Fierce aggression is easy to recognize, both in ourselves and in those around us. It’s as if steam is about to pour from the ears; this energy rises like an erupting volcano. In Western culture, we aren’t taught to handle intense emotions in a healthy way, especially those that are not socially, culturally, or publicly acceptable. Repressed anger can turn into rage, rage may lead to aggression, and this can escalate into vandalism and senseless violence.

Anger and rage have a purpose, too. They are powerful forces initially meant to mobilize us, to drive us toward protection, to put us in motion in a life-saving way. This energy is life force, power for creation and manifestation, and also contains sexual energy. The energy underlying anger is also necessary for achieving our goals. It is the vital life energy that should flow freely, contributing to feelings of strength, well-being, and wellness. Raw anger is often concealed, appearing instead as negativity, sarcasm, resentment, bitterness, blame, feelings of revenge, and so on.
It’s often connected to old emotional pain, leading us to shut down emotionally. Feelings of emptiness, loneliness, and depression loom in the background.

Repressed anger and rage can also lead to a range of physical complaints: grinding teeth, tense jaws, neck, shoulder, and lower back pain, digestive issues, stomach problems, acid reflux, issues with the gallbladder, liver, adrenal glands, and more. When mixed with fear, it may affect the kidneys and renal pelvis. Repressed anger and rage can lead to weight gain, weight loss, sexual dysfunction, and exhaustion.

Rage often settles in the pelvis, hips, and knees, and may also cause sleep disturbances, lowered immune function, increased blood sugar levels, potentially resulting in insulin resistance and diabetes. Problems in the throat, thyroid, and a range of hormonal issues may also arise.

High blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, chronic inflammation, and various chronic illnesses are common, as well as cognitive issues, from poor concentration to memory loss. A large portion of the population suffers from early childhood trauma or developmental trauma without being aware of it. These symptoms are often labeled as disorders or illnesses, such as ADD and ADHD, where repressed rage also plays a role. Symptoms have a progressive nature. According to Bessel van der Kolk, we could heal 80% of all diseases by addressing these early traumas, but this approach does not fit into the current profit-driven model.

Early traumas are easily acquired because our nervous system is not fully developed at birth; it continues to evolve during the early years of childhood. Babies are extremely vulnerable and sensitive to stress from their surroundings. In this period, safety, attachment, and co-regulation through parents or caregivers are essential, yet far from guaranteed, given the enormous pressure young parents experience, the unlearned skill of stress regulation, and a general lack of knowledge on this topic.

Repressed anger can also push us into a frozen state, leading to an implosion that prevents us from taking necessary actions or making progress.

I have personally experienced the intensity and overwhelming nature of fierce aggression. For a long time, I lived off the energy of suppressed anger. It gave me an illusory sense of vitality, and to those around me, I appeared inexhaustible. Then, fierce aggression surfaced, entirely beyond my control, despite my efforts to manage it. Until one of my teachers said, “If you don’t release the pressure, stand up for yourself, and make your own choices, the devil will continue to rise for you!” This was the hard truth I needed to hear, though I still had a long road ahead. I was there for everyone else but not for myself, caring for others in ways I should have been caring for myself. Out of loyalty, lack of courage, and an inability to discern, I stayed in a relationship that was not nurturing. Fierce aggression seemed to settle scores when I couldn’t enforce my boundaries, in all its raw unrefined force.

Suppressed anger can become toxic to ourselves and those around us, but it can also be dangerous. To me, it felt like an inhuman, all-consuming force. I craved adrenaline rushes unconsciously to bring down my chronically high cortisol levels. I could lose three kilos in one night just lying awake, gripped by anger. Beneath my people-pleasing behavior was a lot of repressed anger, and it led to more anger as I habitually overstepped my own boundaries. Repeatedly violating our own boundaries or allowing others to do so has a deeper cause. Beneath hyperactivity often lies a cluster of suppressed emotional pain, anger, and sorrow. Below that is peace, gentleness, and love, but I often couldn’t reach that deeper layer, as I was driven by my inner unrest.

Until we find a constructive solution, the body or the unconscious leans toward finding one. We become adrenaline junkies or numb ourselves in other ways, seeking distractions from the unrest in our minds and our system.
There are many roads to Rome, but only one path to healing and freedom, and that is the path within. Shadow work, as I experience it, is the most complete approach. In addition, there are many body-focused exercises that help calm the nervous system and bring us deeper into our bodies. Transpersonal work is also highly effective for this.
In our bodies—which can be seen as the unconscious—everything is stored, including everything from the preverbal stage, early childhood years without conscious memory. Our dreams, memories, gifts, talents, and all that we weren’t allowed to be wait here for liberation. According to Carl Jung, the founder of analytical psychology, there is gold in Our Unconscious (The contemporary psychology and many therapeutic approaches are derivatives and distortions of Jungian psychology.)

Emotions can be seen as the bridge to the unconscious. However, if we remain stuck at the emotional level, we stay on the bridge and do not reach the seed of our being, nor the child parts from which we have become split.
Beneath the emotion lies a sensation, a dynamic that is connected to an image and a piece of essence that belongs to us. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the images symbolically and to transform and integrate the dynamics. Simply releasing the charge feels to me more like energetic amputation than true healing. Unless transformation and integration are involved, no real healing occurs—only a momentary release. Symptoms can be combated and alleviated from the outside, but wholeness can only emerge from within.

Shadow work is essential to reintegrate all the split-off parts. This goes far beyond merely understanding the situation or addressing the mental and emotional layers. Often, we simply exchange one pattern for another. Unintentionally, we burden our descendants with our unlived dreams, unhealed wounds, and unfinished energetic tendencies.
Until we have done sufficient shadow work, we project our unconscious contents onto others. We see our problems and shortcomings in other people.

Everything we admire in others, as well as what we disapprove of, and everything in between, reflects ourselves. We believe in a savior outside of ourselves, whether in the form of a partner, wealth, a dream location, a dream job, a political leader, etc. In doing so, we place all responsibility and power outside of ourselves. When anger arises, we have the opportunity to reclaim our power and make choices for ourselves, taking responsibility into our own hands—as long as we do not suppress it, deny it, or vent it in harmful ways.
Perhaps we can state that our healing is necessary for evolution. If we do not heal our wounds and integrate our unconscious parts, history will continue to repeat itself.

Relying on “time” to heal all wounds does not work. If time could heal wounds, then developmental trauma and early childhood trauma would not exist.

I wish for you the courage to confront your shadow and to find the strength to take the right steps. Living from wholeness and freedom is definitely worth this process.

For more information, visit www.jelion.nl/inspiration
Book Recommendations: The works of Carl Jung, Karen Hamaker-Zondag, Jan de Bomerez, Bessel van der Kolk, Peter Levine, and Gabor Maté, as well as Healing Back Pain by John E. Sarno. The Untetered Soul, Micael A. Singer

If you’re not a fan of reading, there are many podcasts available, and I would also recommend psychology in theater for everyone!