To say that we are “petrified” or “scared stiff,” may seem euphemistic, but most of us at one time or another have probably faced a fear that threatened to keep us from moving forward in our life. Fear and chronic anxiety often keep us from stepping out and exploring the great possibilities and potential of our self-expression. Sometimes it seems that we would rather feel safe and secure in our “knowing” what limitations to expect of ourselves (even though what we expect is not what we want) than to allow ourselves to feel the fear that accompanies a new adventure in self-expression (and self-exposure), but promises something new and greater.

An earthly life that is lived totally without fear is usually lived by someone who is either completely enlightened or totally unconscious — for in the material world, especially in these seemingly “uncertain” times, there appears to be a need for caution and security. I would venture to say that most of us think of ourselves as somewhere in between enlightened and unconscious; “semiconscious,” so to speak, aware of the potential dangers of this world, while also sensing a spiritual state of being (a Divine inner impetus urging us to be all that we can be) that is untouched by worldly concerns and conditions.

Most of us have experienced fearless moments in our life when we have felt not only peaceful, harmonious, and safe, but excited and adventurous — occasions when we were convinced that there was nothing in the world (or in ourselves) to harm us or prevent our positive self-expression. But often when we are faced with something outside of our accepted comfort zone, the unresolved fears that have been looming all along just beneath the surface of our awareness, quickly invade our conscious thought.

When these moments arise, if we are willing to face our fears and move through them — rather than becoming immobilized by them — within the process we will find a new inner strength, a more empowered self, and greater opportunities for expressing ourselves in the world. In fact, the overcoming of our fears may be the greatest adventure of our life!

Fear sometimes seems to hover over us like a huge, dark cloud casting a shadow over almost everything we do. But, even though the cloud appears threatening, it doesn’t need to rain on our parade. When we feel afraid, we have a choice. One choice is to increase our “faith in fear” by letting it control us. We can retreat even further from life’s opportunities, literally scared stiff, stuck in a minimal life, and unable to take positive action or relate harmoniously in the world.

Or…

We can “step out in faith,” letting that glimpse of our true spiritual nature (no matter how small that glimpse might be) empower us to keep moving forward. We take control of our fear by first acknowledging it. The fears that we have accumulated over the years, fears that often become chronic anxiety that keeps us on a roller-coaster ride, are like spiders in a dark room. They “own” the space until they’re exposed. Acknowledging our fears is like turning on the light. It shakes things up, gets our fears on the move, so to speak. Puts them out where we can see them for what they are: conditioned responses that can be changed.

The next step is for us to alter our reaction to the fear. We can begin by consciously breathing, slowly and evenly–the same innate, deep “belly breathing” we did when we were a baby, or the easy, appreciative breaths we naturally take when we feel peaceful, safe, and happy. Breathing slowly and deeply clears our mind, opens our awareness to our deeper spiritual nature, and we become more receptive to the spiritual possibilities inherent within us. This way of breathing allows our mind, emotions, and body to relax. Though it is similar to the centered mind/emotions/body state we can achieve through meditation, this open-eyed view of the self is our “yang” expression, as opposed to the “yin” of meditation. In this state of mind/emotion/body balance, or heightened consciousness, we begin to change our attitudes toward fear and anxiety, and become the master of our fears and master over the reactions that, up until the moment that we acknowledged them, had been running on “automatic pilot.” A mind at peace is capable of seeing a situation in a new way. It is open to inspiration, creativity, and problem solving. Emotions that are calm and steady are able to respond positively to new insight rather than reacting, often blindly or irrationally, from “knee-jerk” emotional patterns. A body that is relaxed, rather than tense, has more energy and is more capable of performing in a situation.

We can actually develop a habit of inner balance that gives us the opportunity, moment-to-moment, to express our highest and best sense of ourselves, just as we’ve developed a habit of fear that has kept us from participating in life. Negative thinking, along with negative affirmations about ourselves and our relationship to others and life, itself, is habitual and routine, and unless we choose to consciously change it, it will color everything we do. You have probably known people who have a knack for worrying about every detail in their everyday life and transforming many of them into true misery-making, immobilizing anxieties that keep them petrified. These are the truly negative thinkers who can picture a rose-covered cottage but think only of mortgage payments, thorns, and allergies.

“Fear,” it’s been said, is the “misuse of imagination.” We are mentally creative beings, free to use our imagination in any way we choose. Too often we are using it to create fearful images and visualize negative outcomes.

