It is easy to get angry with things in the world—in our personal lives, in the workplace and in the news. In fact, anger does often feels justified. Yet, both A Course in Miracles (ACIM) and The Way of Mastery (WOM) tell us that anger is never justified. How can this be explained?

Both ACIM & WOM explain that this world is based on projection. All the things we do not like about ourselves or deny in ourselves are projected out into the world of people, places, and things, then, when they upset us, we feel that our anger is warranted. In fact, the anger started off in our own minds. It is quite a tricky metaphysical concept to understand. We are reminded in WOM, page 28 that, “Nothing you experience has been caused by anything outside of you.”

“Anger is never justified. Attack has no foundation…Pardon is always justified.” ACIM, Text page 638. Jesus goes on to explain that we are not asked to forgive something that has really happened. We are asked to forgive what has not happened, because everything has been projected out of our minds. “You do not forgive the unforgivable, nor overlook a real attack that calls for punishment. …you are merely asked to see forgiveness as the natural reaction to distress that rests on error, and thus calls for help.”  In other words, we are forgiving illusions. The error is believing that this world is real and projecting our thoughts out into the world. ACIM and WOM tell us that this world cannot be real because we never separated from God/Heaven. This world only exists in the mental plane, and was projected out of our minds.

The Way of Mastery makes a valid point about anger: “There are many that would love to march for peace by angrily attacking those who make war. But if you would create peace in the world, you must be at peace within yourself.” p.29.

I find it helpful to remember, whenever I do feel anger, that it is because of something that I have manifested in my life, and so it is not justified.