Pondering On Resistance

Summary

The author reflects on the nature of resistance and suggests that instead of fleeing or fighting it, one should notice and give it space, allowing for a creative response to arise.

Abstract

In the article "Pondering On Resistance," the author explores the human tendency to either flee or fight when faced with resistance. They argue that there is nothing inherently wrong with choosing to flee, as resistance can be a natural indication of a "NO-NO" situation. However, the author also acknowledges the appeal of the idea of "feeling the fear and doing it anyway." The article delves into the concept of resistance, suggesting that it might not be a meaningless thing to delete, but rather a natural creative tension involved in an endeavor. The author encourages readers to work with resistance and move through it, beginning with giving it space and noticing it as it arises without panicking. They introduce the concept of negative capability, a capacity to bear uncertain and unsafe states within. The author concludes by suggesting that when resistance arises, one should notice it first and give it some space, allowing for a creative response to emerge.

Bullet points

The author discusses the human tendency to either flee or fight when faced with resistance.
The author suggests that there is nothing inherently wrong with choosing to flee, as resistance can be a natural indication of a "NO-NO" situation.
The article explores the concept of resistance, suggesting that it might not be a meaningless thing to delete, but rather a natural creative tension involved in an endeavor.
The author encourages readers to work with resistance and move through it, beginning with giving it space and noticing it as it arises without panicking.
The author introduces the concept of negative capability, a capacity to bear uncertain and unsafe states within.
The author concludes by suggesting that when resistance arises, one should notice it first and give it some space, allowing for a creative response to emerge.

Are we supposed to just skip resistance

Whenever resistance arises within we tend to either flee or fight.

I think, first of all, there is nothing wrong or shameful in choosing to flee. It even feels like the honest thing to do sometimes. There is resistance, which means it’s a NO-NO, right. Otherwise, why would I experience resistance in the first place? I do feel resistance and if it is shameful so fucking be it. Why lie? Who am I fooling anyway?

Or, we might feel so ashamed about our own tendency to flee from the resistance and we start fighting with it, or aggressively ignore it, basically just get over it — skip it. We even have this idea of ‘feel the fear and do it loser’. It does sound very appealing. yes feel the fear and do it. Bravo!. And it is all good as long as fortune favors the brave — otherwise, fuck it.

But if we are feeling the fear and blindly doing whatever it is we are doing, because we are scared of confronting ‘resistance’ (either out of shame or we are afraid we might get stuck) then this does not look that appealing really.

If there is a natural order of things then skipping that order just because I want to skip might be adding more disturbance to the existing shit. After all, we did not learn to walk or run before learning to stand up. That is, resistance might not be a meaningless thing to delete.

Naturally, we do have a fear of confronting the resistance, hence all these ideas of ‘willpower’, ‘pushing harder’, etc.

We do it unreflectively and end up living up joyless lives. The only good feeling is I did it so I can afford to be happy (maybe as a rule).

We might say, what kind of loser is going to notice resistance and dig his own hole. ‘Hey man, skip it and save your ass,’ goes the popular idea, ‘Join our saved asses club or we will shame you because that’s all we do here. Welcome to hell.’

But noticing resistance is not going to end the world. After all, it can be our unexamined fear. We never bother to stay with it or give it some space unflinchingly.

Resistance is not merely a natural creative tension involved in an endeavor. That tension is beneath the layer of resistance.

One might get better at working with resistance and moving through it. Is it not our primary responsibility to work with it, which begins with giving it space and noticing it as it arises without panicking into backward or forward movement as a way to get over it — this demands a kind of negative capability. A capacity to bear uncertain and unsafe states within.

Here is an interesting video on Negative Capability by Nick Williams:

Next time, when resistance arises I would not know why it is there or what to do with it. But I am certain it will come. All I could do is notice it first, and give it some space. No point in getting inside the gun and shooting the bullet — which is what the ego-self always does — but, instead let it be (if I have that capacity) and wait for any creative response to arise. This is not easy, as if we can hold resistance and look at it, compulsive drives won’t just stop because I suddenly want to, but I can notice the compulsion — resistance to resistance.