Topic 13.5. Overcoming Fear

Overcoming Fear

Worrying, anxiousness and fear are at the heart of so many issues, including those that keep us from living the lives of our dreams. People tend to justify them with the experience being similar to that of a rocking chair, appearing to give you something to do, even though it doesn’t get you anywhere. As difficult as it can be to overcome fear in ordinary situations, it is a bit easier to explore the possibility of releasing our fear when we have our basic needs met and we are not in imminent danger of a great loss. With Yoga practices such as nidra (deep yoga relaxation) and meditation, you can begin the process of overcoming worry and fear with small steps, relaxing, finding things to be grateful for, letting go of judgment or anything else that needs to be released, and embracing forgiveness.

But what about the times when you find ourselves in crisis mode? How do you overcome fear when all you can focus on is what you are about to lose? How do you let go of judgment and blame? The crises may ultimately lead to possibilities you would never have imagined, but how do you express gratitude when you are in the midst of it? How do you stay present, focused and take inspired action in the face of fear?

These questions are the essence of change – living peacefully and freely in the present, through conscious creation.

We have learnt that the way to assuage our fears, is to attach ourselves to people and things, virtually hanging our lives on them. We believe that without them we would be lost and alone and lose the validation for our sense of worth that we project outwardly. We are, in fact, so busy attaching, that we literally lose the enjoyment of those same people and things.

Herein lies the learning. If we make things outside ourselves responsible for our happiness, then our fears are exacerbated when the risk of losing them feels real. The truth is, the crises, for instance, a bush fire (real or metaphorical), may or may not consume your home, but the fear does consume your life!

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. We have all suffered loss and miraculously, many of us have excelled beyond the loss.

We excel because we hold within us the power to do so.

Overcoming challenges is the purpose we are here in our physical form, so that we may evolve spiritually. When we move past fear, we move into a state of fearless expression of love and acceptance of life, or present moment creative thinking.

So, back to the original question: how to let go of fear in a crisis? The answer is simple: don’t wait for the crisis. There is a reason we have fire drills; once a fire is burning, it is almost impossible to think clearly and act rationally, if you aren’t prepared for it. If, however, we practice these concepts before a crisis hits, it will be much easier to weather the storm.

Enjoying life and living peacefully, starts and ends with inner self love and self worth. When you know the truth, that there is nothing outside you that can bring you sustainable peace, love and joy, and that you already have within you everything you need to experience that sustainable peace, love and joy, then no crisis can stop you.

When things fall apart, do not rebuke your heart by filling it up with insecurities. Rise up and say to yourself, ‘Not today, not a chance and not ever. Life is calling me!’

Dodinsky