Hello Friends,
Recently, whilst sorting through some old paperwork, I came across an article entitled, The Five Truths About Fear by, best selling author and public speaker, Susan Jeffers. I would like to share, The Five Truths with you, in today’s blog, alongside a lovely mantra meditation which I like to work with when processing and working with my very own fear.
Fear is a natural self protective emotion which arises when we perceive the threat of danger, pain, or harm. Sometimes that fear can stem from real threats and dangers but also, more commonly in our lives today, it can arise from imagined dangers, the latter of which can stop us from doing things in our everyday lives, including fulfilling our hopes, dreams and desires as well as living in our Truth.
Fear can be a symptom of some mental health conditions including panic disorder, anxiety, phobias, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), all of which can be very common conditions experienced by survivors of childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA).
Fear is a warning sign, fear is a gift. Fear is powerful. And fear is the emotion that should never be the thing that stops us from shining our love, light and Truth in this world.
Sophia Grace
Here are The Five Truths About Fear, by Susan Jeffers. I hope that they support and inspire you on your journey.
The Five Truths About Fear
by Susan Jeffers, Ph.D.
FEAR TRUTH #1
The fear will never go away as long as you continue to grow!
Every time you take a step into the unknown, you experience fear. There is no point in saying, “When I am no longer afraid, then I will do it.” You’ll be waiting for a long time. The fear is part of the package.
FEAR TRUTH #2
The only way to get rid of the fear of doing something is to go out and…do it!
When you do it often enough, you will no longer be afraid in that particular situation. You will have faced the unknown and you will have handled it. Then new challenges await you, which certainly add to the excitement in living.
FEAR TRUTH #3
The only way to feel better about yourself is to go out and…do it!
With each little step you take into unknown territory, a pattern of strength develops. You begin feeling stronger and stronger and stronger.
FEAR TRUTH #4
Not only are you afraid when facing the unknown, so is everyone else!
This should be a relief. You are not the only one out there feeling fear. Everyone feels fear when taking a step into the unknown. Yes, all those people who have succeeded in doing what they have wanted to do in life have felt the fear – and did it anyway. So can you!
FEAR TRUTH #5
Pushing through fear is less frightening than living with the bigger underlying fear that comes from a feeling of helplessness!
This is the one truth that some people have difficulty understanding. When you push through the fear, you will feel such a sense of relief as your feeling of helplessness subsides. You will wonder why you did not take action sooner. You will become more and more aware that you can truly handle anything that life hands you.
Copyright © 1987-2012 Susan Jeffers, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
These five truths about fear have been adapted from Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway® and its sequel, Feel the Fear and Beyond.
Can the mind observe fear? Your fear: fear of death, fear of life, fear of loneliness, fear of darkness, fear of being nobody, fear of not becoming a great success, fear of not being a leader, a writer, fear of many different things. First of all, is one aware of it?
Krishnamurti
If there is something that you are afraid of. Shine your light of love and conscious awareness onto the part of yourself that is gifting you an opportunity to step closer to healing, living in your Truth and becoming whole.
The next time you feel fear you might like to take a moment to pause and to work the following meditation. Perhaps using one of the Five Truths above that you resonate with the most as your focal point or guide for your meditation.
To practise,
Sit in a warm, comfortable place, where you won’t be disturbed. And start to bring your awareness to your breath. Breathing slowly and smoothly in and out through the nose. Begin to notice the ebb and flow of your breath. The inbreath entering the nostrils and the outbreath leaving the nostrils.
After 2-3 minutes, as you begin to feel centred and calm within yourself, start to practise a mantra with your breath. Each time you breathe in, say to yourself “ I breathe in courage” and as you breathe out say to yourself “ I breathe into my fear”. Keep practicing in this way. Each time your mind wanders off, return back to your breath. Inhale Courage, Exhale Fear.
With each breath softening into your body and into your fear with trust, courage and the knowing that you are in control and that you can stop practising at any time, if anything becomes too much.
As you practise, start to observe your fear. Notice what it is trying to tell you. Notice where the fear sits in your body. Feel into it. Surrender into it. Observe and allow it to be. Notice what the fear looks like and how it feels.
Continue to breathe into your inner power, strength and courage as you witness the part of yourself that is calling for your attention, your awareness and grace to free itself and indeed you.
As you continue to breathe, notice any fear based thoughts that come into your mind…beliefs, perceptions, and thought forms, driving your fear. Simply observing with conscious awareness, open mindedness, gentleness and compassion towards yourself. Without judgement. Try not to force anything to happen, simply surrender, observe and allow what is, to be.
You may be able to challenge any thoughts, beliefs, perceptions and fears that you may be witnessing. Are your fears real? If so, what action can you take to prevent the feared situation from happening? If it is imagined, are you stuck in a fear based script, programme, belief of story. If so, you can change that script. Is your fear the voice of your inner child crying out from within as his or her pain and terror from the there and then of the past is being re-triggered and reawakened in the here and now presence of this moment. If so, hear that pain and terror from within. Allow his/her and YOUR voice to be heard. And hold that wounded part of yourself in compassion, love and safety… in loving arms that will allow him/her to be heard and healed and in turn freed from that, which is holding him/her and you back in life.
When we dare with courage to listen, to hear and face our fears, great change and power can come to not only heal us but also transform our lives in deeply powerful and empowering ways.
We all feel fear, particularly on our healing journey from abuse. We have to go to deep, dark places in order to heal, to let go and become whole. But we are stronger than that which we fear. Stronger than the fear itself… So much stronger!
The ‘easiest’ way to overcome that fear is to go through it. Not round it. There is no way around it!
Sophia Grace
Go through your fear, with the power of your breath and your courage within. Feel, witness, hear, allow, acknowledge and give voice to the pain, the emotion and energy held deep within. And as you do so, you will free yourself to live a life of whole, authentic and empowered connection with yourself and life in a way that will only ever be able to be in alignment with your Soul’s Truth, power and purpose.
In the face of fear, stop, breathe, witness, hear and free the gift and truth that lies beyond the outward facing side of fear.
Inhale into fear with courage and as you exhale dive into the depths of your fear to free, heal and empower yourself.
Sophia Grace
Shared, as always with love and gratitude.
Sophia Grace