The clarity we need to resolve a problem 

is never found in anger. 

“Wait a minute. Won’t righteous outrage strengthen my resolve and provide the energy I need to remedy a bad situation?” Sounds reasonable, but no. In our cultivation, we’re supposed to manage negative feelings by detecting when they arise and eliminating them.

“Okay then, what am I supposed to do when I’m tempted, and encouraged, to act on my righteous indignation?” Recognize that under that need to act is seething and, at times, uncontrollable anger. The energy that comes from anger is blind—not insightful. It burns through good intentions and leaves us exhausted. Not the “something” we are looking for. With insight, we will be able to better understand the karmic causality unfolding before us.

And remind ourselves that there’s already too much anger in the world. Our adding more fuel to the fire won’t fix anything.

Only with a clear, rational mind will we discern the wisest way to react. And have the confidence to do what we know to be right.