Let’s face it: Some of us have at least some trouble controlling our anger, depression, or other forms of emotional distress during frustrating or saddening times. Emotions themselves are unavoidable, so instead of doing everything we can to avoid them, we should be facing them head on. After all, how we cope with and manage our emotions is ultimately what sets us apart from the rest (or vise versa). On that note, meditation may be one of the best ways you can overcome your emotional roller coaster of a life and, therefore, better control it. If practiced accordingly meditation may be one of the most effective ways for you to begin your path to anger management, or balancing your emotions in general. Let’s break it down.

What Is Meditation?

Merriam Webster defines “meditate” as follows:

1: To engage in contemplation or reflection

2: To engage in mental exercise (as concentration or one’s breathing or repetition of mantra) for the purpose of reaching a higher level of spiritual awareness

People meditate for a number of different reasons, one of which is the ability to better control their emotions. This practice is especially useful for those experiencing what they may describe as “uncontrollable” anger, or bouts of depressions. As real as these emotions are to the person experiencing them, meditation can be fundamentally beneficial in redirecting these negative emotions in to more positive ones.

Okay Then, How Does Meditation Affect My Mind?

Meditation is transcendental in nature. Which means, it’s spiritual at its core. Thus, it allows someone to transcend worldly comprehension in to spiritual thoughts, and, in turn, allows us to overcome those situations according to how our body reacts. For instance, in regards to someone who doesn’t meditate, a simple tingle or pain in their body may trigger an immediate anxiety: “oh no, there’s something definitely wrong with me”. Whereas, someone who meditates daily would be able to transcend those worries in to more peaceful thoughts. In essence, this is one of the most basic effects of mindfulness / meditation.

How Can Meditation Help Me Control My Emotions?

Because meditation is the practice of “thinking deeply”, this type of deep thought can be strategically used to rethink what it means to be angry or depressed. Chances are, if we’ve ever been in rush hour traffic before then we understand what it means to be angry or frustrated. But instead of raising our middle finger, cursing at the driver who just cut us off, or hitting on the steering wheel, try breathing deeply in, and slowly out, in order to focus more intently on pleasant thoughts that may temporarily help distract us from carrying out our typically anger-infused responses. Of course, closing your eyes while driving is probably not the safest thing to do, so instead, try to deflect your attention from the matter that’s creating anger, and clear your mind. This may be more difficult in a situation similar to the one described above, but at least it gives you a clear understanding of what exactly you can do to diffuse the situation.

The Conclusion

All in all, it’s probably best to seek medical advice if your anger or depression has gotten so bad. But in reality, many times, these bouts of anger or depression prove to be only temporary, leaving the ball in our court. Meditation is one of the most effective ways to deflect said emotions and turn them in to more positive thoughts and actions. Check back next week to find out how you can kickstart meditating if you haven’t done so already.

Note: Specifically, with regards to medical issues, always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the Web site.