Therefore, when anger comes, close your mouth tightly, and do not speak to him who curses, dishonors, reproaches, or bothers you in any way without reason.
Then this snake will writhe around in your heart, rise up to your throat, and (since you don’t give it a way out) will choke and suffocate. When this is repeated several times, it will diminish and cease entirely…
- Elder Joseph the Hesychast
