TO FEAR IS TO BE HUMAN

Fear is an illusion. We've heard this many times - because it's true. Fear is nothing real; it's like haze. Vague and uncomfortable, and, unless we are in danger, it's false. It's false because it is not even remotely real. It is a fabrication of our mind. But it can still FEEL real and, bizarrely, it can be very powerful in our lives. Fear can cause us to navigate our lives in a certain direction by making for us - or quite often preventing us from - certain choices. It's safe to say that in my life, fear has prevented me from living it more fully and from reaching my highest potential. Fear has not been my ally, ever. 

(I should point out that there is a big difference between following our intuition, guides, the Holy Spirit, however we say it. Sometimes our intuition will put up red flags to show us where not to go, or give us that feeling in our gut that says, 'no, bad idea.' These we follow but that is not caving in to fear. That is being wise and following divine guidance. We should not hear that guidance and ignore it, thinking we are being fearful if we don't forge ahead. That is the mind or ego getting us into trouble and another topic. Read Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth to learn all about the ego.)

I have found a couple of ways to consider fear that can keep it rightfully sized: 

1) Fear is simply part of the human condition. It is normal for us, at least for now, maybe not in the times to come. So, being fearful is simply being human, but that is the extent of it. It doesn't matter what the fear is 'saying' - it's going to say one thing to me and something else to the next person, usually tapping our more vulnerable areas. So it is okay to have some fear for a moment. Just then recognize it and let it go - perhaps like driving by a plant of a certain smell or a dark cloud blowing by. It cannot hurt us and it is not true.

2) Like I said, fear has kept my life limited, in a box. It has never led me well. It behooves me to ignore it and then to turn to God, to pray, and to remind myself of my identity with Him.

3) It reminds me what it is to be human and to dwell in the human terrain. And gives me gratitude that I do not need to walk there anymore.