Resistance is Futile!
One of the most fun and well-used quotes from Star Trek.
And an idea that enters my experience of life over and over: when I resist something that is happening, it hurts, uses a lot of energy, and often turns out to be futile.
But what is meant by resistance, exactly, in this context? Especially when we mean that having it will amount to nothing, offer nothing, that having it won’t matter one way or the other….we’ll still wind up in the same place.
I have a picture in my mind of a tiny ant shaking its fist at a huge elephant coming its way. The ant is digging in its heals, furious, enraged, building a barricade, setting up forces so that it is not stepped on. The enormity of the elephant being itself, walking along with the ant directly in its path, is simply too much.
The tricky part about this thing called “resistance” is that often, we don’t study it, we’re just in it, like swimming inside resistance-soup. Busy building the barricade instead of getting out of the way.
What part is actually futile and where is the sensation to be resistant coming from? Is there anger or fear present? Do I have an internal “no” that wants to be spoken? What’s going on in this moment of wanting to set up a barrier against a situation? What is happening when I feel resistance?
The other day I was reading about physical pain, and then emotional pain.
It occurred to me, for the ten-thousandth time, that fear is a fascinating reaction to life events.
Something happens, then the body quickly has a response with adrenaline shooting through the arms and chest, the stomach flip-flopping, images of what will happen crossing the mind, the heart beating faster.
The body says RUUUUUNNNNN! or FIIIIGHTTTT!
Energy surges through the body. There’s an urge to strike, attack, or escape and hide.
There are famous stories about people foiling their enemies, receiving justice, and being set free.
Picture the scene in the Sound of Music when the whole VonTrapp family is hiking on foot over the mountains, with only the clothing on their back, into a free country, and the refrain “Climb every mountain…”
We all clap for joy! They made it!
In that moment, it appears that resistance was not futile. They ran, they were free.
Back to looking at “resistance” and what we really, really mean.
Because sometimes, in very critical and crucial situations, it is indeed futile….
For me, as I’ve studied this over time, I find that I used to think that NON-resistance was passivity.
Not resisting meant being apathetic, suppressing fear, not showing I cared, not saying no, not speaking up, not taking action.
Resistors were trouble-makers, rogues, defiant people, too outspoken, rebels.
But studying “resistance” more deeply, in my unique situations, I find I have the answer to what is futile even if I take only a tiny half-second to consider and be with it.
You already generally know when its futile and when its not.
When action is appropriate, honorable, has integrity, and is open-minded, you will take action that will move with the greatest ease.
When non-action contains the most integrity and honesty for you, that will be right.
The feeling to look at is feeling AGAINST the whole situation. Screaming “NO!” in your mind. Feeling hate for someone, or extreme disappointment, or deep grief. Believing with intensity that you can’t handle this, or this is such a terrible situation that you must get frantic.
Are you sure it’s 100% terrible?
“The instruction isn’t then to ‘smash ahead and karate-chop that whole thing’; the instruction is to soften, to connect with your heart and engender a basic attitude of generosity and compassion toward yourself…” ~Pema Chodron
Pema Chodron suggests that we can cultivate warriorship AND a gentle heart and clarity.
Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, ’til you find your dream.
Set to music, this is joyful. Here comes the elephant…it looks like the best plan is to move. It’s not even a plan…it’s just the way it goes.
Warrior clarity.
Life powerfully expressing itself, non-resistantly, open and courageous. Changing. Free.
“Center your country in the Tao and evil will have no power. Not that it isn’t there, but you’ll be able to step out of its way. Give evil nothing to oppose and it will disappear by itself.” ~Tao Te Ching #60
Love, Grace
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