Fear robs us of rationality and keeps us from realizing our inner potential. How to work with fear on three levels: the physical — with ásanas, diet, fasting and hardening; the mental — through detachment and facing fear head-on; and the spiritual — through trust in the Supreme.
Fear is not just an unpleasant emotion; it is a form of suffering that robs us of rationality. When a person feels fear, they stop using their resources — creative, intellectual, intuitive — and cannot make the right decisions. Fear stops us and does not let us realize our inner potential, make our contribution to society, or fulfill our purpose. Fear paralyzes, and the person is unable to do what they were meant to do.
Humanity has long counted fear among the degrading qualities. And in various cultures that strove for perfection there has been a desire to overcome this emotion. A vivid example is the samurai culture of Japan: the samurai's struggle with fear reached its peak; they brought it to perfection. If a person struggles with fear and overcomes it all their life, sooner or later they will be ready for great deeds.
In the first phase of the spiritual path there are a great many fears, and the main challenge is not to stop but to overcome fear. The question arises: what must we do to defeat this archenemy of our life? It is best to work with fear on three levels: physical (bodily), mental and spiritual.
Overcoming fear on the physical level
At the level of the physical body, fear is located in the *mańipura cakra (the navel center). There are also two other kinds of fear: one in the *anáhata cakra* (a kind of worry, anxiety), the other in the *svádhiśt́hána cakra* (chilling, paralyzing terror). Today we will talk about the fear located in the *mańipura.
This fear puts the body into a "fight or flight" state, which means it can spill over into aggression. In this state a person either acts irrationally or runs away from the problem. For example, a decision has to be made, and the person says, "No, I'm going to go get drunk." This happens because they are mentally paralyzed, demoralized; they are defeated and cannot fight. So they choose flight: anything at all, just to get rid of the emotion that torments them.
The appearance of fear points to a weak mańipura cakra that is unable to control this emotion. There are several ways to overcome fear.
On the physical level, these are ásanas:
- mayúrásana (the peacock pose; a very powerful A yoga posture held steadily and comfortably; it balances the glands and quiets body and mind for meditation. that can help overcome two emotions: shame (shyness) and fear. Shame is also a form of fear: a person is held back by thoughts like "What will they think of me? What will they say about me?"
- cakrásana (the bridge);
- utkat́a pashcimottánásana (head to legs);
- matsyendrásana (the twisting pose),
- agnisára mudrá,
- utkśepa mudrá (drawing in the abdomen).
These ásanas should be done regularly if you have problems with fear. They also help if, for example, you have heard some news that frightens you, fallen into panic or depression, and cannot act to deal with the problem properly. In this state you can support yourself effectively with ásanas.
Besides ásanas, any physical exercise will help. It can also be walks or runs. Ásanas that bend, compress and twist the abdominal area are very effective. They relieve the state by 50–70%.
The next point: people take in a great deal of fear from food. Especially those who eat non-vegetarian food. We need to understand that this food was killed and suffered at the moment of death; it felt fear. This fear is passed on to people at the level of hormones, at the level of vibrations, at the level of energy and karma. That is, if a living being was tormented and suffered for your pleasure, then you too will one day suffer and be tormented and go through the same thing it went through.
So removing non-vegetarian food from your diet helps very well in solving the problem of fear. One-day fasting also helps; it cleanses and strengthens the digestive system and makes it more efficient.
The third way to fight fear on the physical level is hardening the body. Regularly pouring cold water over yourself or finishing your shower with cool water tones and strengthens the mańipura cakra. Even if something frightening happens, you will be able to keep your balance longer without giving in to this emotion. When the mańipura cakra is strong and the glands are strong, you will be able to hold out to the very end, to stay in control of yourself and make rational decisions.
So on the physical level, fighting fear includes ásanas, hardening, food free of the energy of fear, and one-day fasting.
