Fear
Stepping Out of Fear
“I will always have fears, but I need not be my fears, for I have other places within myself from which to speak and act.” ~ Parker J. Palmer
“No feeling takes over our lives more suddenly or more completely than fear. It seems to come up from nowhere and, in a blink or swallow, can infect everything.”
The above quotes come from Mark Nepo’s The Book of Awakening, August 30 entry page 284. They succinctly express our relationship with fear.
Our feelings come and go as they please. The power to control their effect lies squarely in how we choose to react. I really resonate with Parker Palmer when he says, ‘I have other places within myself from which to speak and act.’
Fear is a powerful, useful emotion. It alerts us to the threat of harm, to the presence of danger, physical and psychological.
Beyond the personal realm, fear can be used as a weapon of manipulation to gain control of others through religion, government, media, societal norms, and by individuals in inter-dependent relationships.
“Neither a man nor a crowd nor a nation can be trusted to act humanely or to think sanely under the influence of great fear.” ~Bertrand Russell
The power to choose to entertain or not entertain fear is up to us. Each of us finding the methods, tools and strategies that work toward overcoming our fears. Last week’s blog, Staying Calm and Centered, is filled with practices, with actions we can take to master fear.
“He who has overcome his fears will truly be free.” ~Aristotle
Blessings!
