Is it possible to face fears fearlessly or do we have to face fear fearfully? I personally think both are complicated. When one sees an accident, one is deeply disturbed. Is one disturbed for the victim or is one thinking it could have happened to me?

Be truthful to yourself

Are you relieved that it did not happen to you? We are all human and we all seek empathy and compassion. Examine your experiences. When someone has offered genuine solace to you in a traumatic situation, how are you affected. You are moved by the words. We are all like this.

I remember when one of my son’s had a terrible accident in another city, I had to fly to reach soon. When I arrived, I had to take him for an MRI and brain scan. He had had multiple fractures and when we reached the clinic, he closed his eyes and told the receptionist that he had become blind. I was so mad with him for joking, when he was in so much pain.

The receptionist took one look at him and said that her brother had come in just like him after a motor bike accident and he died. It was just those words said with so much compassion that I accepted them and could handle my fears. I also realised that my son was ventilating his fears. I had been very fearful and was terrified of the scan. He was lightening the air.

So, what we should we do?

Handle our fears or let them overtake us? Face them fearlessly or become more fearful. The mastermind is our thoughts which are becoming vociferous and our system is being pumped with fight, flight, freeze reactions. There is a way out of this complex situation and that is to gaze at our symbol and chant. If one does not have a symbol, one can take one (star, sun, moon, lotus, deity) and concentrate upon it. The symbol is to be visualized behind the eyebrow centre. Coordinate it with the mantra Aum and with ujjayi pranayama, (contracting the throat while inhaling and releasing the contraction, while exhaling).

Fears are everywhere. They are like leeches and once they come, initially you do not feel them. You just find that you are breathing faster, maybe feeling nauseous, or tearful. I have had leeches attach themselves to my leg in the forest, and not felt anything. They are silent. We cannot be a host to panic and angst. However, by acknowledging them and baring them, they are no longer hidden and have less impact on us.

“We are what our thoughts have made us; so, take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; They travel far.” – Swami Vivekananda.

It is always our thought which make us fearful or fear free.

Aim Hrim Klim

Photo by Paul Garaizar on Unsplash