Imagine a thought-world where you
would neither perceive the need to be defensive nor would you think in terms of
attack. All that would come into your mental processes would be dealt with in
an unemotional way, and everything communicated would also be conveyed without
negative emotion. Your relationships would be, in the main, positive.
Such a mental space would have no
armour-plated shell protecting what’s inside you by defending in
counter-attack.
Being beyond defence and beyond
attack is a cherished state of the joyous life.
And whilst many may feel it is an
unrealistic goal, there is no question that to harness just some of it would be
beneficial.
Being Beyond Defence
Even though both issues are
linked—being defensive and attacking other people—they can, for the purposes of
our thought, be separated.
Being beyond defence is the
ability to manage our interactions in such a way that as we feel ourselves
becoming defensive, in the moment, we ask
why, without giving into the defensiveness if we can. The other person may
not intentionally evoke our defence. And they certainly don’t want to be
attacked, which is what a lot of defensive action consists of.
There are a plethora of reasons
why we would be defensive. There is no shame in it, because it is so common.
But knowing why we are defensive, and
not submitting to our defensiveness, is the key.
We need to find ourselves in a
position where we cannot, or will not, defend ourselves, unless, by right
action, we need to defend ourselves.
In other words, defences that lead to attack are the defences that we seek to
eradicate.
Defences that are necessary to protect
our safety are very good defences and should remain, always, for our safety.
When we understand that other
people’s attacks are them transferring their anguish and frustration onto us we
can afford to extend, to and for them, a little compassion. We can also
understand our need to get beyond attacking others.
Being Beyond Attack
Likewise, when we are in a
position-of-mood where we might attack others we are improperly positioned. Our
scope for mental and emotional vision has narrowed to the point where we see
others as the enemy; like, others are to be fought.
This is generally illogical.
Apart from times when we must
attack to provide for our safety, in order to get out of a dangerous situation,
attack is a highly inappropriate and insufficient response.
Being beyond attacking other
people is about being right-sighted about ourselves, and knowing about the
threats to our emotional and spiritual peace. When we are beyond attacking
people we are safe to be around. People trust and respect us.
***
The best people to be around are
those who are beyond defence and beyond attack. They are safe. We are at peace
with ourselves when we are neither defensive nor attacking.
© 2012 S. J. Wickham.
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