Revenge and despair are strong words. We can advise others not to seek revenge and not despair. As an advisor, one can offer comfort and counsel, but it is described as cold comfort.

Let us talk about revenge. There is silent revenge. When you chose to be silent, you are not giving the person the reaction they want. Revenge is a strong and widespread human feeling. One has a feeling of injustice and feels the need to restore balance and punish the wrong doer. What should one do? We have a method in the practice of Yoga. It starts with the practice of the Samvrit Pranayama.

Samvrit means balance and all one does is breathe to the count of 5, hold the breath to the count of 5, exhale to the count of 5—10 and pause to the count of 5. Awareness of the breath and concentration on the counting. We count backwards from 54 to 0 and if we make an error we start again. One can add one’s mantra also, or So Ham or AUM. And we are performing a neutral activity and therefore our fight/flight/freeze response is not involved.

The best revenge is not to be like your enemy. – Marcus Aurelius

Despair means having lost all or nearly all hope. However, let us read some quotes on this word.

We cannot despair of humanity, since we ourselves are human beings. – Albert Einstein.

Life is filled with detours and dead ends, trials and challenges of every kind. Each of us has likely had times when distress, anguish and despair almost consumed us. – Russel Nelson

Swami Sivananda said that repeating a mantra like the Maha mantra throughout the day and before bedtime, one can be relieved of despair. He also said, ‘Nil Desperandum!’ Never despair because the grace is at hand and God will never abandon you.

Again, it is the mental chanting of the mantra with Samvrit pranayama which will help one.

Aim Hrim Klim