Rage to Courage: Transforming anger with heart

Been feeling angry lately? Irritated? I know I have. As a spiritual person, I’m always reaching for the love, but I find I can only reframe so many times until I have to stop and admit it: the rage is real!

Anger can be provoked in many ways, from opening my news feed, getting cut off in traffic, or facing an unhealthy relationship dynamic. I have often struggled with it being an “unwanted emotion”, something I need to move away from as quickly as possible in order to feel like I’m ok.

But what if anger has a purpose? A really important one? 

Despite mixed messages from my childhood and even some spiritual practices, over my healing journey, I’ve learned that anger can be a transformative force. If wielded correctly, it brings us the courage to create change for ourselves and our world.

Courage. Perhaps the word itself gives us a clue to how we access the strength it suggests.

Cour relates to the heart (Coeur) both in Latin and French. While it’s not officially part of the etymology of the word, I like to think of “rage” as the second part of the equation.

The rage of the heart. 

What does rage filled with love look like? The path of the Spiritual Warrior is to fight with love. It’s something we all deserve to have access to. Here are a few thoughts on how to work with your rage rather than make it wrong:

Anger as a messenger:

Ever heard the phrase, “don’t kill the messenger”? And yet, how often do we do that with our own emotions? Rather than a random misfire, anger is often a signal for us that our boundaries have been crossed. While you might not always understand it in the moment, anger or irritation will signal us that something isn’t right. This can be on an interpersonal level, but also on a collective, societal level as well. 

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Expression of Rage:

There is no question that anger can be destructive if expressed in an unhealthy way. Many of us avoid anger because of early experiences of violence, scorn or shaming that came from the adults around us. But to completely shut it down in fear of destructive rage is like shutting out all love because we’ve been betrayed, we are depriving ourselves of an emotional connection that will give us a better life.

Suppressed anger can manifest as depression, resentment, irritation and even physical issues, which can bring pain and toxicity into our lives rather than agency and empowerment. Unpacking where we have repressed our rage is an important step in reclaiming it. Making space to express locked up anger is a key part of the process and something that can take experimentation. 

I have found that exercise is a helpful way for me to access my locked up anger. Passionate dancing, punching pillows or creative modalities such as music, painting or writing are great ways to give the anger a voice.

Don’t discount meditation as a way to process anger either! It’s amazing how swiftly you can work through something when bringing your focus to your emotions, breathing through them and accepting them without judgement. 

The path to advocacy

It is one thing to look at the ways that repressed anger has stifled our expression, it’s another to make friends with our rage. If we understand that anger exists as a response to injustice or the crossing of a boundary, perhaps anger can be seen as a self-protective force that is connected to a greater sense of justice.

It can be difficult to find our voice and express anger, especially when we don’t know how it will be received, but this is where we must find our courage. As spiritual warriors, we foster our connection to Divine Love, or whatever name you call it, so that love can infuse and guide our lives. Anger is not exempt from that equation.

Love + Rage = Courage = Change

Instead of stifling your rage, reach for your courage instead and move into meaningful action. Advocate for yourself when your boundaries have been crossed, get involved in your community if you see injustice. Sometimes we need anger to address our own bad habits be it addictions or negative self talk.

Use love and anger on your own behalf to forge new habits, to create change and fight on your own behalf. Embrace the Courage to love all parts of yourself!