The noble octuple path is a path of purification which purifies us in three ways, by using "tools"...
It purifies
our act and speech by the path of SILA, morality. When we see the angry lead us to act or to talk badly and that this act or speach is not FAIR, with SILA, we abstain to act bad and to tell bad words.
It purifies
our mind by the path of SAMADHI, concentration. When angry lead us to think and to have bad thoughts, by practicing SAMADHI (by focusing on in and out breath, or by focusing on metta thoughts, or even by watching a film...), we can stop those bad thoughts. But when we stop our concentration, those thoughts can come back when conditions are gathered.
It purifies
our latent tendency by the path of PANNA, wisdom. If we have some tendency to be angry, practising vipassana meditation can lead us to understand what is angry, what causes angry. By failing to act his anger by becoming aware of it when it emerges and returning to the abdomen when she leaves, slowly, we understant it is dukkha (unsatisfying), caused by craving-aversion-ignorance, it is anicca (impermanent), and it is anata (uncontrollable). Realizing this, and applying constantly the instructions each time angry occur, those tendencies are beginning to erode slowly because we do not feed them anymore with craving (craving that angry does not exist) or aversion (aversion for the angry).
I'm not sure it's good to begin by yourself. Instructions are quite simple, but to understand those is quite difficult. Understanding need someone allowed to guide you to talk about your experiences. Sometimes, we feel good but actually, our practise is not good. Sometimes, it's the opposite and we feel extremely bad but, actually, our practise is really perfect. It's hard to practise alone, without a proper guide, because we face strong feelings like those that we are unable to understand when we begin. It's not bad to have short sittings periods (like 30min or 1hour a day), but facing difficulties and with noone to help you to understand it, you'll maybe think it's not a path for you. That's a risk you have maybe encountered before (with zen...). But it is strictly not recommended to meditate in an intensive manner (like making a self retreat). It's the best way to loose ourself to bad path, to acquire bad reflexes (which will be difficult to avoid later when we will have good instructions), and at worse, to become mad.
This path should not be taken to FIGHT your angry, but to UNDERSTAND it. And, with this good attitude in your mind, with a good guidance, with proper instructions, and by practising the method you've chosen, you WILL go beyond this difficult stage. It's a matter of time and effort (which means it WILL be difficult and that's why a good guidance is needed to "reach" the end of this path).
So, what to do, what not to do?
- If you have time, if you can take a break, maybe it could be time to care about yourself and to organise a long term retreat (at least 25-30 days). If you go to a therapist, ask him if he don't think it's bad for the moment. If he think it could be good, so, go to a meditation center, even a far away one (in Myanmar, for example).
- If you don't have time for the moment, try to find some introduction papers to vipassana meditation, and try to practise in small doses. Practise also Samatha like meditations (like metta for example) and see if it's suitable for you. If you feel too much angry or restlessness, try maybe to practise walking meditation.
From this I take that vipassana is "intuitive"....and it is thus not "learned" per se. [...] vipassana is not something that is "learned".
Though, it needs to be learned. It is not Vipassana which is intuitive,
it is the understanding coming from a vipassana meditation which is occuring in an intuitive manner. We learn anicca/impermanence by ourself, by the practise, not by reading. It occurs spontaneously when conditions are gathered to produce Panna/wisdom. BUT
the method must be learned intellectually first, then by the practise, then by the adjustments during the interviews with a proper guide.
If vipassana was intuitive everyone should be in Nibbana state... I think it's the opposite: Vipassana is counterintuitive, artificial. Thats why we have to put so much effort. It's only at Sankaruppekkha nana where vipassana practise is stable and felt like natural...
I hope the best for you. May you be happy and peacefull!
(Sorry for this long post)