Acute fear can come upon us suddenly such as when we’re about to stand up to speak in public, or just before we’re about to open our heart to another human being. Chronic fear requires our anticipation in order for it to be sustainable. Persistent, often habitual, fear has more to do with our imagination and expectation than with an actual event. We are afraid because we are convinced that something bad is “going to” happen. The Greek philosopher Epictetus wrote, “For it is not death or hardship that is a fearful thing, but the fear of death and hardship.” Fear, then, is anticipated rather than actual failure, pain, or loss. In other words, it occurs when we’re “not doing” the thing we’re afraid of, but instead “waiting” for it to happen, like waiting to confront someone, waiting for test or interview results, or waiting for someone to reject us. Fear and anxiety are stoked by our belief that something will inevitably happen to us at some point. Fear limits our ability to see the greater possibilities in a situation and keeps us stuck in the expectation of a negative outcome. Fear limits our choices, sometimes to choosing between the horrible and the unthinkable. There are women today who are having their healthy breasts removed and hysterectomies performed on their disease-free body because they have a family history of breast and cervical cancer. These women have chosen to have part of their healthy body removed rather than to live with the fear of developing the disease. It does appear true that prolonged worry and fear can actually make us sick and, like Job, often the thing we most feared comes upon us; but it comes upon us not because it was inevitable or certain, but because that is how we made use of our creative energy and imagination. Fear robs us of our awareness and utilization of the Greater Power within us. Why is it that we do not as often imagine that “good” is inevitable?

How can we use our imagination in a positive, life-enriching, self-empowering way? If we were to live each moment “within” that moment only, if we were to be “present in the Present,” anxiety and worry (which are future based and colored by past experience) would dissolve in our full awareness of the Great Possibilities of the moment. If we could fully dwell, mentally and emotionally in the Now, giving our attention to discovering in that very moment a new self and a new world view, and if we would allow others to change into something greater before our eyes, we would not dread a future that resembled our past. We would be free to experience the fullness of the Present in which Spontaneous Goodness dwells as potential and prevails when acknowledged. The possibilities of our life are inherent within our capacity to imagine what life is.

Swami Chetanananda wrote: “Your resources are infinite events, which you organize and mobilize to the depth of your capability at the moment.” It isn’t possible for us to organize or mobilize our inner resources when we are in a state of panic. The depth of our spiritual self is consciously unavailable to us when we are focused on fear because we cannot be attuned to and empowered by the Spiritual Power within us, while at the same time acquiescing to an assumed power outside of us.

Fear not only keeps us from recognizing the spirituality of our own being, it keeps us from recognizing the spiritual truth of the world around us. Fear separates us from each other. It emphasizes our differences and hides our unity. We not only become afraid of the people we’ve already met and worry about what they think of us and how harshly they judge us, but we fear those we haven’t met and what they might think about us or what they are capable of doing to us if we did meet them.

Today, our world seems to be filled with escalating rage, hatred, and violence. If we were to judge only by appearances, we would have much to fear. We, humans, appear to have lost the spontaneity and free-flowing interaction with each other that brings about understanding, tolerance, and compassion. Perhaps we’ve lost it because we’ve lost our connection with our inner life.

Our true oneness with life, our appreciation of and confidence in ourselves and all creation, springs forth from the center of our being. There is a unifying Presence that is the very substance of our inner life. When we are centered in the moment, when we turn within to that All-Embracing Presence, we are open to greater possibilities and broader experiences — for that Living Energy is unmoved by circumstances. It is then that we are able to organize and mobilize that Greatness in our life.

Our fears can dissolve as we realize that this Presence is available to us under all circumstances, and that there is no situation, no matter how frightening our surroundings might seem, that can eliminate or invalidate Its Power and Authority. When we are centered in this awareness, we become both “empowered” and “tranquil” at the same time, ready to move quickly and wisely or to stand steadfast and silent.

Fear is the great impostor, not the Great Power, and it can never sever that sacred connection that each of us has within. Fear looms in our human consciousness and claims to have the might and potency to keep us from living our life to the fullest. It darkens our view of life and keeps us from trusting ourselves and others. But fear is ultimately shadow, not substance. If we are willing to move through our fears, “walk through the Valley of Shadows,” as it were, just as the rising jet transcends the clouds, we will find that the Light was there all along. The Intrinsic Inner Light shines in every moment. It is the Power within us that dissipates the shadows of fear. If we are willing to face our fears, if we remain unshakable in our conviction that we inseparably one with a sacred inner space, if we choose to live from the inside out, we’ll find that the “living daylights” within us will grow stronger and brighter. And, when that happens no one and no thing will be able to scare them out of us again.

Technorati Tags: anxiety, fear, inner strength, peace, spiritual power

A spiritual parable is rather like the 3D pictures that were popular many years ago. You may remember the elaborate pages of art that had hidden pictures within them. Some people couldn’t even see the hidden images within the pictures when they were prompted. This is because they couldn’t see the hidden wisdom buried underneath the pretty pictures. It is much the same with spiritual stories. People hear the tale but at first may not see the wisdom and gifts that are contained within the story itself.

The benefits to these spiritual parables are in the challenge to our thinking and also the growth that they bring to an individual’s spiritual and emotional being. There is no right or wrong message. The experience is a completely unique and personal one. This is perhaps one of the greatest blessings that are brought about through the sharing of a spiritual story. It’s not necessary to always teach others in order for them to gain new insights and wisdom. These stories concisely point out lessons and obligations that all can gain from in some way.

Spiritual stories that have spiritual knowledge and lessons to share offer benefit to all who hear them and read them and this knowledge does not leave us. Although the specific words in a story may fade to the back of our memory over time, we still remember the lessons we learned. In this way it will always be present for us to draw upon when it is needed.

Technorati Tags: spiritual stories