THE SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE Issue 4 April, 2009

 

FEAR


"The emotion itself is not an obstacle to your spiritual progress. Rather it is the unbridled expression of such emotions that puts one in a repetitive cycle of adverse experiences. - Rasha
April is a special gift. It is a month in Spring that gives us opportunities to experience presence and be free from limiting thoughts that accumulate in our minds like dust in an old bookstore. April's rejuvenating energy is everywhere. The variant temperatures, the strong wind gusts, the erratic movement of water in its many forms, the tender greens of budding trees and so much more beckon us to awaken sensually to the wonder around us.

Adults, unlike young children, seldom enter that state of spontaneity that allows us to experience our senses as they exercise their power to communicate. The flood of thoughts that occupy the mind restricts communication. It is in this flood that fear resides. In order to have a fully spiritual-human experience it is necessary to take command of our identity as creative beings. Sensual communication with our internal and external environment is important to make this possible. Communication cannot occur if the present is overpowered by the limitations imposed on it by fear.

We all have fears by virtue of the fact our society is characterized by comparison, competition and the struggle to be somebody. The desire for identity and success is the source of comparison and competition; and they can breed fear-based emotions such as envy, hatred and anger. Fear is the root from which all other "negative" emotions arise.

Fear seems to be forever present in the background of our psyche waiting for opportunities to express itself. It manifests whenever our security is threatened such as when we venture into the unknown, when we make changes to our lives and when we are unable to make up our minds. Think about your own fears. Notice how they involve issues of loss such as: loss of employment, loss of money, loss of a loved one, loss of identity, loss of health and loss of life.

Fear is the opposite of love. Consider that neither love nor fear can exist in the presence of the other.

Fear is anticipation of an uncomfortable future when we are faced with, what we perceive to be, an unfamiliar or threatening situation in the present. The anticipation comes from thoughts of similar experiences in the past. In essence what we call fear is the repetition of old experiences in the mind that are triggered by events in the present. Thoughts are, at least in part, responsible for fear. In this sense fear is old because the thoughts from which it emerges are old.

Over the course of our lives we learn to be afraid of many things. When a threat is perceived, thoughts of past fearful events tend to come to mind and; the mind tends to focus on judgments and conclusions about these past events because it recognizes them as being similar to the current situation. The mind also seems to ignore or avoid memories of the sensual experience of fear. It then relates to the things it is conditioned to fear rather than the living physical, emotional and mental communication process from our senses about the matter at hand. The information our senses are picking up is in fact neutral and simply a call to us for attention.

We don't want to be fearful and we try to create a space between fear and ourselves when we first begin to experience it. We make great effort and expend vast amounts of energy to widen this gap. This is to no avail. We in fact are fear because it arises from within us. We are the creator of fear, the experience and the experience. We therefore can't become separated from it. The person who is afraid is the same person who is watching the fear. When we know this, when we know we cannot escape fear because we cannot escape ourselves, when we know we cannot do anything to stop the sensations we call fear and when we accept it unconditionally as part of us, then we will no longer experience fear because we will realize there is nothing to fear. Fear is simply an illusion of a mind that is preoccupied with the past.

It is because old thoughts quickly bring our minds to judgments and conclusions about fear that our minds cannot always respond appropriately to communication from the senses. These thoughts lead the mind to try to understand fear in terms of past experiences, to control it and to escape it. So the mind is prevented from experiencing that sensual flow and aliveness that can only exist when it is fully in the present.

The mind can only look at the process of fear when there is no thought. The mind and heart (our link to the spiritual) must be open, receptive, without any need to make judgments and draw conclusion. In this way it can be sensitive to the subtle movements of the sensations associated with fear. As fear is observed in this way it can be seen to be within you as a reaction to an external or internal event and that the event is not the fear. It is our thoughts that are interpreting the event as fearful.


The following are some considerations for understanding fear.

1. Know that the separation between you and fear results from old thoughts preventing your senses from communicating to you in the present. Instead, these thoughts of the past are prompting you to anticipate unpleasant outcomes in the future based on the past

2. When fear is present love is not. When you experience fear you do not love a part of you and you therefore do not trust yourself (including your spiritual self) to deal with a perceived disturbing situation.

3. Develop your talents and trust in your ability to handle whatever comes your way. Be your own measuring stick. Strive to know who you are and what you want.

4. Meditate in the presence of fear. Quiet the mind, open your heart, and ask for help from your spiritual source to uncover the conditions in self that are bringing fear about.

5. If you require help in dealing with your fears consult a spiritual healer.

WHAT TO EAT?
Kathy Walker, natural healer, brings us the chart on the next page, "The energy of food", to us. It is a simple to follow recipe that can enhance your health. It is based on the idea that our bodies are naturally alkaline and they need to be maintained in this state through the food we bring into our bodies. The freshness of food is an important consideration. The fresher the food is the better, of course. That is why locally gown food should be preferred - your backyard is the most local and can become the best managed. Food needs to be free of chemical additives both during the growing process and its preparation prior to eating.

Another important consideration is genetic modification of foods. Many of our foods are genetically modified. Some studies indicate genetically modified foods can have adverse health effects in the long run when consumed by humans. The effects can be much more dramatic with other animals; and this needs to be underscored in reference to human health.

Europeans, in general, appear to be more cognizant about the quality of their food. Consumers there are able to choose the foods they eat because genetically modified food in grocery stores are labeled. Canada, according to some, has been (and likely still is) a testing ground for genetically modified foods. As usual I urge you to inquire into this yourself and then write your local government representatives if you uncover cause for concern. It's important: your food affects your life.

THE ENERGY OF FOOD

1. EXPANSIVE FOODS
(Water/Sugar Based)


 

ACID

Drugs
Alcohol
Artificial sweeteners
Vinegar
Coffee


Sugar
Milk, cream, ice cream, yogurt
Tomatoes
Bananas
Tropical fruit juice

2. ALKALINE
Turbinado sugar
Maple syrup
Honey
Locally grown fruit
Vegetables (not tomatoes and potatoes)
Grains
Nuts
Eggs
Fish
Chicken

3. CONTRACTIVE FOODS.
(Sodium and cholesterol based)


ACID

Red Meat
Cheese


Pork

* The majority of the food you eat needs to be from the alkaline group. Moderate the foods in group one, eating them only occasionally. Avoid foods from group 3 as much as possible.