Overcoming fear on the mental level
On the mental level, fear arises from attachment. If you have become attached to something, you will be afraid of losing it. So attachment is the mother of fear. By giving it up, you free yourself from fear or ease it. The technique for getting rid of attachments is meditation. Yogis are hard to control. They can be inspired, but they cannot be manipulated.
Attachments weaken through meditation. Before meditation, pratyáhára is usually done. Pratyáhára is a step-by-step technique of detachment, an effort on the mental level. First it is detachment from the external world, and so a disconnection from many attachments and, accordingly, from the fear of objects of the external world. In this state a person understands that they need no objects at all in order to be happy. And if you feel this happiness independent of external objects, the fear connected with them will go away. What objects are these? Comforts, money and so on.
Then the practitioner detaches from their body, and the fears connected with it go away. These are the fear of growing old, of being injured, fears connected with one's personality and ideas. If you are attached to the framework of a particular worldview, to some dogmatic stereotypes acquired through your upbringing, you will also go beyond them. In the course of this process fear gradually goes away.
During pratyáhára you withdraw your mind from the external world, then from your body.
Picturing the situation you fear most, you say to yourself: "O Supreme, I trust You; let it be as You see fit. I let go of control over the situation; I give it to You." Sometimes you seem to give it, and at the same time you think, "But You keep an eye on it so that everything turns out all right — it's very important to me!" In that case you are not letting the situation go completely. But each time you picture in your mind what you are afraid of, it weighs on you a little less.
Accept what you are afraid of. Imagine that it has already happened. Today or tomorrow. And agree with it. Say, "All right, I accept it." And at that moment imagine how to stay happy, how to go on being happy even though the situation you fear has happened. Then fear will begin to let go of you. You will get used to the danger, and what used to horrify you will one day become more or less ordinary for you.
Often people don't even want to think about something that brings discomfort; they sweep their fear "under the rug." But there, "under the rug," fear doesn't waste time: it sits there "building muscle," "lifting weights," and then it comes out and knocks you out "with one hand tied behind its back." So don't sweep fear "under the rug" — it likes living there, and there it will only grow stronger. Let it be right beside you.
You need to look fear in the eye, because it doesn't like that. It likes it when you turn away from it and bury your head in the sand; then fear grows.
For example, if you are afraid of heights, go up anyway. At first you will feel frightened and uncomfortable, but one day you will find yourself at a great height and there will be no fear. To defeat the emotion, you need to look your fears straight in the face, go toward them, and do what you are afraid of.
Of course, a sense of caution should be there; there is no point in exposing yourself to senseless risk. Because life is a unique chance for spiritual growth. And protecting your life, taking care of it and observing precautions, is right; it is spiritual.
Fears connected with fear of public opinion
If you defeat fear in one area, you will defeat it everywhere. For some people it will be easiest to start with fears connected with fear of public opinion.
For example, when people start studying music or singing, they are afraid to sing. The voice is the soul, and fear keeps it from opening up. Singing lessons and the like will help you learn to express yourself.
The fear of speaking in public can be overcome only by speaking regularly. Public-speaking clubs help. For example, five people get together, and one or two of them give a presentation. Then everyone discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the talk together.
By overcoming fear in one area, you will be able to overcome it in all areas. Music, singing and public speaking will help you.
Fears connected with security
By mastering new skills, you free yourself from fears.
These fears are very strong in people. For example, physical security means having money.
There are also fears connected with a person's fundamental needs: the lack of health (physical, mental), food, clothing, medical care, education. In fighting them you can use all the ways of overcoming fear on the physical and mental levels.
Suppose you want to solve your housing problem and build a house, but you are afraid you won't manage. But once you have learned how to build a house, you will say, "Why, it's simple! It turns out you don't have to be a god to fire pots." And you will be sure that at any moment you can simply go ahead and build a house.
