Can you be angry?! Well, at least sometimes?! Many of us forbid ourselves such luxury and replace it with resentment and irritation. In society, anger has a negative connotation, and having shown it, a person often then feels guilt and shame. I was interested in two contacts where anger was present. In one case, I would like to illustrate the situation with a quote from Augustine Aurelius: “An angry person harms himself before he harms another.” The situation was told by a witness of four years of harassment of one worker in one institution. The paradox is that the anger grew in the one who bullied, and not in the one who was bullied. “Finally, I’ll take her office!” - the employee thought, looking at the furniture in the office of the employee who had just quit. “I’m so tired of her!” - thoughts in my head revolve around the former employee. “I’ll rip off these photo wallpapers and put a table there!” - I thought and did it. She climbed onto the chair. She started to tear and fell on the floor. She broke her arm. This colleague’s mobbing of a former co-worker, envy of what she thought were better working conditions - all this resulted in strong anger and a broken arm. An example of the energy of anger directed at oneself is also in the parable... One old revered Master and the martial arts teacher decided that he would never fight. But then one day, a very narcissistic and impudent young man challenged him to a duel. He considered himself much stronger and more skillful than the old Master. But the old Teacher just sat there and did not react at all to the impudent young man. Having lost patience, the warrior began to insult not only the Master, but also his ancestors, trying to provoke a fight. But this did not lead to anything. In despair, the impudent man went home. The disciples of the old Master present were extremely surprised by such inexplicable behavior of their revered Teacher. Their questions were full of condemnation: “Why did you do that?” Do you really not value your honor or the honor of your ancestors? To which the Teacher asked the students: - Answer me, when you refuse the offered gift, then who will it belong to? - But of course, to the one who gave it. - This is also the case with anger, malice and hatred. After all, if we do not accept them, then they remain with the “giver”. Remember this. I’ll comment on another situation with a quote from Lao Tzu: “You are controlled by the one who makes you angry.” This is clearly seen in the parable from M. Norbekov’s book “The Experience of a Fool, or the Key to Insight.” The emperor fell ill. The retinue was horrified, the retinue was delighted. The illness confined him to bed. The doctors began to treat him. Day by day they tried to do something, but it didn’t get any better! Days passed, months passed, years passed, and he still lay paralyzed. He conquered so many states and brought so many peoples to their knees! Having conquered half the world, he found himself powerless against the disease. One day, out of helplessness, he flew into a rage: “To all the doctors who could not cure me, cut off the heads and place them on the city wall.” Time has passed. And kilometers of walls turned white from the withered skulls of learned men. One day the emperor called his chief vizier: “Vizir!” Where are your doctors? - Oh, my lord! They are no longer there. You yourself ordered their execution. - Is there really not one left? -- Yes. There is not a single doctor left in the entire state worthy of your attention. - Serves them right... And again the long, joyless days dragged on. One day the emperor asked again: “Vizir, remember when you said that there was no doctor left worthy of my attention?” Explain what this means. “My lord, there is only one doctor left in our state.” He lives nearby. - Can he heal? - Yes, he can. I visited him then, but he was so ill-mannered, uncultured, he was such a rude person! As soon as he opens his mouth, selective abuse can be heard. And recently he said that he knows the secret of treating the emperor himself. “Then why didn’t you tell me?!” - But if I bring him. You, my lord, will execute me for his behavior.“I promise I won’t do this.” Bring him here! After some time, the vizier brought a doctor. - They say you can heal? The answer is silence. -- Why are you silent? Answer! - ordered the emperor. “My lord, I forbade him to open his mouth,” said the vizier. - Speak, I give permission! What? Are your abilities really enough to cure me?! - None of your damn business! You may doubt my ability to govern the state because you are a king. But why are you meddling in medicine with your statesmanlike mind? How can you figure it out there? You are great at your work, but in medicine you are no better than a shoemaker. - Guard!! - the emperor roared furiously. - Cut off his head... No... First put him on a stake, then pour boiling oil over him, and then chop him into small pieces. In their entire life, no one has ever dared to even hint at something that goes beyond the boundaries of palace etiquette, much less answer the emperor himself like that! The guards grabbed the doctor, twisted his arms and dragged him to the exit, and he, looking over his shoulder, said mockingly: “Hey!” I am your last hope! You can kill me, but besides me there is no one left who could cure you. And I can put you on your feet today. The Emperor immediately cooled down: - Vizier! Give it back. The doctor was returned. - Start healing. You said that today you would put me on my feet. “But first you must accept my three conditions, only after that I will begin treatment.” Having suppressed another attack of rage within himself, clenching his teeth in anger, the emperor muttered: “Speak!” - Order that the fastest horse in your state and a small bag of gold be placed in front of the palace gates... - Why? - This is a gift, I really love horses. - If you cure me, I will give you a herd of forty horses loaded with bags of gold. - And this later, then... You’ll send it next. My second condition is that no one remains in the palace during treatment. - Why is this still happening?! - During treatment, you may be in pain, you will scream so that no one sees you weak. -- Fine. What else? - Third, so that your servants, on pain of death, do not come when called and only after an hour begin to carry out your orders. - Explain! - They can interfere with me, and the treatment will not be completed. The emperor accepted the doctor's conditions and ordered everyone to leave the palace. They were left alone. - Start! What to start with, you old ass? Who told you that I can heal? You fell into my trap. I have an hour. I've been waiting for so long for the right moment to punish you, you filthy bloodsucker! I have three long-standing dreams, three cherished desires. The first thing is to spit on your royal face! And the doctor, with all his heart, spat in the emperor’s face. The ruler turned white with indignation and helplessness, realizing the situation he found himself in. He began to move his head in order to somehow resist such unheard of sophisticated rudeness! - Oh, you rotten log, old stinking dog, are you still moving?! Fie on you again! My second dream was... Oooh! How long have I wanted to pee on your imperial face! And he began to fulfill his second cherished desire. - Guard!! To me!! - the emperor roared, but choked on urine. He began to turn his head away from the stream, began to stretch his shoulders to grab the legs of his offender with his teeth. The guards heard the call of the lord, but did not dare to violate his orders. “Oh, you dead beast,” said the doctor and kicked him. The Emperor received a blow and felt pain. He suddenly remembered that there was a weapons rack next to the pillow. Now he will grab his dagger and slash at his legs. Driven by the sole desire to punish the offender, he began to reach for the counter. - It turns out you can still move? - the doctor remarked contemptuously. - My third.