Disarming
- Keren Levi-Faran
- Feb 28
- 2 min read
What guards us, shapes us
When the body flinches
Before the mind understands
A flicker of discomfort
A quick laugh
A hand that turns the page too soon
Your body knew
Don’t go there
So you didn’t
You stayed safe
But you also stayed alone
The Armor of Thought
In psychology, defenses are quiet ways the mind keeps us from feeling too much.
No flaws
But early wisdom
We repress what feels sharp
Name what we can’t hold
Joke when silence comes too close
Pull away when a presence begins to stir
What protected then
May now divide
A Shift Toward Softness
You don’t need to fight your defenses
They came from care
But you can meet them
Not with force
With gentleness
What feeling is this move guarding against
And what might happen
If you stayed
Just a moment more
Growth doesn’t come from pushing
It begins with a pause
Questions to Unfold
What’s my first reflex when I feel exposed
When did this start in me
Is it still protecting
Or just keeping me apart
What might soften here
Where I always close
The flower doesn’t dream of the bee
It blossoms, and the bee comes
Mark Nepo
You don’t need to protect every part
Some things are not meant to be defended
Only seen
Not all walls are built to keep others out
Some are built to keep you in
What if the only thing left to do
Is soften
And let what wants to arrive
Arrive
You’re invited to meet this moment with ease
Download the practice
The Guard at the Gate
And explore what softens
When you let yourself be seen
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