The Hidden Influence of Fear

Fear is one of the biggest impediments to an unfulfilling life and the cause of much of our stress and anxiety. When I reflect on my life I would say that 90 percent of the decisions made from fear resulted in outcomes that were unsatisfactory at best and often the cause of suffering.

Fear limits our awareness of possibilities. It cause us to react from a narrow and often familiar perspective rather than being open to the many possibilities available from an expanded consciousness. Often we are not aware of fear and act from it unconsciously.

How to notice when we are acting from fear? Perhaps the first thing is to notice how our body feels. The body has endless wisdom. When we are in fear the body contracts. Start feeling this fear as fully as possible and face it directly in the body. Breathe into the fear. To allow the breath to deepen and slow down. This can lessen the fear and allow a sense of space. Of course meditation is a profound way to notice and let go of the fear.

Take a walk or move in some manner - perhaps a yoga practice, dance or some form of fluid movement.

Place your attention on your heart. Breathe in and out of your heart. Feel your heart. The mind separates us from Presence and the heart connects us to Presence.

All wisdom arises from Presence and not from the busy mind.

It’s important to pause once you notice fear is present. This pause may be brief or it may need to be for an extended period of time.

It is said the fear is the absence of Love. I believe this is ultimately true. This is one reason why an ongoing focused commitment to deepening into Love is such an important dimension of life.

#love #fear #presence #body #heart #breath #yoga #meditation