First Reactions – Living in the Realm of the Physical www.facebook.com.habibarif So today, when I was hit unexpectedly by this thunderbolt, adverse conversation; my first physical reaction was to become aggressively defensive. As words were slung at me, I was even tempted to toss back a few hurtful statements myself. We are physical beings and when we are attacked, the initial response is to protect ourselves. That is the purpose of the physical mind, to protect the body at all costs.