Δαμάζοντας τον τίγρη μέσα μας: Μεταμορφώνοντας τα δύσκολα συναισθήματα

by Thich Nhat Hanh, Ειρήνη Αποστολάκη (Translator), Pritam Singh (Editor)

Ο Τικ Νιατ Χαν (1926-2022), στοχαστής, ποιητής, ακτιβιστής για την ειρήνη και μια από τις σημαντικότερες μορφές του βουδισμού της εποχής μας, μοιράζεται μαζί μας τα κλειδιά για να ξεκλειδώσουμε την καρδιά και το μυαλό και να απαλλαγούμε από τα συναισθήματα που μας βασανίζουν και μας καταδυναστεύουν.
Απόσταγμα σοφίας αντλημένο από όλο του το έργο, το βιβλίο είναι ένα εγχειρίδιο διαλογισμών, αναλογιών και στοχασμών που προσφέρει ρεαλιστικές τεχνικές για την εξουδετέρωση του θυμού, τη μεταμόρφωση του φόβου και την καλλιέργεια της αγάπης σε κάθε τομέα της ζωής.
«Ο Τικ Νιατ Χαν είναι ένας άγιος άνθρωπος, διότι είναι ταπεινός και ευσεβής». ΜΑΡΤΙΝ ΛΟΥΘΕΡ ΚΙΝΓΚ
«Ο Τικ Νιατ Χαν μάς δείχνει τη σύνδεση μεταξύ της προσωπικής, εσωτερικής ειρήνης και της επί γης ειρήνης». ΔΑΛΑΪ ΛΑΜΑ

Genres: Buddhism, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Self Help, Philosophy, Religion, Meditation

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Thích Nhất Hạnh was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist who then lived in southwest France where he was in exile for many years. Born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo, Thích Nhất Hạnh joined a Zen (Vietnamese: Thiền) monastery at the age of 16, and studied Buddhism as a novitiate. Upon his ordination as a monk in 1949, he assumed the Dharma name Thích Nhất Hạnh. Thích is an honorary family name used by all Vietnamese monks and nuns, meaning that they are part of the Shakya (Shakyamuni Buddha) clan. He was often considered the most influential living figure in the lineage of Lâm Tế (Vietnamese Rinzai) Thiền, and perhaps also in Zen Buddhism as a whole.

Reviews

[Happyreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

While waiting for my friend Celia to battle suburban traffic to join me for dinner in Wicker Park tonight, I went to the Wicker Park library and found this book -- and read the entire book in 45 minutes.

It's classic Thich Nhat Hanh. Simple, soothing yet profound. At first I thought it was kind of wasteful of paper to have a single sentence per page spread and then I realized it slowed down the pace and made you mindful of the message of each individual sentence.

Focused primarily on anger and being loving and compassionate in the midst of anger, this is the perfect book to read when you're caught in the throes of an anger mindstorm. This book is not anger averse. The message is to not suppress anger but to be mindful of which habits you're reinforcing (what seeds you're watering) and to embrace and care for the anger to get to the root cause, realizing that the object of the anger is not the cause but merely a symptom. Instead of saying or doing something destructive that you'll regret later, read this very quick book instead. The words and practices here may save some key relationships.

While I was not even remotely angry when I read this, afterwards I felt more present and open and ready to enjoy the company of a good friend.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very short book which I could have read in an hour. Instead, I took my time with it. Inspirational.

[Laurie Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you want to improve your communication skills, minimize misunderstandings and build harmonious relationships in the workplace and at home? If you answered yes, then you will immediately benefit from Bob Bloom's book, "Taming the Tiger of Emotion: A Radical Change of Mind." In it, Bob presents user-friendly guidelines to understanding emotion and a step-by-step map for permanent and constructive change.

"Taming the Tiger of Emotion: A Radical Change of Mind" is a fantastic leaping off point for a positive shift in perspective about yourself and your interaction with the people in your sphere of influence. With a friendly delivery style, Bob keeps his reader actively engaged. He is quick to share applicable solutions that lead to effective communication, minimum frustration and maximum collaboration - three ingredients that result in individual and collective harmony.

[Cole W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most self-help books lean on pep talks and productivity mantras, urging you to conquer life by sheer willpower. This one moves differently. It doesn’t try to whip you into shape so much as invite you to breathe more slowly, to notice the texture of your inner life. There’s a patience to the writing, grounded in Buddhist undertones that feel less like borrowed wisdom and more like a steady current beneath the words.

Reading it, I wasn’t left with a checklist or a sense of urgency. Instead, there was a kind of quiet reassurance, a reminder that not every struggle has to be fought on the surface. Some things are better met with stillness. For a genre that often feels noisy, this book’s gentleness is its real strength.

[Jack Coleman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't want my difficult Emotions transformed.

[Michael Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am re-reading this one, as it is an easy read, and calms me. I appreciate the brevity and the conciseness of the piece.

