Understanding And Releasing Fear

In this combined talk and meditation session, I discuss the nature of fear, explaining that it is merely an emotion rather than a tangible threat. But it can cause a whole host of negative physical reactions in your body. With practice, you can begin to rewire the subconscious programming that triggers your fear, to eliminate them altogether. By redirecting your thoughts, activating the breath, and being in stillness, you bring yourself into the present moment. (Note: I listed this as a talk, but there is a meditation included also- it begins at the 3:40 mark!) Namaste.

Transcript

Hello, My name is Barbara. Thank you for joining me here today. This is going to be a mix of a talk and a meditation. I wanted to give an overview about fear. Fear is just an emotion. It's not a tangible thing. You can't reach out and touch it. It can't physically hurt you. But what it can do is wreak havoc on your insides. Fear triggers the body's fight or flight response, Flooding it with adrenaline and cortisol, Which can increase your heart rate and raise your blood pressure, And it prepares your muscles for action. It also causes sweating, Trembling, And it diverts your blood to your limbs, Preparing you to run from the metaphorical tiger that's chasing you. So therefore it shuts down non-essential functions like digestion to maximize your survival readiness. And over time, This can lead to long-term health issues like migraines, High blood pressure, A weakened immune system. It increases anxiety, Depression, And it affects your ability for emotional regulation. Fear is usually instigated by thinking of a past negative experience and placing it into future scenarios, Which hasn't even happened yet. You're anticipating threats that aren't real and they may never happen. By recognizing that your fear is triggered by something that's already happened or a fear of what might happen, It might help stop you in your tracks the next time you go into fight or flight. You can stop and ask yourself, Is this happening right now? What is the likelihood of it happening? And if it does happen, What's the worst thing? Will I survive? Most likely you will. So staying present in this moment, In this exact moment, Is the key. Pulling yourself out of the loop of the would've, Could've, Should'ves, And what ifs, And be right here. What is happening in this moment? You're listening to a recording. You had the strength and wherewithal to do something about your fear. Maybe you realized that it's just a thought and that you can do something about it. And here you are. So good for you. This is a great start. As the wise Lao Tzu said, If you are depressed, You are living in the past. If you are anxious, You are living in the future. So let's get you into the present moment right here, Right now. If you haven't already, Please find a comfortable position where you won't be disturbed for the next few minutes. Ah, Yes, Just begin by taking a deep cleansing breath. Get settled in and close your eyes. Place your hands on your heart and just take a few moments to just notice. See if you can feel the vibration of your energetic body. See if you can feel the pulsation of your heart beneath your hands. Just notice the surface beneath you. Feel its physical support. And begin to lengthen your breath, Elongating your inhales and exhales, Filling up the lungs from the bottom to the top, Holding for a moment, And releasing your breath out the mouth. Ah, Yes, Let's repeat that two more times. Inhale nice and big and full, And let it go with a sigh. One more time, Inhale, Two, Three, Four. Ah, Yes, Now we're going to spend the next five minutes just breathing. I just want you to focus on your breath. Literally think in your head if you have to think a thought. Think, I'm breathing in, I'm breathing out, I'm breathing in, I'm breathing out. Or maybe you can focus your attention on a little noise, A hum in the air, Something simple and mundane, Not something where you're thinking, What is that sound? I need to get up and know what that is. My point being is this is a redirect. This is an exercise in being present by being still. So begin to breathe in and out your nose now. And if you wish, You can return to your normal breath. You don't have to force or change anything, Whatever feels comfortable to you. But for five full minutes, I want you to just be and just breathe. I want to give you the opportunity to begin to rewire your subconscious brain, Your subconscious mind to be able to calm itself, To be able to turn on the parasympathetic nervous system that calming response with a few breaths and turn off the fear because it really doesn't exist. It only exists in your mind. So stop giving it free rent, My friends. Okay, Let's breathe. Hmm. Take a nice big breath and let it go with a sigh. Just open your eyes. Take a look around. You're still here. Same spot. Present moment. Hmm. In closing, I just want to remind you that fear is just a feeling. It's just an emotion. It's not real. And you have more control over it than you think by letting go of regrets from the past and really trying to not worry about the future, Because anything can happen in an instant. Life can change at any moment at any given time. So use the moments that you have and fill them with love and joy and peace and happiness. So go out there and do the things that light you up today and have no fear, My friends. Have no fear. Namaste.