Working with #^&%! Anger

Is it just us, or are references to meditation showing up more frequently in mainstream news? In fact, they seem to be showing up in some of the strangest f---ing places... 

So…. Recently Gawker wrote about a study at Keele University that found swearing can actually make you feel better, as it can have a “pain-lessening effect,” according to a study published in the journal NeuroReport. And yes, we checked and this is a valid study. Check out the details on Reuters.

What makes this post most interesting is that they followed up their report with these last two lines: “So! Next time you are in pain, try out a swear or two, like “the s-word” or “the f-word.” And if that doesn't work, just meditate.” They then linked out to another story they’d written about a study about how meditation can be more effective than morphine. Read Mind over Pain, our news item about sensitivity to pain and meditation.

The Gawker-style sarcasm underneath it all isn’t lost on us. However what we’re most interested in is that this cursing news item prompted a reference (albeit tongue in cheek) to meditation as a mainstream tool to lessen pain. Are we fascinated to see this end up in the news, even if it’s Gawker news? F— yeah! And how about you? How do you feel about such references? Happy? Disappointed? Angry enough to curse?

And if you’re interested in further exploring the topic of anger and mindfulness, you’ve come to the right place. Read these great stories on Mindful.org:

Using the Energy of Anger: “Why is it so hard to awaken?” asks Ezra Bayda, author of At Home in the Muddy Water: A Guide to Finding Peace within Everyday Chaos. “In part it’s because the life force, or energy, necessary to awaken is leaking away from morning until night.”

Intentional Acts of Kindness: Kindness is often misunderstood as something superficial, and underestimated in terms of its power. Mary Ann Christie Burnside teaches us that the kindness we offer ourselves and others affects what happens in the very next moment. 

 

Image from Wikimedia Commons