June Luna

CEBU, Philippines – I was once always angry at the world. My early childhood experiences and exposure to different adversities in life used to trigger bursts of fumes inside me. As a result, I was a bad role model.

I yelled at people, threw curses around like they were chicken feed, and kept on nursing my anger like it was a poor little thing. After these anger-related incidents, I felt horrible because I could not take back all the hurtful words I had spit out at people, including my family.

Then I came to realize that we are all victims of anger, but the unwitting victims are the members of our own families who bear the brunt of our outbursts. Having wrestled with feelings of anger since childhood, I realized that I could not be angry for the rest of my life.

Is anger natural? Many of us would say yes. But as anger doesn't bring any good for anyone, our common challenge is: Anger should not be embraced as an indispensable part of our nature; it must be managed.

In my case, I decided to make an extra effort to find ways to positively address the anger problem. I started attending seminars and reading books about anger. I wanted to physically manage anger - but, sadly, doing so just made it a more stubborn habit, one that kept on coming back. Trying to manage my anger psychologically also didn't work for me, because of my human limitations. Finally, I learned how to conquer it spiritually.

I discovered the spiritual method much easier, because it made me better understand my negative emotions. It made me happier, more peaceful, and in effect, the people around me became peaceful and happy with me, too.

The spiritual method I have learned includes a Four-Way Test in the form of questions that I ask myself everyday: What are the causes of my anger? When do I usually get angry? How do I usually express my anger? Who is the usual object of my anger?

Anger, to me, is simply a form of losing or a feeling of emptiness and loneliness. The usual causes of anger that I have observed include losing a loved one, losing one's relationship or being separated from loved ones, losing one's possessions, losing one's position of authority and power, losing one's comfort, losing one's time, losing face or recognition, and losing one's personality or physical looks.

Please do not get me wrong. I still get angry. But the incidence of my anger has become less frequent and less intense. I admit it was not easy. I always found myself trapped in the cycle of moving forward, getting stuck and sliding back in my attempt to change my bad habits and tendencies. Then I realized that what I had attained was only part of a simple change process, not the spiritual transformation that I should aim for.

True spiritual transformation is attained only through conscious and sincere efforts to become better - by making huge leaps of faith. It entails accepting that while change is physical and material in nature, transformation is highly spiritual. It is a condition much elevated and closer to God's help, support, blessings, and intentions.

June Luna is the president and chief executive officer of Prosel Pharmaceuticals and Distributors that started in Cebu City. He self-published two books - "Triunephant: The Story of Success and Transformation," (2010) and "XPRNZ: A Journey towards Soul Consciousness," (2013) - which chronicle his experiences and journey towards soul consciousness. More information is available at: www.juneluna.com.