The "how to read" aspect of books in this regard is more akin to how it might have been when books were young -- read a page or two, digest it, add your own thoughts to those thoughts, as if it were alchemy, not simple linear consumption. You should perceive the book as a living thing, and the relationship symbiotic, instead of a dead thing one must consume and spit out.

Chess books are similar in this regard to using it in an alchemistic fashion. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Many people do not think of books as living things, and so do not respect them.

[♡ Dakota ♡ (Sarcasm is my middle name) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t find myself to be a spiritual person nor do I particularly enjoy/read self help books. But I stumbled upon this book when trying to find something to read. I don’t know what compelled me to pick it up but I did.

I am glad that I did as I enjoyed it. I found many passages that resonated with me. I found myself nodding alongside the author on what he wrote. And I could see myself returning back to this book from time to time. If you’re into mediation or think you would be interested in this book. I say pick it up. I will be giving this book four stars.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thich Nhat Hanh is a great teacher!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everybody who has ever struggled with anxiety, regret, resentment, or anger should read this book.

[Carla Sofia Sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful perspective and thoughtful guidance, but I wish the advice were more specific and had more concrete strategies.

[Stevie Ada · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and direct book regarding difficult emotions (particularly anger). Through acknowledging and not ignoring our anger, Thich Nhat Hanh encourages a mindfulness practice that encompasses awareness around emotions that typically are left to fester.

Taming the Tiger Within: Meditations on Transforming Difficult Emotions provides a very human view on how we can move through life with our anger and frustrations. As with most of Thich Nhat Hanh's writings they are made for the everyday and are applicable to modern living.

[Ashlynn Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

“In taking good care of yourself, you take good care of your beloved one. Self-love is the foundation for your capacity to love the other person. If you don’t take good care of yourself, if you are not happy, if you are not peaceful, you cannot make the other person happy you cannot help the other person, you cannot love your capacity for loving another person, depends entirely on your capacity for loving yourself, for taking care of yourself.”

“We cannot enjoy life if we spend a lot of time worrying about what happened yesterday and what will happen tomorrow. We worry about tomorrow because we are afraid. If we are afraid all the time, we cannot appreciate that we are alive and can be happy now.”

“We wait for the magical moment – sometime in the future – when everything will be as we want it to be.”

“Please take a pen and a sheet of paper. Go to the foot of a tree or to your writing desk, and make a list of all the things that make you happy right now: the clouds in the sky, the flowers in the garden, the children playing, the fact that you have met the practice of mindfulness, your beloved, one sitting in the next room, your two eyes in good condition. The list is endless. You have enough already to be happy now. You have enough to no longer be agitated by fear or anger.”

[ILoveBooks! · Rating 4 out of 5]

“When we are angry, we have to go back to ourselves and take good care of our anger.”

“At the moment you become angry, you tend to believe that your misery has been created by another person.”

“If your house is on fire, the most urgent thing to do is to go back and try to put out the fire, not to run after the person you believe to be the arsonist.”

“You cannot pretend that you don’t suffer. You cannot pretend that you are not angry. This kind of denial is based on pride.”

I truly enjoyed this book, it provided valuable insights and strategies for managing my anger, which has been a long and challenging journey for me. Each chapter offered practical advice that resonated with my experiences, making the process of controlling my emotions feel more achievable.

[▫️Ron S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comforting read during a time of great difficulty. If I thought my dad would read it, I'd send it to him in a heartbeat. Synopsis: The opposite of anger is compassion, and anger comes from within (not external circumstances).

[Rewon]

my notes:
• inner mind scape is like a garden — needs tending, and you must know what's growing in it

• anger is born from wrong perceptions.
• accept anger because you know you can take care of it ( anger is like a howling baby in need)

• all emotion is transient and can be transformed — you always have the capacity to be more understanding and compassionate

1. embrace emotions with mindfulness - breathing, walking
2. recognize the cause - other people are often only the secondary cause
• look inward instead of lashing outward
• must take care of yourself before communicating with others
3. have a peace talk to start working together

• making another person suffer doesn't ease personal suffering (punishing others is self-punishment)
• the people you are angry with need help, not punishment
• when confessing anger, also confess need for help. don't hide

• patience is the measure of love
• understanding is the key to love

[Stephanie Konrade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for bringing peace. Though I am not Buddhist, there was so much wisdom I gained while exploring my perspective on a challenging time in my life. Highly recommended to my friends facing challenging emotional struggles. Each page stated a simple statement or story that allowed you to think/meditate on how it could change your outlook. Though it is a quick read...you will want to explore your thoughts and incorporate it's wisdom into your thinking as you read it, so you won't want to turn the pages quickly. Not all pages were as thought provoking as others, but I certainly am in a better place than I was when I started it a few days ago.

[Ted · Rating 3 out of 5]

Small book of proverbial wisdom

This is a very short book. It is, I'm sure, meant to be read slowly and reflectively. Thich Nhat Hanh's books are somewhat repetitive and there is much that is found in his other books. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Just realize that the repetition serves a purpose. In an affirmation style, reflecting upon these startling simple, yet near impossible to for Westerners to fully implement, concepts, we slowly, moment by moment can see effective change.

