Thanks for joining me on this short teaching exploring fear.
This is meant to be listened to in tandem with the welcoming fear practice found on my profile.
This series focuses on what we might typically see as our harder or less acceptable emotions.
Many of us have learned to push away these less desirable emotions based on a variety of reasons.
We can use our meditation practice to understand our emotions better,
What they're trying to tell us,
And use the gifts that they bring us instead of fighting against them.
In this short teaching before our meditation,
We will explore how fear helps us to use our intuition to respond to whatever life throws at us.
My teachings and the following meditations have been greatly informed by my study of Internal Family Systems Therapy,
Also known as PartsWork,
Somatic Experiencing,
And the book The Language of Emotions by Carla McLaren.
Let's begin by learning about fear.
When it flows freely,
Fear brings us the following gifts.
Number one,
Intuition.
It heightens our awareness and connects us to our deeper instincts.
Number two,
Focus.
It sharpens our senses and aligns our actions with our immediate needs.
Number three,
Clarity.
Helps us see situations clearly and respond effectively.
Number four,
Attentiveness.
Keeps us present and engaged with our environment.
And number five,
Readiness.
It prepares us for change and equips us to handle new challenges.
When fear flows freely,
It hones our senses and enhances our ability to respond.
It makes us focused,
Centered,
Capable,
And agile.
Fear is not cowardice.
Fear carries survival instincts honed over thousands of years.
By listening to our fear,
We can access profound,
Intuitive,
And instinctual knowledge.
Of course,
Like all emotions,
Fear is not just a mental or emotional state.
It's a physical experience that involves our entire body.
Everyone experiences fear differently,
And these body responses can be influenced by individual differences,
Cultural factors,
And personal history.
In your meditation practice after this teaching,
Just be aware of what's happening in your body and see if you can identify how fear is showing up.
Fear communicates through sensations and urges.
It might tell you to slow down,
Stop,
Or take action.
These signals often can come as a queasy feeling,
A sudden insight,
A nagging thought.
If you trust these messages,
You can ask yourself what action should be taken and see what fear tells you.
Also manifestations of fear can also include increased heart rate and palpitations,
Shallow or rapid breathing,
Muscle tightness,
Clammy skin,
Stomach upset,
Butterflies,
Dry mouth,
Or numbness.
So again,
As we practice getting in touch with our fear,
Notice how it feels in your body.
On my profile,
I also have a teaching on anger,
And I want to bring up the fact right now that anger and fear work in tandem.
So if you want to learn more about anger,
You can find that on my profile.
But briefly,
Anger helps us set boundaries while fear maintains our focus and preparedness.
So when we set strong boundaries,
We can create a sacred space where our fear can flow freely,
Bringing us readiness,
Focus,
And calm.
Fear is often a misunderstood emotion.
We want to learn the difference between fear itself and the aftermath of fear.
This is crucial for managing our responses and integrating the experiences of fear that we have.
So fear is kind of like this operating system that when it's flowing,
It's kind of always running in the background.
And you don't necessarily have to feel afraid to be letting your fear keep awareness.
When fear is free-flowing,
It can rise up when needed as an instinctive reaction to a perceived threat.
It's focused and intentional.
It heightens our senses to prepare our body to respond.
When we listen to our fear,
This instinctive process,
We can become surprisingly resourceful and capable.
So fear can help us just like in our everyday life.
And then fear can also help us in a more dangerous or acute situation.
So let's talk for a second about the aftermath of fear.
So this refers to the period after an immediate threat has passed when our bodies and our minds begin to process the experience.
It's important that we integrate our experience and allow our bodies and minds to process.
After the threat has passed,
The leftover adrenaline that comes from fear can make us feel jittery or anxious.
And it's important to remember that that's not the fear itself,
But it's the body's way of coming down from the fear,
From this heightened state of alertness.
Your body may need to shake,
Cry,
Or find some other form of emotional release.
Your mind may also replay and analyze the situation often through flashbacks or repeated thoughts about the event.
The review process helps us integrate the experience and learn from it.
It's also important to note right here that it can be really helpful to talk through a situation with someone else,
Whether that's a close friend or partner,
Or if you feel like you're having a really hard time getting over,
You know,
The fear that you experienced in a situation,
That could be a time when you seek the help of a trained mental health professional.
Next,
Let's talk quickly about the signs of obstruction.
When our fear is obstructed,
It can manifest as constant worries or anxieties,
Which is interesting because it actually has the opposite effect of fear to decrease our focus and clarity.
So understanding the difference between free-flowing fear and obstructive fear is also important.
Anxiety and worry often arise when our instincts are still on high alert,
Even though the immediate danger is no longer present.
Anxiety can be a sign that our fear response needs to complete its cycle of activation and release.
So again,
If you're struggling with that,
Definitely seek out help.
In conclusion,
Fear,
When honored and understood,
Is a powerful guide.
It sharpens our intuition,
Enhances our focus,
And prepares us for whatever comes our way.
By creating space for our fear and integrating our experiences,
We can become more resilient and resourceful.
As you go about your day,
Remember to listen to your fear,
Respect its messages,
And use its energy to navigate your life with wisdom and grace.
