Interfaith Group, March talking notes from Carl

FEAR AND OVERCOMING FEAR

FEAR is a defilement. It undermines all our happiness and progress. It ranges from gentle to debilitating. As such, fear is never positive or useful. Karma teaches us that defilements lead to defilements, never to peace and happiness.

From the cushion, we see that fear is generated in our own minds––fear of loss, fear of not getting what we want or getting what we don’t want. That’s the source of all our fears: fear of violence, fear of crime, fear of failure, fear of uncertainty, fear of the unknown, fear of disease, fear of death, fear of whatever.

Fear is something that our mind invents and cultivates, even though we know it is against our own self-interest. DO WE ALL KNOW KNOW THIS?

Fear is an exaggerated response, like anxiety, to a situation, real or perceived.

So we should be more aware of our unfulfilled expectations. Unfulfilled expectations are the ground from which fear arises.

The Buddha said to learn how to live a life fully at the present moment is the best way to keep fear under practical control.

We should learn to be mindful of fear when it arises. Transform it into a positive next move. Isn’t this our obligation to each moment?

How? Notice fear has arises. Notice it as a feeling. Notice its physical effects. Notice its impermanence. Let go of it. Replace it with mindfulness or an antidote:: generosity, thoughts of lovingkindness and compassion, etc.

Otherwise one may habitually identify oneself with the fear and the pain.

It is always helpful to try to view fear objectively by saying: There is fear rather than I am afraid. Personalizing fear only tends to increase its intensity.

What is fear?

Fear is an unpleasant feeling of perceived danger, real or not that makes us expect specific problems. The root of all fear is Self-grasping. So understanding impermanence and no-self will eliminate fear.

Traditional Western thoughts explains fear as arising from not understanding the causes for many everyday experiences, this is existential fear. What we are suggesting here is that instead of trying to understand it, we just be present in the moment when everything that is, then nothing is unclear.

Fear is a reaction to something that may happen in the future, be it realistic or not, it is always uncomfortable. And here we find one of the contradictions of fear itself: it should work to keep us from discomfort, yet it is uncomfortable itself. But in fact, it doesn’t work that way, and so we become increasingly unsettled within ourselves.

Fear as Projection: As fear is based on something that we think may happen in the future, it is clearly a mental process which tries to predict the future based on past experiences––what nonsense!

Fear us a fantasy dredged up from our seed storehouse!

PHOBIAs

Phobias are exaggerated fears, meaning that the mind is strongly exaggerating the situation. For whatever reason, our mind gets out of control. When this happens, we cannot rely on medication to solve the problem longterm, but must be to habituate our mind back to 'normal' reactions.

How does this work? Simply by rational calm responses that change the mind-habit!

I have seen this work with phobic fears of spiders, snakes, heights, and even in a case of gender dysphoria.


One way to work with deep fears is to think that the fear comes as a result of your own actions in the past.

Further, if you have fear of some pain or suffering, you should examine whether there is anything you can do about it. If you can, there is no need to worry about it; if you cannot do anything, then there is also no need to worry.

Another technique is to investigate who is becoming afraid. Examine the nature of your self. Where is this I? Who is I? What is the nature of I? Is there an I besides my physical body and my consciousness?

ANTIDOTES FOR FEAR

ANTIDOTE 1 – Patient acceptance of perceived injustices.

Sit with your fear on the cushion, where it is relatively safe.

Meditate with these kind of thoughts: There is fear, fear is impermanent, fear starts-runs its course-and end, there are physical sensations that arise when fear arises, I can let go of the mind-state and the sensations, . “Fear is not me, I am patient. Fear is not mine, patience is mine, I am patient.

Remember, the presence of fear means only that fear is present, and nothing more. You are the one who makes it present, you can let it go

ANTIDOTE 2 - Realization of the Noble Truth of Suffering; fear is a story we tell ourselves, not reality.

ANTIDOTE 3 - Understanding Karma.

The real reason for fear is our own actions! If something frightens us, it is just a circumstance for our own negative karma to ripen. Rather than fearing the future, we need to avoid pulling seeds that create problems.

Ask: What am I really afraid of? Really afraid of—not getting my way, not being able to be greedy!? When did this start? Did my parents plant the seeds in me? What other options can I chose in this situation?

ANTIDOTE 4 - Changing or Accepting.

Simply change the conditions or accept the phenomenon

ANTIDOTE 5 - Realization of Emptiness.

ANTIDOTE 6 - Take Responsibility: NOTHING MAKES YOUR FEARFUL


Fear is something that our own mind creates, so only our own mind can do something about it! Exaggerated fears can have their basis in wrong decisions or experiences, change the seed bank.

ANTIDOTE 7 – Metta Meditation

ANTIDOTE 8 – Kill you Self.

Where there is No Self there is no fear.

ANTIDOTE 9 – The Giving of No-Fear

Originally, the giving of fearlessness is the giving of protection to beings when they have become frightened by externals like demons, then it became associated with ending the worries and concerns of the dying, and now it is broader and more intimate. Now it means not doing anything that would make setup the conditions for another being to have dukkha.

A Dozen Ways to Give No-Fear

1. The more balanced and peaceful we are, the more we give no-fear
2. Body – Slow gentle movement, no clumsiness, less eye-contact, humble stances
3. Speech -- Gentle language, slow speaking, mindful speech
4. Mind -- Replacing defiled mind states with their antidotes
5. Equanimity – No more caller ID
6. Understanding others suffering -- that all our perceived injustices are really people just acting out their own suffering
7. Making compassion the central point of departure for everyone; always try to exhibit lovingkindness and compassion
8. Become the smallest person in the room
9. Never go on the battlefield; never say it more than once
10. Conquering our own fears, antidotes above
11. Always offering as much support and comfort as possible; start asking, what can I do to be supportive?
12. Recognizing that we have intellectually, economically and spiritually a strong duty and responsibility to care for and protect the weak in society It is our responsibility to create a civil society where the rule of law prevails and to create a caring and compassionate society. We cannot build the conditions for fear into our institutions and structures and expect to be peaceful. We see this mostly clearly now in relation to health care and unemployment insurance.