How Do I Manage Self-Expectations?

Eckhart Tolle
8 Mar 201411:10

Summary

TLDRThe transcript explores managing anger and expectations, focusing on the link between powerlessness and anger. It highlights how ego-driven patterns create negative self-talk, leading to cycles of anger and self-judgment. The speaker explains that anger is often triggered unconsciously and driven by the 'pain body'—a reservoir of past emotions, especially from childhood. Awareness and presence are key to breaking these patterns. By becoming more conscious of emotions, one can rise above unconscious reactions, promoting self-forgiveness and detaching from anger-driven behaviors in themselves and others.

Takeaways

  • 😡 Anger often arises from a sense of powerlessness, with the ego pretending to be powerful while masking underlying fear.
  • 💭 Expectation management and self-judgment can lead to feelings of frustration, creating a cycle of anger and self-criticism.
  • 🤯 Beating yourself up for unconscious behavior perpetuates more unconsciousness and strengthens the egoic mind.
  • 🧠 Egoic reactions, such as anger, come from deeply ingrained mind patterns and emotional pain bodies, often formed in childhood.
  • 🐕 The example of a small dog barking at a larger one illustrates how powerless individuals may react with anger as a defense mechanism.
  • 🔍 Awareness of unconscious patterns allows you to observe without judgment and break the cycle of reacting emotionally.
  • 🌟 Recognizing that unconscious behavior is not your true identity helps foster forgiveness and self-compassion.
  • ⚠️ Stress often acts as a trigger for anger, so becoming more alert when stress builds up can prevent automatic reactions.
  • 🔋 Anger can sometimes take over before you realize it, especially when it stems from old patterns of emotional pain.
  • 🛑 Treat moments of stress or anger as opportunities for spiritual practice, focusing on conscious awareness instead of reacting to the situation.

Q & A

  • What is the main issue the speaker is addressing in the transcript?

    -The speaker is addressing the challenge of managing anger and expectations, particularly the frustration of becoming aware of one's frequent anger and feeling overwhelmed by it.

  • How does the speaker explain the concept of managing expectations of oneself?

    -The speaker suggests that managing expectations involves recognizing that judging oneself for unconscious actions (like anger) leads to more unconsciousness. It's the ego criticizing itself for not being good enough, creating a cycle of self-judgment.

  • What is the ego’s role in anger, according to the speaker?

    -The ego pretends to be powerful when reacting with anger, but the speaker notes that anger often stems from a sense of powerlessness, with the ego masking this vulnerability by pretending to assert control.

  • Why does the speaker compare anger to a child's reaction?

    -The speaker compares anger to a child's reaction to powerlessness, where a child screams because it feels it has no other options. The ego mimics this by using anger as a defense when feeling powerless.

  • What is the ‘pain body’ and how does it relate to anger?

    -The ‘pain body’ refers to old accumulated painful emotions, such as anger or sadness, that can dominate a person’s behavior. The pain body can be triggered, especially when people are under stress, leading to habitual anger reactions.

  • What does the speaker mean by saying the ego pretends there is power in anger?

    -The speaker means that while anger can feel like a form of control or power, it is actually a reaction rooted in fear and powerlessness. The ego creates the illusion that anger is empowering, but it’s really a defense mechanism.

  • How can one avoid being overtaken by anger, as per the speaker's advice?

    -The speaker advises becoming highly alert when stress or anger starts to build. By increasing awareness and presence in the moment, one can recognize the anger before it takes over and potentially avoid acting on it.

  • What does the speaker say about judging others or oneself for anger?

    -The speaker emphasizes that equating someone's anger with their identity is judgment. Recognizing anger as a pattern, not a person’s true self, is important. The same applies to self-judgment—condemning oneself for anger only reinforces the ego’s grip.

  • How can one practice awareness in stressful situations according to the speaker?

    -One can practice awareness by treating stressful situations as spiritual practices, focusing on maintaining consciousness rather than getting lost in the situation. Being fully present helps prevent unconscious reactions like anger.

  • What does the speaker suggest is the most important factor in dealing with anger and unconscious reactions?

    -The speaker suggests that the most important factor is consciousness. Maintaining awareness and presence is more important than trying to control or fix the situation. Consciousness allows one to rise above habitual reactions like anger.

