Breathwork and working with your anger.
Anger is Not a Dirty Word - Breathwork for Emotional Clarity
Anger often gets a bad reputation. We’re taught to suppress it, hide it, or quickly move past it. But the truth is, anger is a powerful and intelligent emotion. Like all emotions, it carries a message — and when it shows up, it’s asking us to pay attention.
When we feel anger, it’s often because a boundary has been crossed, a value has been ignored, or an injustice has been felt — whether personally or collectively. The problem arises when we repress this energy. Unacknowledged anger doesn’t just disappear — it simmers below the surface and can eventually erupt in reactive or destructive ways.
So, how can we work with anger instead of being consumed by it?
The answer lies in the breath.
The message Behind Anger
Anger is the body’s way of telling us that something isn’t right.
When anger arises, ask yourself:
Who is this anger telling me?
Where am I feeling dismissed, disrespected, or violated?
Have my boundaries or values been ignored?
Am I angry at someone else - or at myself for not honouring my own needs?
Often, beneath anger lies something deeper — hurt, fear, grief, or vulnerability. Anger can give us the energy and courage to stand up for ourselves. It can serve as a signal to take aligned action. But if left unchecked, it can also mask our more tender emotions and keep us stuck in cycles of protection.
When we begin to explore what’s underneath our anger, we uncover the deeper truths we’ve been carrying — and we create space for healing.
A Breathwork practice to Transform Anger
This simple at-home breathwork practice allows you to safely connect with your anger and gently move through it:
Find a quiet, safe space. Free from interruptions or distractions.
Begin conscious connected breathing. Use the breath in a slow, continuous rhythm — no pause between the inhale and the exhale. Breathe deeply into your belly, allowing it to expand. Let your jaw relax as you exhale.
Acknowledge how you’re feeling. Bring your awareness into your body. Gently say to yourself: “I am angry.”
Let yourself feel it. This emotion is valid. You are allowed to feel anger.Get curious. Ask yourself:
What is behind my anger?
What value or boundary feels threatened?
Is there an old wound surfacing?
Do I feel unsafe, unseen, or unheard?
Keep breathing. Stay with the breath until you begin to feel a shift - perhaps a softening in your body or a release of tension. This is your nervous system rebalancing.
Choose aligned action. From this calmer, more grounded space, consider: What action can I take that honours my values and supports the change I want to see?
Use Your Anger for Good
When met with curiosity and compassion, anger becomes a powerful tool for transformation. It doesn’t have to control you - instead, it can guide you.
So when anger shows up -
Let it be there. Don’t resist it - resistance only anchors it deeper in the body.
Breathe. And if breathing alone feels overwhelming, book in a facilitated breathwork session.
Allow clarity to rise. From there, choose what’s next.
Be kind to yourself. You’re doing deep, important work.
Anger is not something to be feared or suppressed.
It’s a messenger. A catalyst. A teacher.
And when paired with the breath, it becomes a path toward freedom.
Blessings,
Shanie 💜
