reflection. Look for things in life that inspire you rather than infuriate you…. It isn’t easy, but with less anger in life, there opens up such a great space for inspiration, enjoyment and for simply getting on with the things that really matter.