Does Fear Have Its Place

[sparklekaz]

We talk about obstructions to growth regularly. We have talked about the ego and the psyche and their role in growth or in the prevention of growth.

I would like to talk about Fear and how fear can prevent us from moving forward. Or does it? Does fear have its place? Is fear necessary?

[cyberangel]

Hi Karen,

I would like to share a poem I wrote last year about ‘FEAR’. I, like most people, have many fears, but I try and fight them. My worst fear is the Dark...I am terrified of it. Anyway here is my poem I hope you and others like the simple words and message.

FEAR

What is fear? A force unknown...
A presence felt? But seldom shown?

It works you up from inside out
Sometimes you’ll scream or even shout

It can control you....in a tick
Leaving your mind uncertain and gut feeling sick!

But how do we fight the fear, when we don’t know what’s in sight?
Do we stay still, let life go by, or do we stand and fight?

Fight I say it’s the only way to gain back your control
Fight today and don’t delay or let it consume your soul

Fear is a strong emotion but survival is much stronger
Inner strength is what you need and fear the fear no longer!

29/03/2011

[sparklekaz]

Dear Angel,

I really liked your poem. It is very good and it gives a real insight into how fear can make us feel. I believe that people often think they are weak when they feel fear, but to me it shows real strength, to feel fear and to keep going.

I wanted to reply to this as I very impressed with your poem. Those who set the questions don't normally respond as its more about those who answer the questions, but in this instance I made an exception. I would like to see more of your poems on the forum if you have done any.

Love and light
Kaz

[Floraloak]

Fear = false evidence appearing real… fear is an illusion albeit a strong one … fear has no reflection, an empty mirror… that’s why most of us get caught up in the grips of fear, we see nothing in the mirror… if we stop to force a reflection in the mirror we will see that fear does not exist… it’s faceless, nameless, a strong illusion…

So how do we force a reflection in the mirror?... Look for the ‘false evidence’… question what it is you fear… the clues are in the words we use to describe the fear…

Fear is conditioned through our upbringing, surrounding, and circumstances… a toddler does not fear climbing up onto a stove and sitting in the middle of it with the burners on… however, once the mother’s horrified words, actions, emotions, energy are imprinted upon the child… it will inevitably fear the stove … it might manifest itself in the form of not liking to cook (which is at the mild end of the spectrum) or it might develop an irrational fear of stoves or even fire of any kind (depending on what other experiences helped to cement the fear)

So, ‘reflecting’ on our lives and knowing what has conditioned that fear is ‘forcing a reflection in the mirror’…

Over the eons we’ve given way too much power to something that doesn’t exist… while denying what does exist… ‘the wonderment and beauty of God’s creation; therefore God’.

God bless,
Silvia

[cyberangel]

Thank you x

[Ishtahota]

The Warriors Path
Fear is of the dark side. The Bible calls it evil. The warrior and the warrior face their fear and walk through it to there heart. The Coward runs from fear, right into that which they are afraid of. We create our heaven and our hell right here, by the choices we make, and by what we feel we are.

The Coward stores and hoards out of fear that they will not have enough. The Coward hates like a bigot, because he or she is afraid to see how their life is like another’s. The Coward is jealous because they are afraid to loose someone. That jealousy drives the other person away. The Coward has no faith. They believe in scarcity and separatism. Their fears and demons are of their own creation. And those fears and demons always come back to feed on their creators. Their lives mirror who and what they are. They always attract those who are like they are.

The Coward always has less love and fewer friends he or she can count on or trust. Their life is one defeat after another, because they are afraid to face the truth. They live on the dark side so they cannot see the light that is in all things and all people. The Coward is not willing to walk through their fears into the pain of their healing to except the gift Spirit has always wanted to give.

The Warrior and Warrioress believe in abundance and the oneness of all things and all people. They never accept defeat. They look to find and pull out the good and the light in all things, people, and events. They walk through their fear into their pain, which always stands before the heart that follows Spirit, which will lead them to their joy, bliss, peace, and serenity. It takes great strength and courage to lay one’s weapons down in front of an enemy, open your arms and say “how can I help?”

It takes understanding to look at someone different from you and see that they might have a better way to do something, or see how you are alike. One of the greatest gifts that the Warrior or Warrioress can give is forgiveness. That can only be done through understanding.

When the Warrior or Warrioress take their faith in hand, walk past their fear into the pain of their healing, open their hearts and walk the heart path, their spirit ear and spirit eye are opened to see and hear Spirit working in all people, places, and things. It is at that moment that faith is transformed into knowing. As another path appears in the distance, the quickening begins and they find themselves on the path of awakening.

At the time of passing for the Warrior and Warrioress, they find themselves with a full measure of what life has to offer----the love and trust of many friends and the satisfaction and fulfillment of unconditionally opening their heart to the right mate that their heart sent them to.

The Coward’s death is filled with nothing but regrets. The Coward didn’t believe in abundance, and so did not give to those around him or her who were in need. Therefor, there arn’t many people with them at this time. The Coward also settled for less in love. The Coward didn’t have faith to leave a bad relationship, born in co-dependence. They didn’t have the faith to know Spirit would send them someone much better the next time. Or they didn’t have the courage or strength to work through bad times or resolve issues. For the Warrior and the Warrioress, every day is a good day to die. The Coward’s death is full of regrets. Ishtahota

(Greyeyes)
From the book Earth Mind Spirit Mind

[jessiethecorgi]

i think fear does have a place. the bible says that "fear of God is all that is necessary." A healthy fear can motivate us to engage in spiritual growth. the fear of consequences from doing something wrong leads us to find solutions that are healthy. the fear of violence leads us to lift weights and learn Kung Fu. The fear of poverty is what drives most people through the grueling college years.

