Territoriality is a pattern of boundaries
imposed on something by individual decision or group agreement. That means an individual
or group can decide or agree to change the pattern. The pattern itself is established by a
set of rules that define the pattern, so changing the pattern is done by changing the
rules. The rules are changed by changing the symbols we use to form the rules, that is,
words, images, feelings and actions. When a territory is threatened, then, we can either
defend it, attack the territory of the attacker, suffer the trauma of invasion, or change
the rules of the territory.
As territory we can consider physical
territory (the physical body, real and personal property); social territory (family,
intimates, clan, tribe, peer group, club, associations, other social, cultural or
religious groupings); and psychic territory (thoughts, opinions, theories, philosophies,
plans, purposes, dreams, memories, time).
It is possible to think of humans as
basically territorial animals, and to think of evil as based on a violation of territory
or territorial rights, and good as based on an opening up or giving up of territory or
territorial rights.
Among the things we consider evil and
worthy of punishment are the destruction, damaging or appropriation of life and property;
the breaking up of social ties and reputations; and the theft of ideas, the breaking of
rules, the attacking of ideas, the frustration of plans, the invasion of dreams, the
changing of memories and the wasting of time. Interestingly, any of these are less than
evil and perhaps not evil at all when done to a being not of one's own social territory.
To the warrior-oriented mind, the invasion, destruction, and/or appropriation of territory
belonging to another social group may even be deemed as good, since it expands the
territory or territorial influence of one's
Own Group
Among the things we consider good,
loving and worthy of reward are the giving up or allowing the use of life and property;
the strengthening and extension of social connections; and respect or tolerance for
psychic territory; and the healing of territorial violations.
A curious aspect of human territoriality
is how we sometimes assign human territorial concepts to certain non-human entities and
not others. For instance, many humans will acknowledge the spirit of a mountain, or a
glen, or an ancient structure and show respect for that spirit by asking permission to
cross into what is perceived as its territory. Yet, those same humans will blithely
trespass the territorial boundaries of the birds, animals, insects and plants who live in
the area. The logic is something like asking the spirit of a city for permission to enter
and then freely roaming through anyone's home that you care to. The point is not that we
should ask every entity's permission to cross boundaries, especially if they don't think
in the same terms that we do. The point is to show how arbitrary, and sometime capricious,
our territorial ideas can be.
Another such an arbitrary territorial
idea comes under the heading of "personal space." Having visited many parts of
the world, I can assure you that different cultures, and even different people within
those cultures, may have quite different ideas of personal space. A typical American
prefers to speak to strangers literally at arm's length. A typical Swiss prefers a
distance of twelve to eighteen inches and a typical Japanese prefers about two arm's
lengths, both of which may discomfort many Americans. Friends in any culture are usually
allowed closer within one's personal territory. If personal territory is violated too
frequently it can cause severe stress.
It might be interesting to look at
illness as a symptom of territorial conflict.
Illness might be considered as a reaction
to a sense of real or potential invasion or disruption of territory. The fear and/or anger
resulting produce the stress that produces the illness. Healing would result when a state
of territorial integrity was restored. Perhaps different things affect different people
differently because their sense of territory differs, as does their sense of personal
power in regard to defending or expanding it.
The different solutions to the problem of
human unhappiness may be looked at in a territorial way, as well. There is the path of
control, which seeks to extend influence over more and more territory (Louis XIV: "I
am the State"); the path of release which seeks to give up all territory (Yoga: the
master/beggar; Buddhism: beyond all desire); and the path of peace, which seeks to reduce
or eliminate conflict between territories (New Age ideas: unity in diversity models, NATO,
the UN.)
The territorial imperative for humans
seems to be to expand one's physical, social or psychic territory., and denying all
territory is the same as claiming all territory. Assuming this to be so, what is your
territorial imperative?
What can you focus on that will stir you
to your bones, fill your life with passion and purpose? Can you create that effect by your
will? It would seem that you would have to if nothing stirs you on its own. A good
direction might be to carry on and intensify something you have already begun, that is, to
make that something into your territorial imperative. To identify with it, increase it and
expand it; to focus on it intensely and energize that focus with all your love, power and
skill.
