| Greetings once again. In our last several
articles we discussed depression.
So far we discussed anger, we
discussed depression, and we touched
on how to work on fear. These
three things, I think, are the
most dangerous feelings and emotions
that people can experience. In
their natural state they work
to enhance ones life, but when
they are taken out of context
and last too long, they can be
harmful to our physical, mental
and physical health.
We talked about ways for dealing
with our anger, and just a little
about dealing with our fear. In
this article we will discuss fear
more in depth. As we speak of
fear here we are talking more
than fright. Everyone is frightened
one time or the other. That is
natural. What we are discussing
here is anxiety, and especially
floating anxiety. When one is
anxious one fears the future,
or just about everything in the
world. There is no respite from
this type of fear.
Originally fear was for fight
or flight. It made the body aware
of some type of danger. Through
the right physical mechanisms
the body became more aware of
its surroundings. There was more
adrenaline. The energy that went
to protect one from the threat
was often halted when it was gone,
and the body returned to normal
stasis. With free floating anxiety
this doesn’t happen, because there
is no danger. The danger is in
one’s mind. One is always is a
slight state of tension.
The best way to deal with this
type of anxiety is by doing Tang
Lin, the exercise that we discussed
in our earlier articles. As we
to Tang Lin we inhale the fear,
convert it to calmness and peace,
and send it out through the body.
This, along with a silent meditation
practice, will allow us to understand
from whence the fear comes.
As we sit and meditate thoughts
will arise. During the earlier
stages of meditation we just let
those thoughts float on by as
we concentrate on our breath,
or use many different techniques.
In later stages we grasp the thoughts
for just a moment and then let
them go. As we do this we can
begin to ride on the waves of
our thoughts. As we do this we
will begin to see patterns. These
patterns repeat themselves and
we come to understand what is
effecting us through a deep sense
of knowing.
What do I mean by a deep sense
of knowing? As we sit day after
day, week after week, year after
year, the higher part of the consciousness,
the divine essence of the human
soul, develops. Instead of relying
on verbal cues, or much thinking
to learn what is causing the fear,
we wait and the higher mind presents
it to is. This can be done in
dreams, or it can be done instantaneously
as the answer to our question
pops into our head seemingly from
nowhere.
The Stoics would have said that
this is the working of the logos.
The logos is also translated as
the word, or the reason. The logos
was the divine spark that resides
within every human being and in
all matter. It is a divine spark
of God. The logos is also the
creative nature of God and it
is the true self. As two ideas
come together and there is a synthesis
it is the logos working. Two things
are brought together and a third
is created as if by magic.
Every one of us has access to
the logos. If we will learn to
meditate, to be quiet and still,
we will discover secrets about
ourselves that are buried in the
collective subconscious. It doesn’t
really matter what type of meditation
technique that we use, as long
as it creates stillness. When
we know the object of our anxiety
it is easier to work at dealing
with it.
If you are a person who is anxious
and who is fearful, begin to work
on your anxiety and fear through
meditation techniques. There are
many ways to do this. You can
work with a psychologist. You
can work with a clergy through
pastoral care. You can do it yourself
through meditation and contemplation.
Sitting silently and allowing
thoughts to drift by first, taking
a look at them second, imagining
drawing the feeling of fear from
the body into the ball of light
in the center of the body third,
and exhaling the opposite feeling
throughout the body forth. We
can then go on to help deal with
the aura of fear that we build
around us and also with other
peoples fears. If it is possible
get a book on Tang Lin, or learn
meditative techniques from you
friendly neighborhood meditator
. Even more important then that,
however, is to begin to do it
every day for just about 20 minutes.
If you can’t do anything else,
just pay attention to your breath
going in and out.
Dr. John Gilmore is a writer,
spiritual coach, martial artist,
a healer and ordained Unitarian
Universalist Minister living in
Costa Rica. For more articles
like these visit or free Practical
Spirituality Journal at http://www.dswellness.com
Ask for our free do it yourself
Spirituality ebook, On Being Love’s
Warrior: A Warrior’s Manual on
Becoming the Compassionate Warrior
Within, by Dr. Kendall Ronin.
Recommended Reading: Reunion of
Souls, Dr. John W.Gilmore. A book
of deep spirituality in Sci-fi
form.
|
