Skip to main content

Verified by Psychology Today

Fear

Fear Is Only As Deep As the Mind Allows

The more fear you allow into your mind, the smaller your life becomes.

Fear is a tricky thing. Even though I consider myself an enlightened being, lately I have found myself struggling with fear on a daily basis. It grabs my attention when I least expect it and like a dark creature that dwells in my future, it feeds me with images and mind games of what could happen, spewing out illusions of a reality that I don’t want, all while creating smokescreens and distractions that prevent me from being fully present in the now moment.

There is a Japanese saying that fear is only as deep as the mind allows it which I, by the way, know deep in my heart is a true statement and yet here I am, allowing my mind to be overwhelmed by fear.

I have come to understand that there is a correlation between my state of mind and my state of reality. It seems like the more fear I allow into my mind, the smaller my life becomes.

When we stress and worry, we abandon the now moment by projecting our awareness into the future. But the future is unknown to us… so the unknowingness creates the unpleasant state of anxiety and fear.

If you are always “living” in the future, then you are obviously not present in the now moment and a disconnection that tilts you out of alignment with your true self and your natural state of consciousness is created.

You soul knows that the only real thing is the now moment. There is nothing else! So, it wants you to be awake and present in the real thing, not asleep in some illusion of the future created in your mind. And thus your soul seeks your attention by “yelling” No! Wake up! You are falling asleep! That is not the purpose of you being alive. What you perceive as the uncontrolled “buzzing” in your mind and body that we have given the name of fear, is just your soul calling you on your ”mental phone” trying to tell you that your ego-mind is being triggered and that you are falling out of presence in the now moment. The truth is, there is peace in every now-moment. Literally. Every. Now. Moment. And your soul wants you to be aware of this.

I have realized that I don’t need to overcome fear. What I need to do is pick up the “phone”, get the message and understand the true nature of fear.

Fear, no matter how scary it seems, is just a pointer showing me where I need to grow spiritually. Where fear lingers, soul needs to be allowed to "enter" and gently clear the "space".

Try looking at it this way, fear, anxiety, and worry occupy our minds in a similar way as darkness occupies the space in a room. It does not allow us to see things in a clear way. What do you do when you enter a dark room? You don’t fight the darkness. You don’t try to run away from the darkness. You don’t argue with the darkness. You simply turn on the light...right?

The purpose of darkness is not to have us live in fear, rather it is to remind me that we are born with a free will. Just like yin is the opposite of yang, so is darkness a contrast to light, creating opportunities for us to make choices. To say: "yes" or "no"... "this" not "that"... Because, you see, without the darkness we cannot choose light. So, darkness plays a necessary role in the physical realm.

The key is to see that there is a choice – that I have the power to choose my state of mind – and then to act on that knowledge in every single now moment. My soul has gifted me with the ability to feel love, to see beauty and to enjoy life. That is my natural state of being. Everything else is my ego-mind creating contrast in the form of drama, lack and need through the illusion of fear. My awareness of the choice is what alters my reality and expands my consciousness.

Of course, this is not a question of ignoring fear or worry at all cost or to always focus on "happy”. It is about recognising that fear and worry are wake up calls to change something in our lives...not states to dwell in for longer periods of time. Why would you choose to sit in a room full of darkness if you know that light is always available?

Ignoring negativity by deliberately staying in a positive state of mind is neither selfish nor naïve. It is about being conscious enough to manage your own state of being and about taking responsibility for what you allow to manifest into this reality through you. Because make no mistake, reality becomes what we think, imagine, hope, dream, fear or believe it to be. It is always our choice.

Amidst all the fear, anger and negativity ricocheting back and forth around us, choosing to stay open, vulnerable, and generous is not only an act of kindness, but more importantly it is an act of courage. We live in times when it has become audacious to say that life is beautiful and that there is nothing to fear.

Let us wake up from this collective nightmare of fear and take responsibility for what we are allowing to manifest in the world through us right now. As truth seekers it is our duty, now more than ever, to be courageous when others are scared and to shed light where others can only see darkness.

Now, close your eyes and repeat after me:

(Breathe in... )

“Darkness is a choice.”

(and breathe out... )

“I choose light.”

(Take another deep breath in…)

“Fear is a choice.”

(and breathe out…)

”I choose peace.”

advertisement
About the Author
Gordana Biernat

Gordana Biernat, M.A., is the author of “#KnowTheTruth—Why Knowing Who You Are Changes Everything” and a SuperSoul Teacher on Oprah’s SuperSoul100 list of most awakened leaders and visionaries.

More from Gordana Biernat
More from Psychology Today
More from Gordana Biernat
More from Psychology Today