Manage Your Anger Through Zazen

Français : Zazen au dojo

Try a modified version of Zazen to help you relax at the office.

Happy Monday to you! 

I am a pretty even tempered fellow.  It is very rare that I get angry, but it does happen.  You can’t manage effectively when you are angry, so if you get to that point then you have to do something to bring yourself back to a relaxed state.  May I suggest trying a little meditation?  Not really into meditation? That’s okay, what I am about to suggest is fairly easy and can be done while sitting in your chair and your office mates will be none the wiser.

The specific form of meditation I am going to suggest to you is Zazen.  It is the foundation of Zen Buddhism.  It is designed to help relax you so at those times that you feel like your emotions may be starting to get away from you, remember this tip.  What I am going to describe below is a modified form of Zazen, but it should help to discretely relax you during the workday.

The great thing about Zazen is that you do not need any equipment.  Except a chair that is because Zazen is a form of seated meditation.  Ready to begin? Here are the steps to begin practicing (a modified form of) Zazen:

  1. Loosen anything tight – Your watch, your collar or perhaps your belt.  The key is to make sure that the blood is flowing freely.
  2. Sit straight up – Make sure that your spine is erect and that you are not leaning back in the chair.
  3. Half open your eyes – The idea here is that you are neither turning away or distracted by external stimuli.  
  4. Take a deep breath – Fill your lungs with air.  As you do you will feel your chest and belly expand. Hold it for a moment, then release.
  5. Concentrate – Focus on your chest and belly expanding and then returning to their normal size.  Focus on this and nothing else.
  6. Repeat – Continue this process until you feel more relaxed or it’s time to go home.

I don’t claim to be an expert in meditation or Zen Buddhism, but I do think that what I am suggesting here may help you to relax a bit when you are having a particularly stressful day.  I do think that we make better decisions when we are relaxed, which helps us to manage better.

What else do you do at work to help you relax when you are ready to scream?

Image via Wikipedia


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