`Geronda, how to get rid of anger ?`
`The aim is not to reach anger. Even milk, if you don`t take it out of fire when it overflows, it spills out.
`What to do for not getting angry ?`
`Watchfulness is needed. Watch yourself and control your anger so that the passion would not take root in you because afterwards even if you wanted to cut it with the hatchet, will always sprout. Remember what David said: ` I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands`[1]
Did you see what that monk did ? Immediately after he got out of his cell he made the sign of the cross and said: `My God protect me of temptations! And he was ready to face temptation.
As if he had been in a observation post and he looked to see from where the temptation would come so that he could protect himself.
If a brother behaved badly with him, he was ready to answer with meekness and humbleness. This is what you should do too.
`Geronda, sometimes when a temptation appears I say to myself : `I won`t say a words` But in the end, despite it, I burst out.`
`What do you mean that you burst out ? And after you burst out what does it happens? Do you catch fire? It seems you don`t have much patience that is why you endure for some time and after that you burst out. You still need some more patience. Before speaking, say for two or three times the Jesus prayer to get some light. There was a woman who when getting angry said the Creed and spoke only afterwards. See what endeavours the laymen make!
`What to do when I react at the bad behaviour of a sister ?`
`Look at your sister with kindness. Try to justify her lovingly. This will help you to gain naturally a good and stable spiritual state. If the passion of anger will find the place of your heart occupied by love it won`t be able to stay and will go away.
[1] Psalm 118, 60.
Excerpt from Passions and virtues – Pious Paisios the Athonite, Evanghelismos Publishing.
