Releasing Fear

“Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free.” ~ Jim Morrison

     Fear is paralyzing. Because we're human, we are going to experience fear. We all have stories surrounding what worries us, scares us, and keeps us stuck. Releasing fear is a constant practice. By facing our fear, and moving through it, we come back to the radiant being that lies beneath our thoughts. 

     Our suffering is not the result of our external circumstances, of being alone, being in the wrong relationship, or because we don’t have the perfect job, or look the way we want – it’s because we have lost contact with our essential nature. We have become separated from the fundamental truth that we are lovable and worthy no matter what we do.
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     Asking ourselves where we see deficiencies can help uncover feelings of fear that we can trace back to childhood. By leaning into this feeling, even though it may feel like you will fall forever and either go crazy or die, you can actually see that you can ultimately tolerate it and that there is something there that will catch you, or hold you up. 

1. Inquiry - Try asking yourself what it is that you are afraid of. What is the underlying, root feeling? Is it being unlikeable? Worthless? Unloveable? This may be the story you're telling yourself, but your Soul, on the other hand, knows better. It understands that you're inherently lovable. In fact, it knows that you ARE LOVE. You are fullness. You are complete.Source, God, Spirit – whatever you choose to call it – is the essence of love within you. All we have to do is remember. How do we do this? We listen to our inner voice. Beneath our doubts, insecurities and fears, this voice of truth is there, just waiting to shine through. 

2. Practicing Gratitude - The next time you feel those worry thoughts arise, try this exercise: Look around you and name all the things you like. For example, you might be driving, and say, "I like the way sky looks; I like how those shrubs are trimmed; I like that dog; I like the way that house is painted; I like....." This will put your mind in a state of appreciation, and the more you do it, the easier it will become.

3. Breathe - Our fears and emotions live in our body, and by breathing into areas that are tense or tight, we can often release them. Try this: When anxieties and worries arise, instead of the natural tendency to push them away, lean into them. Close your eyes and sit with them for a moment. Identify the specific place in your body where you feel it. Then, breathe into that spot.

     By practicing some of these thought changing behaviors, we can experience more ease and peace in our lives.