This is explained so beautifully. With years of practice in Yoga, Meditation, I have learned to do this to great extent. Nevertheless, I can still not write on the subject with such amazing clarity.

There is a popular story in Vedanta. Once there was snake who lived in the hollow of a tree just outside a village. He was a terror. He bit people so badly that none dare go that way. One day a monk came to the village. People requested the Holy One to help them in the matter. The monk went to the tree and called the snake. ‘Why you bite people?’ He asked. ‘It’s my nature,’ the snake replied. The monk smiled and asked him not to bite from that moment on. The monk gave him a mantra instead so he may chant it and be at peace. Doing this the monk went his way. Over the weeks that passed, the villagers saw snake not troubling anyone. Slowly they began losing fear of it. One day a boy got so daring that he put his hand in the hollow of the tree and pulled out the snake. Next all the boys joined in playing tug-of-war using the creature as their rope. Like this people began making fun of the snake. ‘Dumb Snake’ they began calling it. Then one day, the same monk returned. He went under the tree and saw the snake in tattered condition. ‘Who did this to you?’ the teacher asked. ‘People,’ the disciple replied. ‘O’ Fool, I asked you not to bite, however, I didn’t mean you must not protect yourself. If you could simply raise your hood and hiss, they all would have run away.’ Now the snake understood and possibly in time the villagers as well.

Protecting ourselves always remain our responsibility. Very well articulated Dr. Anna Lännström, Ph.D. in your write-up. Congratulations.

BTW: Day before I began a new series of write-ups on practical problems people often face in Yoga, Meditation. Here’s the link: https://medium.com/@puneet500/weather-change-yoga-meditation-3c31cc9b302d Possibly you may like it. Thanks & Good wishes.