Lal,
Can you always see a negative thought coming ? Anticipate its coming ? I don’t think so.
“if you accept an angry thought, how do you replace it by a positive attitude?”
There are 2 phases to consider. Phase 1: I accept it but don’t stick to it; and i accept it because i know that by repressing it by simplet willpower, it will come back stronger.
However the acceptance/ observation it’s a quite brief process…so brief that there is no time for the anger to become greater.It’s a matter of secs immediatly followed (phase 2) by the integration of a positive attitude.
The best way for me to learn better is to ask you :how do you apply satipatanna in your life moment to moment ? Since you wake up til you go to bed?
Thank you !
Metta
P.S. – the popping up of the thought is what is accepted/observed.