Are you About to Attack?

Remember that those who attack are poor. ACIM:T: Chapter 12:III: 3:3

So you are angry?

Someone just said or did something that triggered one of your tender spots.  They criticized something you did or failed to give you credit for it. They didn't seem to care about your issues or ignored them all together.  They forgot your birthday or didn't even attempt to go to your loved one's funeral. They purposefully made a snide comment or suggestion that felt like a deliberate jab to your most vulnerable spot.

You were hurt...than you became angry. 

You are now ready to attack: say something, do something or simply think about something that will hurt them or make them feel good and guilty for what they have done.

Don't!

Before you attack:

Step Back!

Take a deep Breath!

Begin again!

Know that attack is an ego reaction. It is all about honoring separation. It is a "me" against another "me" thing, an ego against ego thing and has little to do with what you truly want to achieve.

Why do we attack?

We attack to protect the ego.  We want to protect this made up idea of who we think we are.  And because we are so identified with these bodies and personalities, these roles we walk around in...at the same time knowing how "flimsy" they are... we attack when we assume someone is going to knock us out of them, at least partially, when we can no longer defend ourselves.

When I wrote the other day about missing something I was speaking about a role I once identified with.  I felt "attacked" in the beginning of losing this thing.  Like Life or others were pulling it away from me.  I dug my heels in and I clung.  I tried to defend it.

When defense was not enough for me to keep this thing...I attacked back. I wanted to attack those who were not allowing me to keep it.  I wanted to attack those who didn't recognize how much it all hurt.  I wanted to attack the world and I wanted to attack myself.

Attack is Not just a Physical Thing

Attack doesn't have to be physical.  In fact, it seldom is.  Attack doesn't even have to be overt.  Most of the time, attack just occurs in our head.  We think attack thoughts.  We create stories about what has happened to us and how others will pay for it.  (Not necessarily  with torture instruments obtained from the middle ages...though sometimes that may cross our minds lol)) .  We create thoughts of how they will pay for it with guilt.  We want them to feel guilty.

Our thought directed attack action  may involve doing something , saying something that will make the other feel bad for what has happened. Whenever we set out even just mentally for someone else to feel guilty we are attacking. And according to ACIM, that is no different than stringing them up on a rack or slapping them across the face.

Hmmm!

Attack is attack.

For What?

It took me a long time to realize that I was only trying to defend and protect this image of myself I had in this role.  Then I realized  this image was not worth defending, never mind attacking over.

What was I trying to save with my defense and attack mode?  How was I trying to save it?

I was trying to save ego...because ego was heavily invested in this role.  Ego felt separated and alone...like it was out in the big bad world fighting on its own...and it attacked to protect itself. It actually looked for reasons to defend and attack. For what?

Recognize what does not matter, and if your brothers ask you for something "outrageous", do it because it does not matter. ACIM:T: Chapter 12: III: 4:1

The whole time I did not recognize that what I was fighting for was not something that mattered. There never was any need for defense and attack...there never is.  Defense and attack come from the ego and the ego doesn't matter. It is not worth defending or attacking for.
When we attack others, we are actually attacking ourselves.

To identify with the ego is to attack yourself and make yourself poor. ACIM:T: Chapter 12:III:6:1

So people with egos will do things, say things our egos do not like.  The more we are identified with our egos the more those things will rattle us and make us want to attack back. But it is just the ego that wants to attack...not who you really are. Ego wants drama and chaos. Who you really are wants peace.


Don't attack! Be quiet instead.

Learn to be quiet in the midst of turmoil, for quietness is the end of strife and this is the journey to peace. Chapter 12: II:5:5


ACIM (2007) A Course in Miracles: Combined volume. Foundations For Inner Peace