For value conscious readers, I would suggest some of his other works such as Be Free Where You Are.

[Chanita]

Taming the Tiger Within is a handbook of meditations, analogies, and reflections that offer pragmatic techniques for diffusing anger, converting fear, and cultivating love in every arena of life-a wise and exquisite guide for bringing harmony and healing to one's life and relationships.

Acclaimed scholar, peace activist, and Buddhist master revered by people of all faiths, Thich Nhat Hanh has inspired millions worldwide with his insight into the human heart and mind. Now he focuses his profound spiritual wisdom on the basic human emotions everyone struggles with on a daily basis.

[Erica Gaussa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used Taming the Tiger Within as a means of guided meditation. I would read only a few pages at a time , then reflect on how each analogy and spoken mindfulness can be applied in my daily life. Thich Nhat Hanh's passages have helped me see life from a new perspective. Through his teachings , I've learned the importance of practicing mindfulness , how to recognize and acknowledge emotions (negative and positive) that can lead us to less than desirable actions. This humble monk's way of life is more than just a means of meditation for me ; it has become my guideline for my own life.

[Rose Cass · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short book of aphorisms. There are snippets of insightful nuggets however many fell short. Some of the language used was a bit distracting (felt unnatural and unnecessarily biased when it came to pronouns) but that felt like a fault of translation.
Could see the intention of the book, however the execution wasn’t quite there.

[Marit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. Impatiently flipping it open in the bookstore, surrounded by holiday shoppers, I was transported out of the store and into the universe of my mind. Each page contains a kernel of true wisdom. I would dare anyone to look through this book and not be moved. :)

[Natalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some incredibly powerful words in here. Just, wow.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Takes less than an hour to read, and that's with stopping and looking off into the distance and pondering what you just read.. Each page only holds a few sentences, or sometimes just even just one. It was like reading an entire book of self-improvement memes. Which sounds awful, as I read those words, but I didn't find it awful. I thought a lot of what I read made sense.

The practices of mindful breathing and mindful walking outdoors are wonderful ways to embrace your anger.

People who use venting techniques like hitting a pillow or shouting are actually rehearsing anger. When someone is angry and vents their anger by hitting a pillow, they are learning a d angerous habit. They are training in aggression. Instead, a wise practitioner generates the energy of mindfulness and embraces her anger every time it manifests.

Do your best to practice compassionate listening. Do not listen for the purpose of judging, criticizing or analyzing. Listen only to help the other person express himself and find some relief from their suffering.

People are very afraid of nothingness. When they hear about emptiness, people are also very afraid, but emptiness just means the extinction of ideas. Emptiness is not the opposite of existence. It is not nothingness or annihilation. The idea of existence has to be removed, and so does the idea of nonexistence.

What is the home of a wave? The home of the wave is all the other waves, and the home of the wave is water. If the wave is capable of touching himself and the other waves very deeply, he will realize that he is made of water. Being aware that he is water, he transcends all discrimination, sorrows, and fears.

[Jennifer Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

So pertinent to a situation I find myself in right now! This is the mindfulness I aspire to one day embody.

Favorite quotes:

“At the moment you become angry, you tend to believe that your misery has been created by another person. You blame him or her for all your suffering. But by looking deeply, you realize that the seed of anger in you is the main cause of your suffering.”

“Nothing can heal anger except compassion. … When you understand the situation of the other person when you understand the nature of suffering, anger will vanish, because it is transformed into compassion.”

“When we hate someone, and are angry at her, it is because we do not understand her or the circumstances she comes from. By practicing deep looking, we realize that if we grew up like her, in her set of circumstances and in her environment, we would be just like her. That kind of understanding removes your anger, and suddenly that person is no longer your enemy. Then you can love her. As long as she remains an enemy, love is impossible.”

[Mark Robison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm at a loss to the purpose of this book. Anyone who has read any Thich Nhat Hanh can safely skip this one, as it's merely a pamphlet-length mini-book containing short pieces from three other books: "Anger," "No Death, No Fear" and "Going Home." The only reason it gets two stars from me was that I always love hearing Edoardo Ballerini read the words of Thich Nhat Hanh; it's like he's channeling the monk's spirit. I listened to the 44-minute audiobook over a few days while doing my morning stretches. I'm always impressed by how simple yet powerful Thich Nhat Hanh's words are — they seem like generic self-help platitudes unless you can let your cynical modern brain absorb them — but you're better off reading these ideas in full-length books, in my opinion.

[Baroness · Rating 5 out of 5]

This audiobook is a little gem. Deliciously powerful, life changing and most of all it’s short, sweet and to the point.

[Nilda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breve e intenso, con muchas lecciones para aprender e incorporar a la meditación y al comportamiento habitual.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eduardo does a fantastic job narrating. A nice gentle reminder on how to approach conflict and avoid lashing out.

[Cassidy Collazo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this, it was truly eye opening!

[rem]

this book comes to me when i need it.