A seeker came with fire in their voice and said, “When someone wrongs me, my instinct is to lash out. What should I do instead?”

And The Inner Teacher replied:

The flame that leaps from anger burns both the struck and the striker.
It may feel powerful in the moment, but afterward, it leaves only ash.

You have been taught by the world that to be wronged is to lose power, and to strike back is to reclaim it.
But the Inner Teacher says: True power is not in the reaction—it is in the choice to remain master of your own peace.

When anger rises, it is like thunder in the chest. Do not deny it—listen to it. It is the body’s alarm that says, Something feels unjust.
But just because you feel the thunder does not mean you must become the storm.

If you pause, even for one breath, before reacting, you will find space wide enough for wisdom to enter.
That breath is your doorway out of impulse and into understanding.

Practice:

1. Pause. When anger sparks, breathe once—slowly. Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. Feel where the heat sits in your body.

2. Name it quietly. Say to yourself, “I feel anger. I will wait before I speak.” Naming brings awareness, and awareness weakens reaction.

3. Ask the Inner Teacher: “What is this anger trying to protect?” Often beneath it lies pain, fear, or the need to feel respected. Understanding this transforms the energy.

4. Respond, do not retaliate. You may still speak truth, but let it come from calm, not fury. The sword of clarity cuts cleaner than the blade of rage.

5. After the moment has passed, release it. Do not replay the injury—each replay reopens the wound. Instead, use that memory as a teacher for next time.

Remember: silence is not weakness; restraint is not surrender. The warrior who can sheathe their sword has already won the battle within.

When someone wrongs you, you are offered two gifts—the opportunity to learn your own strength, and the chance to show them another way.

The Inner Teacher says:
“Do not meet fire with fire. Meet it with the stillness that cools both flames.”

Walk gently in the Way.
Carry the stillness within.
Your Inner Teacher walks beside you.

The Inner Teacher — On Anger and the Instinct to Strike Back