Outlines

00:00

😡 Understanding Anger and Expectations

In this section, the speaker explores the frequent experience of anger and the associated challenge of managing self-expectations. The speaker discusses how anger often arises from unconsciousness and powerlessness, feeding into a cycle of self-criticism. Thoughts such as 'I’m not good enough' contribute to this, resulting in deeper egoic reactions. Anger often overtakes the individual before they can control it, stemming from long-standing mental and emotional patterns, often tied to a 'pain body.' The speaker also mentions how childhood experiences, such as feelings of powerlessness, can lead to anger in adulthood, giving an example of children screaming to get what they want. The ego pretends anger is power, but underneath, it hides fear.

05:10

🐕 Recognizing Patterns and Forgiveness

This paragraph highlights the importance of recognizing unconscious patterns in both ourselves and others. Using the example of a small dog barking at a bigger one, the speaker explains how such reactions stem from powerlessness. Humans, similarly, act unconsciously through anger. When we see these patterns in others, we shouldn’t equate their identity with the anger but instead recognize it as an energy field that has taken over. This awareness is the first step toward forgiveness and non-judgment. The speaker emphasizes that judgment occurs when we identify a person solely by their behavior, such as labeling someone as 'an angry person,' which creates an expectation of further anger.

10:10

👁️ Becoming Aware of Ego and Self-Judgment

In this part, the speaker delves deeper into self-judgment and the ego’s role in perpetuating inner conflict. Many people engage in self-talk where one part of the mind condemns the other, often referring to themselves in the second person ('You can’t do it'). The speaker points out that this internal dialogue is part of the ego’s pattern, leading to further unconsciousness. However, once this pattern is recognized, a shift in awareness can occur, freeing the individual from the trap of self-condemnation. The speaker encourages being alert to stressful situations, knowing when they will trigger unconscious reactions like anger, and treating those moments as opportunities for spiritual practice and growth.

🌪️ The Power of Consciousness in Stressful Situations

This section emphasizes the importance of consciousness in dealing with stress and anger. The speaker advises that when individuals feel stress building up, they should become fully aware of their energy field and prepare themselves before engaging in potentially triggering situations, such as handling difficult conversations. By doing so, individuals can prevent anger or unconscious patterns from taking over. Consciousness, according to the speaker, is the most important factor, not the situation itself.

🔥 Pain Bodies and Anger Waiting to Erupt

In this final paragraph, the speaker explains how some people carry semi-dormant 'pain bodies' composed primarily of anger. These individuals may seem calm but are waiting for an excuse to get angry. The speaker mentions how you can sometimes sense this energy in others, especially when they appear ready to react negatively. This is the result of their inner pain body waiting for an external cause to release anger, turning them into 'a grievance looking for a cause.'

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Anger

Anger is a key emotion discussed in the video, representing a reactive, often unconscious pattern of behavior. The video emphasizes how quickly anger can take over, stemming from deeper feelings of powerlessness. It is identified as a frequent emotion connected to past pain and egoic responses, such as when a person lashes out before realizing what happened.

💡Ego

The ego in this context is the mental image one has of themselves, which causes them to react defensively or critically. It manifests through judgment, self-criticism, or trying to appear powerful, especially during anger. The ego seeks to maintain control, but its reactions often stem from fear or powerlessness, which are discussed as underlying causes of anger.

💡Pain Body

The 'pain body' refers to an accumulated reservoir of past emotional pain, often triggered in stressful situations. In many individuals, anger is part of this pain body, and it can dominate one's actions without conscious awareness. The video discusses how old anger, often originating from childhood experiences, can resurface and lead to unconscious behavior.

💡Consciousness

Consciousness is highlighted as a state of awareness that allows individuals to observe their emotions and reactions without being taken over by them. The video stresses the importance of being present and conscious, especially when dealing with emotional responses like anger. Consciousness acts as the tool to break free from unconscious patterns.

💡Powerlessness

Powerlessness is described as the underlying emotion behind anger, especially when a person feels they have no control over a situation. The video uses the example of a child feeling powerless and reacting with a tantrum. This emotional state is linked to the ego's false sense of power through anger, hiding the real vulnerability beneath.

