3. Prayer, Meditation, And Religous Based Disciplines
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org,
please feel free to visit the school website)
Judy Ford, in Getting Over Getting Mad (2001), states that the threat of anger is a threat to the soul. With all the physiological symptoms, chemicalizations and irrationalities with which the various and collective authors have defined and explained the anger experience, some case might be made for anger addiction and rage as a type of demonic possession. Hasn't everyone either used or heard the expression referring to someone with anger related symptoms as, battling with demons or "I just wasn't myself?"
What's suggested here is not a case of old testament religion, witchcraft or voodoo, but perhaps a rather fitting and apt analogy. If we were to refuse that either the anger or the irrational beliefs were truly a part of us, but rather a foreign thing that was temporarily inhabiting us, how much easier would it be to effect the change? Not to deny any aspects of responsibility, but merely to deny it as an intrinsic part of our makeup and to treat it as we would any invading body. Perhaps that is what lies at the heart of religious based disciplines: a faith and understanding of our true self as a pure, spiritual being. While some purport that this perfection is here and now and others suppose it can only be achieved in the hereafter, the essence of longing remains the same. If a faith can banish shame, self-recrimination or other impediments to accepting change as a real and present possibility, as well as speed and promote the healing process, then it should be tolerated, if not encouraged or embraced.
As ascetics, shamans, priests, prophets, seers, and devout men and women of all types and disciplines devote their lives to understanding the mysteries, divine consciousness, the will of God, selfless being and/or whatever-whomever the focus of their beliefs and worship, it is a foregone conclusion that the following synopsis will fail to adequately or completely explain the approach of prayer, meditation and religious based disciplines. However, as an increasing number of those in the physical and mental health profession acknowledge that faith and prayer have a noticeable effect on health and recovery. Most popular literature on anger management includes at least a passing reference to prayer or religion.
The approach of prayer and religion must be included, for the current surging interest in spirituality and religion encompasses approximately sixty-percent of the population, according to some polls. Entrenched and accessible social care programs like Alcoholics Anonymous and others have traditionally included prayer (and specifically Christianity) as a base in their counseling and treatments. Along with rising personal interests in spirituality and religion, an overloaded social benefits system also drives more and more people to faith based groups for counseling and help.
By far the most dominant of these approaches is, not surprisingly, Christian oriented. However, the "Eastern" religious thought is also prevalent as it promotes inner peace, non-violence and selflessness. To some extent, Eastern religious thought, especially Buddhism, may be considered more practical by the Western mind. The introduction of and eventual acceptance of "meditation" as opposed to "prayer" within popular culture has come about through the exposure and exploration of non-Christian religions among society. While meditation has indeed been a forgotten historical aspect of Christian monks and holy men, it is only in fairly recent history that it has become an accepted, openly discussed practice for the masses. This growing acceptance of meditation as a practice is rightfully not limited to religion and, in fact, has almost as many forms as it has usages and practitioners. Yet it is included here, generally, as 1) its roots derive from religious practice, and 2) almost every meditative exercise, as relating to anger management, retains certain elements of the religious practice, especially in its goal of reaching a state of calm and peaceful contemplation. So, while prayer can be meditative, meditation is not necessarily prayer, per se.