Dear AVS,
Anger can be compared to a matchstick which has a head but no brain (thinking power). Hence, one has to manage anger, especially at the workplace, but not suppress or control it. If you observe, the word "ANGER" is one alphabet short of danger, and if you add the alphabet "D" in the beginning, the word becomes "DANGER". The best way to manage anger is to become spiritual or, as Paul Wilson of Australia says in his book "The Big Book of Calmness," always get surrounded by good people or positive healthy surroundings which will have a powerful and lasting influence on the mind. Adi Shankara had already said this in his "Bhaja Govindam" where he says association of good people will lead to detachment, which in turn leads to a stable mind, which ultimately liberates you from rebirths. Modern management experts have now started saying that one should always "keep the end in mind when you begin a job/project/work," but Indians always said and practiced this 5000 years ago. They always insisted on what is permanent in this world rather than yield to temporary temptations and gratifications! The prayer, meditation, satsang, etc., are all ways to fill your subconscious mind with pure thoughts. When your mind is filled with pure thoughts, you will generate pure feelings which give rise to good actions! Modern psychologists are saying this now, which was known to Indians long back. So practicing other techniques of anger management and keeping the association of good people will ensure pure thoughts in the mind, and anger will thus be eliminated completely in the long run.
M.J. SUBRAMANYAM, CHENNAI