Cloth of Behavior

We clothe ourselves in our behaviors as much as our clothes and accessories, and it's pretty amazing. We describe ourselves some by our clothing, but only as much as other people are aware what said clothing 'means.' But when it comes to behavior - - it's a mutli-faceted endeavor.

Study it and you will find that people use lots and lots of behaviors to elicit reactions from people and those reactions are a specific and clear effort to ensure that you don't see who they really are.

I know a young kid, nice, well-mannered, sweet - when he wants to be. But he describes himself as a class-a jerk. And acts accordingly. You just shake your head and wonder - what is this about, but what it is about is that it is a very good protection from letting people in, letting people get to know you, letting people see you as you really are, e.g. being vulnerable.

There is lots of this behavior all over the place. It's the people who are curt and unkind for no reason, sassy, downright mean, angry and spitting it up all over you, it's the people who treat you like you aren't there, it's the people who treat you condescendingly, arrogantly, judgmentally. These are all behaviors that absolutely ensure that you will not get to know those people - and has little or nothing to do with you at all. All that commotional emoting is just a protective fortress with which they surround themselves.

The only way to deal with this behavior is to be kind and deflect the rest. These are people dying to be loved and afraid that if you see them for what they really are, you will see that they are unworthy, because they believe that themselves. You will never prove otherwise to them, and it's not worth any effort trying, but kindness, consistent constant kindess is stronger than any fortress; and either they will leave your vicinity completely, or the stoney composite of their self-made fortress will begin to crumble under it.

The cloth of behavior is just an illusion, part of maya, and when it is seen as such, we can begin to see beyond it to the shining light of the soul underneath.

Blessings.
- Darshan

© 2009 Darshan F Jessop