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Friday, October 14, 2005
More on Fear
Thank you to Paul who responded to my last post regarding MLK's quote on FEAR (to read Paul's comment, click on comments at the bottom of my last post). I have been thinking about the subject. I know that, yes, we can act while experiencing fear (I am reminded of the self-help tape I used to listen to in the '80's called Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers), and in fact, if we wait until we don't feel fear, we will be crippled with inaction. It is important to not allow our fear to cripple us.
To take things a step further, I would have to say that from my experience and observation, we can act while experiencing fear, but we will usually act more wisely, more impeccably, if we come from a clear head of non-fear - an inner place of the very peace that we are craving in our world.
If we feel called upon to "lift the whole of humanity", we need to work on fearlessness. By facing our fears, we can develop this strength - not by escaping into shopping, television or other diversions, but by being with our deepest selves and facing the "un-faceable" through meditation, prayer, love, fasting, solos, and just plain walking where we are afraid to walk. As Pema Chodron says in When Things Fall Apart, "Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible be found in us." When we find "that which is indestructible" within ourselves, we are free.
In order to be free of fear, we must have a passion for our life and our mission in life. When I speak about my passion, when I act from my inner passion, I am focused and embodying love, and fear has no space to enter. Are we really passionate about peace and social justice? Or does the concept sound nice as long as we don't have to do anything too scary? If it is truly in our hearts, we will move in congruence with our passion. Then other feelings will be like a fly that lands lightly on our shirtsleeve and is not given a thought.
Our parents, our government, and the media try to feed us fear everyday. But they also try to feed us white bread, GMO grains, and pesticide-laden vegetables. I don't choose to eat those "foods" and I don't choose to eat the acid of fear either.
"And I submit to you that if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live." MLK, Jr.
To take things a step further, I would have to say that from my experience and observation, we can act while experiencing fear, but we will usually act more wisely, more impeccably, if we come from a clear head of non-fear - an inner place of the very peace that we are craving in our world.
If we feel called upon to "lift the whole of humanity", we need to work on fearlessness. By facing our fears, we can develop this strength - not by escaping into shopping, television or other diversions, but by being with our deepest selves and facing the "un-faceable" through meditation, prayer, love, fasting, solos, and just plain walking where we are afraid to walk. As Pema Chodron says in When Things Fall Apart, "Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible be found in us." When we find "that which is indestructible" within ourselves, we are free.
In order to be free of fear, we must have a passion for our life and our mission in life. When I speak about my passion, when I act from my inner passion, I am focused and embodying love, and fear has no space to enter. Are we really passionate about peace and social justice? Or does the concept sound nice as long as we don't have to do anything too scary? If it is truly in our hearts, we will move in congruence with our passion. Then other feelings will be like a fly that lands lightly on our shirtsleeve and is not given a thought.
Our parents, our government, and the media try to feed us fear everyday. But they also try to feed us white bread, GMO grains, and pesticide-laden vegetables. I don't choose to eat those "foods" and I don't choose to eat the acid of fear either.
"And I submit to you that if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live." MLK, Jr.
Labels: fear
posted by Carol at 12:48 PM
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