Indeed, humans often tend to anticipate the outcome of events, especially when they are in a phase where they believe victory is guaranteed. If they are right, they remain in a position of comfort. But if they are wrong, the defeat is usually a harsh blow because it wasn’t anticipated. The greatest trap is being in the middle of an experience, thinking you’ve won, and then relaxing, only to finish poorly.
Referring to the word “battle,” all the experiences we live through are battles, small stepping stones for growth that are there to help us progress, push past our limits, and reach new levels of capability with increasing intensity. Training itself is a battle. However, we must avoid falling into the trap of resistance because “the true victory is to win without fighting” (Ustady). This is the power of non-action. Humans must learn to win their battles through the power of gentleness, by reaching deeper and deeper states of relaxation.“Winning a battle is not the same as winning a war. Achieving something doesn’t mean succeeding on the entire journey.” (Ustady)
Generally, our opponent engages in conflict with us when we are reactive, and this reaction causes us to lose touch with our center of gravity. It creates an imbalance, pulling us into a zone of incapacity, where we become easy prey to whatever manifests. The power of gentleness allows us to clear the atmosphere where the interaction takes place, creating an ease that intensifies the exchange and replenishment. This enables us to relax our opponent, calm them, and avoid unnecessary confrontation. As a result, we are more capable of winning the battle effortlessly, preserving both ourselves and our opponent from an unnecessary reaction that has nothing to do with our reason for existing. It’s a win-win.
Wisdom says that when someone wants to engage with us in a physical fight, and our victory is certain, it’s better to walk away and preserve our opponent.