Online series with Jackie McInley, February 14th, 2026
In this dialogue session the group explored the question of irritation, anger and frustration in our everyday lives. These particular states are banal in their commonality and everyday occurrence; and yet universal in their bondage of us.
Is it possible to understand the nature of these states more deeply and will this understanding free us? Some of course are not interested in being free of irritation or anger, as to blame and criticise others may allow us to avoid the actuality of our own frustrations. These states obviously have underlying causes yet the root of my irritation is not seen. I can work out for example that I get irritated because I have expectations that are not being met. However, does “knowing this” wipe away the irritation?
What then is maintaining – not only my irritation – but repetitive irritation as a deeply conditioned reaction in the shared human mind? If understanding cannot reach this deeper conditioning, what can? Several participants suggested that the whole system of human language and thought is embedding this passing irritation and anger and intensifying it over time. Is the ruminating about anger, actually preventing a direct seeing of the anger itself? When irritation is identified verbally or named, is there a whole unconscious process taking over that might be obfuscating the nature, patterns and roots of irritation?
What will break down this “matrix” of anger that is creating disfunction and conflict in our lives? If not deeper analysis, then what? When we say we know what anger is, do we stop exploring the actuality of anger? Do we “feel it completely with all our senses” and allow it to disolve as K seems to be suggesting?
