Resistance is a sign. It is the body’s way of telling you that something is amiss. It is similar to pain in your foot when you sprain an ankle. Pain is a symptom that lets you know there is something wrong. Resistance is the body’s way of expressing that there is an underlying emotional issue that needs attention. When you resist a situation because of negative emotions you are responding from a place of scarcity and limitation. From this place you rely on negative emotions and the story that goes with them to guide you. You can see only a fragment of the possibilities and you are limited in your ability to be open to abundance. Feelings of resistance are the body’s way of telling you that you are not on the right path.
Non-resistance does not mean allowing others to walk all over you and is not permission to be lazy. Practicing non-resistance means that you keep vigilance over your thoughts and recognize when you are allowing negative emotions such as shame, guilt, anger, or jealousy to guide your decisions.
For example, let’s say you are driving down the road and seem to be lost. Your friend is telling you to turn right and you resist. Why? Maybe because you are tired of her telling you what to do or perhaps you feel embarrassed because you are lost and don’t want to admit it. Whatever the reason, the fact still remains that you are lost. The emotions that come up as a result of your friend telling you what to do are not helping you to find your way. They are, however, creating resistance to the suggestion that you turn right. The resistance, in this situation, is not about turning right. The resistance is directly connected to your emotionally driven reasons (your story) not to turn right – such as feelings of embarrassment or not wanting your friend to control you.
When you are in resistance mode, you are busy thinking of all the reasons why not to do something instead of pausing for a moment and opening up to possibility. Instead of simply entertaining the idea to turn right, you are caught up in experiencing all the feelings and emotions that cause resistance and keep you in a limited state.
In this case, because of your resistance, you decide to go straight and miss important information that would have taken you where you needed to go. As a result, you hit a pothole, get a flat tire and end up at a dead end. This is how your “stuff” gets in the way. It can often create the very outcome that you do not want.
A good rule of thumb is this: When presented with a situation and feeling resistance, stop and ask yourself “Where is this resistance coming from?” If there are negative feelings or a story attached, then what you are resisting is probably something you need to look at. Next, step back, take a breath, and decide whether you want to lean in, put your emotional baggage aside and break through the resistance or stay put and wallow in it. This is a personal choice and it is not always easy. It takes practice and it takes a lot of courage.
If you choose to push yourself and lean into non-resistance, know that it will open your world in ways that are unimaginable. Expect that you will expand your horizons and break through self-limiting ideas and into unlimited possibility.
Kelly Thiel is the owner and Homeopath at Modern Day Wellness in Orange County, CA, where a broad spectrum of healing and wellness modalities and methodologies are offered – including homeopathy, gemmo therapy, karuna reiki® and the practice of mindful meditation.