💡Judgment

Judgment refers to the act of equating someone’s behavior, such as frequent anger, with their identity. The video explains that this is an egoic reaction, whether directed at oneself or others. True judgment is not in recognizing a person's behavior but in labeling them based on it, which perpetuates negative cycles of self-condemnation and criticism.

💡Presence

Presence is the state of being fully aware in the present moment. The video suggests that cultivating presence helps prevent unconscious emotional reactions, such as anger, from taking over. Presence is linked to consciousness, and it is proposed as a practice that strengthens over time, allowing a person to catch their reactions before they manifest.

💡Pattern

A pattern refers to repetitive emotional or behavioral responses, such as anger, that are unconsciously followed. The video explains how anger and other emotions become ingrained patterns, especially if they stem from unresolved past pain. These patterns can be recognized and transcended through conscious awareness.

💡Self-talk

Self-talk is the internal dialogue a person has with themselves, often critical or negative in nature. The video mentions how one part of the mind can condemn the other, creating a split where the ego judges and berates oneself. This self-talk reinforces egoic patterns and keeps a person trapped in feelings of inadequacy and frustration.

💡Forgiveness

Forgiveness, in this context, is seen as the ability to recognize that unconscious behavior, such as anger, is not the true identity of a person. The video speaks of forgiveness in a broad sense, advocating for not equating others' behavior with their essence. This form of forgiveness promotes compassion and understanding rather than judgment.

Highlights

Managing expectations and anger is key to addressing unconsciousness.

Beating yourself up for being unconscious leads to more unconsciousness.

The mental image of oneself often says 'I'm not good enough,' which reinforces feelings of inadequacy.

Reactions like anger often stem from accumulated pain and powerlessness, dating back to childhood.

Anger arises quickly and can take over before a person has time to realize it.

The 'pain body' is a reservoir of old painful emotions, often manifesting as anger.

Behind anger, there is usually a sense of powerlessness and fear.

The ego uses anger to create a false sense of power, but it is actually a response to fear.

Recognizing unconscious behavior in oneself or others can lead to forgiveness and healing.

Judging oneself or others based on unconscious behavior is an ego-driven response.

Mind talk can divide the self, leading to self-condemnation and perpetuating the egoic state.

Awareness of stress build-up can help prevent anger from taking over.

Treat stressful situations as spiritual practices, focusing on consciousness over the situation itself.

Some people carry a 'semi-dormant' pain body, waiting for an excuse to become angry.

Understanding the pain body and egoic reactions allows for the possibility of rising above those patterns.

Transcripts

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here a related

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question as I'm Awakening I'm becoming

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more aware of how often I'm angry and it

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is getting

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tiresome how do I manage the

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expectations of

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myself why well it's the

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so man you need to manage the

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expectations and then you need to manage

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the anger anger management and

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expectation

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management expectation means you beat

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yourself up for being

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unconscious which is more

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unconsciousness because the the mental

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image of who you are says I'm not good

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enough I can't do it you see been added

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for 25 years and I still can't do it you

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can't possibly be any good if you still

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can't do it after 25

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years those are thoughts that float

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around in your

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mind

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and how do you feel as I suppose that's

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byon ktie would ask that how do you feel

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what do you believe in those

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thoughts not good you're beating

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yourself up and you feel an emotion feel

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bad about myself more ego

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more conceptualized identity in your

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mind Concept in your mind about

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you you derive your sense of self from

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that more of the

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same so the let's say it's anger the and

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then you wake up after the anger

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reaction say I did it again I'm no good

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good so you have the

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second egoic reaction to the first

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one anger is something that is

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uh comes in in many people very

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fast so there may not be unless there's

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already considerable Presence Power in

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you there may not be enough presence to

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catch it it takes you over before you

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know it especially old

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reaction and before you know it you are

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talking and shouting and you are not

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doing it at all it's a it's the pattern

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it's the the Mind pattern mental

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emotional pattern in you which often

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related to what I call the pain body

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which is old accumulated painful emotion

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which could be anger which could be uh

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deep depressed sadness anger is a very

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frequent one the pain Body Energy just

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waiting in people who have accumulated

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old anger going back to Childhood

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feeling powerless and what does a child

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do when the child feels powerless starts

