Be fearless

If you are afraid of something, probe to know what is causing the fear.

Say, you are afraid of a person who hurt you in the past.

When you see that person in the present, all the pent-up memories flow back in you.

You become scared to face those memories. It is not the present, it is the past that traumatizes you.

You become rigid, you react to that memory, you are unable to look normal and this causes pain in you.

If that memory wasn’t there you are perfectly fine.

Because of that memory you don’t realize that the present is different.

You may not have a threat anymore. But you fail to observe it like an Elephant that thinks it is chained.

Some people are forgetful.

Some don’t. They keep rehearsing the painful memory and it stays for a long time.

How do you get rid of such painful memories?

An easy way is to acknowledge that they are a burden which you are carrying.

Whenever they arise, you pay attention to it as if someone is asking a serious question.

You then tell that they are dead past, not relevant anymore and go ahead with your work.

It is like if you have an annoying neighbour and they keep showing up at your doorstep. You can look at them and say ‘Don’t waste my time…go away. You are no longer important’.

Don’t run away, don’t try not to think of your fear.

Think of your fear like you would think of anything else that crosses your way.

Look at it, think about it, reason that it is not useful for you any longer and you can continue with what you are doing now.

When you repeat this with reason and attention, fear on anything goes away.