Another common fear is the fear of being left without money. It is useful to take any job, even the simplest. Let it not be the work you would want to devote your life to. Take a job laying bricks or hauling cement. But you will be paid for it, and you will understand that there is always work and you will never be left without money. Then the fear will go away.
Gaining knowledge is a very powerful way to get rid of fears. But there is not only external knowledge; there is also inner knowledge. In meditation you gain inner knowledge, and your intuition grows sharper.
Who is it in us that is afraid? The mind is afraid! So we need to raise the mind to the sphere where there are no fears. A very effective practice for this is singing a mantra. When you sincerely sing a mantra and sink into its flow, fear disappears. This is the most powerful psychological means of working through fear. Anxious thoughts will go away, and you will be able to focus on the idea of the A sound or set of sounds that, repeated with its meaning in mind, carries the mind toward the Infinite. “Only the name of the Supreme Consciousness”, or “there is only Supreme Consciousness”: the mantra sung in kiirtan, open to anyone.: "The Supreme Consciousness is all there is."
This technique is good for getting rid of all kinds of complexes: the complex of fear, of inferiority, of superiority.
Posture as a tool for getting rid of fear
When you feel confident, you are physically "open." In moments of danger, insecurity and weakness, you close up and shrink to take up less space.
During Singing a name of the Supreme together, often with a simple dance; in Ananda Marga the words are Bábá Nám Kevalam. you perform a dance called Lalita Mármika, sing a mantra, and raise your arms upward. This posture means, "I am coming out of my shell, I am opening up." Doing this dance regularly every day, ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the evening, removes fear. And if you meet some difficult situation in which you feel fear, try sincerely singing the mantra, sinking into its idea. Fear will let you go, and perhaps a new view of the situation will open up. You will understand that fear was blocking this perspective. You were looking through the prism of fear and saw the world as very, very small.
What else is the mind afraid of?
The mind is afraid that it won't cope with a problem, with such an extremely difficult task! What should you do? Break this big task apart and see that it consists of simpler parts. You will think, "First I need to do this, then this, and so on. That's realistic and not hard!"
Divide a big task into parts you will definitely manage.
Overcoming fear on the spiritual level
The main way to fight fear on the spiritual and psycho-spiritual level is to cultivate trust in God, that is, to trust what is happening.
Life is an adventure, and you should have a healthy spirit of adventure. But you need to understand that in any circumstances, even if you make a mistake or do something badly or wrongly, the Supreme will not abandon you and will pull you out of any situation. Then you feel the courage to go forward, whatever happens. Leaning on the Supreme, you are able to deal with the situation.
Go out into life so as to trust it, and take charge of yourself! For life to lift you up, you need to trust it, to trust God.
Another important thing is that you need to follow moral principles. When you observe them, a feeling of harmony with the outer and inner world appears. You feel you are on the same wavelength as the universe. You feel that you are an inseparable, important part of the universe. It needs you, and so the universe will never abandon you.
The universe is vast, but there is nothing insignificant in it: a huge elephant and a tiny ant are of equal worth to God. Every atom, every electron, every person plays a particular role in the play of life. This role has been given to you by God. Take this realization to heart and gain fearlessness.
Apply it!
Go and deal with the matter; see whether it really is frightening! Don't run from fear. Look it in the eye.
Fear can be overcome on the physical level by working with the body: with ásanas, vegetarian food and fasting. Fear can and must be overcome on the mental level; for that, look fear in the eye, don't avoid it, don't "sweep it under the rug," but tell yourself, "I'll go and deal with it."
Rid yourself of fear with the help of pratyáhára; do it every day. Your mind rises high, and you tune in to the spiritual wavelength. That is, the mind simply leaves the sphere where fear exists.
On the spiritual level, fear is overcome through trust in the Supreme, through following moral principles, and through harmony between the inner and outer state.
Apply these methods in your life, apply them all together, but don't expect fear to vanish instantly. Yogis undertake powerful austerities and do spiritual practices regularly, and fear recedes over time.