Programmed on Defense

Another example for conditioning is to be found by observing our reactions once we are faced with unpleasant situations. Mostly we want to avoid them, we refuse to accept them and probably we even fight them. This can certainly be a valid approach, but maybe there are alternatives.

If we want to be more at ease with a given situation, we could use the following trick: Instead of fighting or rejecting a situation, we might as well accept it and be at peace with it. At first, this might seem odd because we do not like to be treated badly and we should change what we dislike. And yes, certainly sometimes we have to act immediately e.g. by withdrawing the finger from the hot stove.

However, there are a lot of things we fight unnecessarily, mostly because we are afraid of them. We take the given situation, and our fear, and project both into the future. Then we are even more afraid which leads to fight, or upset, or defense. This is how we are programmed.

Unfortunately, by fighting we reinforce the unwanted things because a huge amount of our energy flows into them. However, if something is already present, it is already there, whether we fight it or not. Actually, it is then more useful to fully experience everything that shows up and be fully at peace with the current moment. If action is necessary as a next step, it can still be taken.

Through our conditioning we are in conflict with everything, with ourselves and with our surroundings. We achieve new solutions by discovering those patterns and thus deprive our energy from unpleasant situations. Instead of fighting, it is about understanding. Understanding dissolves fear and without fear there is no need to fight.

Consequently, the entire issue can dissolve because once it is fully understood and experienced it is no longer needed.

Freedom begins where fear ends.