Are You in Attack Mode or Protection Mode?

When someone attacks you either verbally, emotionally, or energetically, what do you do? In those moments, you face a choice between two very different modes of being: attack or protection.

Since we may have a different understanding of the word attack, perhaps it is best to start with what I mean by it. Attack is a form of aggression, and it comes from the ego, not the heart. Attack is the drive to conquer, to beat down, to gain power over another, to exert force in one way or another. It is a forceful energy rooted in lack or greed. It is definitely not an energy that comes from the heart.

An aside here: as I dictated an earlier draft of this article, the word “ego” was transcribed as “eagle.” That "cosmic error" struck me, since the eagle is seen as the symbol of the USA, and the ego is very much a problem in the challenges the USA is facing at the moment. Interesting food for thought.

Rethinking Protection

Some people may view protection as weakness, as if we are cowering in the corner waiting for blows to fall. But true protection is not passive—it is active. It is the conscious choice to reject aggressiveness and negativity, to stay rooted in peace, and to send healing rather than retaliation. Protection is not about “getting even.” It is about holding your ground in the inner peace of your heart.

We protect ourselves by refusing to respond with the same negative energy that comes our way. One way is to visualize ourselves in a bubble of light, where anything harmful simply bounces away. Another is to silently add patience, compassion, understanding, and love to the situation, especially when the other person isn’t ready to hear it out loud.

Our main protection is to resist the pull of “he said, she said, I’m right, you’re wrong.” Those are just new forms of attack. True protection is about choosing not to add fuel to the fire.

The Human Dichotomy

Life is full of dualities: high tide and low tide, day and night, breathing in and breathing out. Our emotions follow the same rhythm which is that of giving and receiving, loving and fearing. The difference is that while the tides and the breath are automatic, our emotional responses don’t have to be. We can choose.

Recently, I experienced challenges with someone in my life. I felt extreme negative energy from them, even dreaming of model airplanes, spewing toxic fumes, flying into my open windows. In waking life, I realized I had a choice: metaphorically close my windows and block the energy, or send my own toxic energy back. Sadly, at first, I chose the latter, in the form of negative judgments, muttering to myself about their behavior, etc. And of course, it only made things worse.

But later, I recognized that I did have another option. I could stop the negative flow by putting up a protective barrier, staying neutral, or better yet, sending healing energy to that person instead. That realization was a turning point.

The Choice is Ours

We always have the power of choice. Every moment, we choose how to respond. We can join the drama, and even contribute to it, or we can step back. We can add to the anger, or we can harmonize it. And while responding with peace is often the hardest choice, it is also the highest.

If we’re not ready to send love, then at least we can refrain from sending negativity. Our choice is whether we emit light or contribute to the darkness.

We are always either feeding darkness or feeding light. Our words and actions either fuel the fire or help put it out. That’s true whether in our homes, communities, or the world. We can feed outrage, or we can anchor peace, compassion, and understanding. Remaining aware and centered helps us resist the easy pull of anger and instead contribute to healing.

Our Mission is to Choose Love

Protection is not about weapons. It is about remaining in peace no matter what is thrown our way. It doesn’t mean we agree or give up; it means we hold our center. Like light in a room, when our light shines bright, darkness cannot take over. Only when we dim our light does darkness spread.

Think of it like a recipe. Add bitter ingredients, and you’ll get a bitter result. Add sweet, and the dish turns sweet. The same applies to life. When negativity abounds, we can balance the equation by choosing love. Or at the very least, choosing neutrality. And when we slip, as we all have at times, the key is to notice it, shift, and choose again.

Like an illness that worsens before it turns, the turmoil in our world signals transformation in progress. Our role is not to fix everyone else, but to tend our own energy, to send ripples of peace, harmony, and compassion outward. Every choice matters, no matter how small. Even in chaos, healing is happening beneath the surface. 

So the next time you feel attacked, pause. Ask yourself: do I desire to feed darkness, or light? Your choice, moment by moment, is how you help heal yourself and the world.