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screaming that's all it can do and

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sometimes it works sometimes the parents

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come and say okay you can have the suite

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if you scream loud enough so it's

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powerlessness is always behind anger and

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the ego pretends that there's your power

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there in anger but anger Rises out a

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sense of

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powerlessness and it's a so that and

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there's often fear hiding underneath it

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and when you when you are there looking

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at it then you can you realize it at

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firsthand within yourself there is there

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is a sense of powerlessness behind it

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and the ego is pretending to to be

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powerful when really it's in a state of

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fear you can see it even with little

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dogs the smallest dogs are the most bark

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the most and whenever they their little

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I've seen little little dogs when they

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ever a big one goes past they get

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angry because I mean if I were that size

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I would do that too

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probably so you are you

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little uh Chihuahua or your little sweet

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little beon

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frie and and a Mastiff walks past or a

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rotweiler who looks very quiet because

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the rotweiler knows its own power it

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doesn't need to it

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goes and the little one

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goes

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but with dogs we smile when we see that

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because we somehow recognize that

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pattern and we smile and probably the

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rotweiler has an inner smile too when he

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walks

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past but with humans it's more difficult

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to smart and they

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go and words come streaming out of their

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mouth MTH it's more difficult to smile

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and but it's possible not necessarily

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say don't necessarily smile but

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recognize it for what it is when you see

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it in

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another don't equate that with who that

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person

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is recognize it that the person has been

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taken over by that energy

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field and that already is a wonderful

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thing that already we could call is

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forgiveness in a wider sense we don't

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equate unconscious Behavior with who

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that person is if we equate it with who

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that person is that is that's the real

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meaning of

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judgment judgment is not to

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say to somebody I realize that you get

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angry a lot and that person then might

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tell you are you judging me no it's a

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fact if I see that you get angry a lot

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that was just a fact there's no judgment

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in it but if I equate that with your

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sensal identity of who you are you are

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an angry person and then I always expect

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more anger from you that's a judgment

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not recognizing a pattern that operates

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unconsciously through humans and taking

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taking that for their identity is

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judgment and you can do it to

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yourself so you can judge yourself for

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those things and that is just as much

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ego as judging somebody else you can

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beat yourself up and call yourself no

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good and whatever else the selft talk

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tells you in your head it's it calls you

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you in

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for in many people's minds they when

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they talk the Mind talks to

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you it says you see you are such and

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such you see you can't do it sometime it

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says I might say I in some people but in

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many it says

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you isn't that strange you talk to

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yourself in your head one part of your

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mind condemns the other

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part when you see it you can rise above

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it and there's a suddenly an awareness

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that comes with it you're no longer

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trapped in those patterns

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I would recommend particularly to become

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particularly alert when you know you're

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getting stressed something a situation

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is building up and some kind of for

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example if you get anger takes over when

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you get stressed could happen when when

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you feel stress building up towards it

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you can become very alert

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so that you can doesn't take you over

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what you know the anger is about to

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about to

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come or if it's if if you know certain

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areas of your life are more likely to

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make your conscious sometimes you know

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just beforehand that yet those are going

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to arise in the next minute or so and

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then you can be alert feel the entire

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energy field in your body be alert with

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every cell of your body then pick up the

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phone and talk

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about the financial

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situation with your investment

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advisor so that and so treat those as

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spiritual

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practices and realize nothing is more

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important

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than

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Consciousness not the situation it's

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consciousness

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uh some people's pain bodies are consist

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as I said predominantly of anger and you

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can some in some people you can sense

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there their semi dormant pain body in

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the background even when they're not

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particularly angry right now

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but there are people who are waiting for

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the next opportunity to be angry that's

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their pain body and sometimes when you

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when you are sensitive towards other you

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can feel energy Fields you can sometimes

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sense in other people they're waiting

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for an excuse to be

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angry somehow when you look into their

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eyes it's already there it's but it's

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not them it's that which occupies their

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inner energy field reach the pain body

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and so they're waiting and any excuse

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and they will get angry at you or

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whoever it may

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be so you become a grievance looking for

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a

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Cause

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h

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Related Tags
anger managementself-awarenessexpectation managementegoemotional controlmindfulnessconsciousnesspain bodyemotional healingspiritual growth