However, unhealthy fear can be debilitating. It can lead us to stay in unhealthy relationships. It can stimie us from helping another. It can deter us from advocating for ourselves or enforcing our boundaries.

The Holy spirit is not a spirit of fear. Fear is negativity and in the positive aspects i listed other than towards God, it is caused by lessons not yet learned. The light has not yet matured.

[gruntal]

Well some sacred scriptures often use the phase: "fear of the Lord". Many years later a parable relates a servant who feared his master but still hid his investment and betrayed his master's instructions to do something to make it grow.

Fear seems very distinct from ignorance. One can be prenial and the other a consequence of just being at a certain time and place untill you progress.

I don't fear working on the locomotive batteries even though they can put out hundreds of amps surge current and can explode. I have worked on them before. I did make a foolish mistake yesterday that didn't matter because they were discharged at the time. But it was embarressing because I thought I knew better. So it was HOT and my mind shuts down when it is over 95 degrees Farenheight in the shade. Mayby I should blow one up on purpose just to "get it out of my system". Naw I don't think I need to do that.

Fear prevents me from doing things I did only a few years ago because old age and sickness make it "iffy" to try. But fear also dives me to take endless blood tests and a daily scrutiny of the books less my health and financial house hold fails. My pooche depends on me!

I doubt if anyone ever got the where he/she is unless they feared the alturnative of failure or inaction. The only way to avoid fear is to be totally enlightened or totally ignorant - somethng you would not even be able to tell unless you tried and discovered which way you were. Now that might take some courage!

I still thought I knew better ...........but then again I didn't realize I was still capable of doing what I do!

[clara927]

Hello Gruntal,

I found what you said interesting, especially this line, "The only way to avoid fear is to be totally enlightened or totally ignorant." I would imagine that total ignorance and total enlightenment look the same to the outside observer. That's a curious idea to me.

[gruntal]

Even more curious is why people start out the same and become the epitome or the dregs using the exact same tactics. I think the cosmos can recognize courage or recklessness and reward appropriately. But there is always some doubt and it is very scary when it is YOU that must take the risk. That is probably why there are so many "outsiders".

[DeeUSA]

Great post Kaz. Silvia, already stated how I look at fear "False Evidence Appearing Real!" I think fear has a place only if we allow it to have a place. I also think there is healthy and unhealthy fear. But as I'm writing this reply I'm thinking to myself "is there a healthy fear??"

Hmmmm, now I'm not so sure. Fear is paralyzing. Period. Even if there's a person who fears being poor or losing a loved one, does that mean its still not paralyzing? To me if you will do anything not to become poor or not lose a loved one then you're not living your life and that's paralyzing.

I will say there are different degrees of fear...in my opinion; however any degree of fear is not good for us to have (however small it may be). But we're human and that is a very strong emotion so I think we are all susceptible to it. I also think it has to do with how we handle fear. Do we allow it to paralyze us, make us into procrastinators, or lash out? Or do we use that emotion, explore the emotion, find out where it stems from and allow us to be molded into a better person?

So maybe it does have a place in our life, but what type of place it has can only be determined by how we respond to it.

Blessings
Dee

[rosesrblu111]

May God Grace me to stand tall and fight the illusion of fear.

May God Grace me the courage to be strong and stand in the love and light of God, fearless,
and happy...

amen

[Ishtahota]

The Mystics have a saying, "Who serves who". Do I serve my ego or does it serve me. My ego has three tools to keep me under it's control. And I face these three tools during dark days of the soul, fear, panic, and anxiety. It is part of my awakening. The vial the Mystics speak of that stands between me and the other side is a big cosmic joke. The vail is made up of the fears that I have created and not yet faced. And there is nothing to fear.
Are there some healthy fears, I think so? When I stick my hand in a fire, my ego reacts without any thought and my hand pulls away. The next time that I get near fire my ego puts up a little fear to make me aware and not let me stick my hand in the fire again. As a fully awakened being I will be able to walk threw fire and not be touched by its effects, but for me that day is not here yet. All though I have seen others do similar things.
If I fall into a lake and I can not swim my ego could cause me to panic, and I would drown. But if someone pulled me out, my fear of drowning may cause me to take swimming lessons.
My ego is not good or bad, it has a place in our lives and it can be trained to serve us. We have to have it. It causes my heart to beat, and it makes me to breath when I am asleep. It keeps the body alive and running so that we can concentrate on other things. Say like spirit stuff, or everyday life.
Is fear good or bad, well good or bad is a a duality concept, a product of duality consciousness. The awakened states of awareness are us having a taste for us to sample what will happen if we do the work to enter non-duality consciousness. And seeing fear for what it really is, is a big part of this work.
Unfortunately the first thing that we tend to do when we start to walk a spiritual path is we through out our common sense. BEING SPIRITUAL DOES NOT MEAN BEING STUPID.

[brummyben]

I am not sure whether fear has its place or not. On the one hand fear can increase adrenaline and in times of danger may give us that extra bit of physical strength or stamina to avoid being attacked, for example running away. On the other hand fear can be paralysing, make you think unclearly and also make you physically unwell. A 'rational' fear can quite quickly turn into an 'irrational' fear.
Is it healthy to be afraid of being 'burned' for example. On the one hand a child who touches an iron will quickly learn not to do it again. Is that through fear of being burned or is it just that he has learned it will hurt if he does touch it. Certainly as you get older and you iron everyday there does not appear to be any fear of being burned, just a knowledge not to touch the face of the iron. There will be some people however who will have an irrational fear of ironing as there are people who have fears in other aspects of life.