08:15

Face Your Fear

by Thomas McConkie

Rated
4.7
Type
guided
Activity
Meditation
Suitable for
Everyone
Plays
1.3k

We’ve all heard about the glamorous side of mindfulness practice: reduced stress, elevated mood, better relationships, and more. But what about acknowledging the genuinely terrifying side of the practice? As we deepen in our awareness practice, our fear tends to increase exponentially. Paradoxically, it is in this fear that we can find our greatest freedom.

FearMindfulnessStressRelationshipsAwarenessFreedomTrustSelf AwarenessSelf ExpressionFear AwarenessFear IntensityInner KnowingSoul NeedsAuthentic VoiceMoodsFear Of Intimacy ReleaseSpirits

Transcript

You Take a moment yourself a couple of breaths nice and easy and full in a mood of appreciation for exactly what is Start to notice in this moment a sense of stillness,

A sense of ease.

Like if you just sit here and do nothing,

Everything's profoundly okay.

As you sit in the stillness you can start to presence in your awareness,

Your fear.

What it is in life,

What it is in yourself that you're afraid to move towards.

Try not to censor,

Just relax,

Be honest,

Trust your sensing.

What is it that you're afraid of drawing closer to?

And as you bring awareness to your fear,

What you're afraid of drawing closer to,

Really allow it to become vivid.

Imagine yourself actually drawing much closer to it.

Maybe you're afraid of moving deeper into the relationship you're in.

Maybe you're afraid of intimacy with other humans in general.

Maybe you feel like you have an authentic voice and really have things that are important to you to say but you're afraid to say them.

You're afraid of what people will think when you really speak your full truth.

Whatever it is,

Just notice what you avoid drawing closer to and see yourself,

Feel yourself drawing closer to it,

Feeling the intensity rise in the body.

And just sense of unsafety when we move into the territory that we choreograph our whole life around avoiding.

Breathe and let the intensity be intense.

And find a new level of relaxation in this space.

And notice that even here you can let go,

Especially here you must let go.

The body may feel fear.

The mind may concoct all sorts of scare stories,

Possibilities of disaster.

And yet,

Deeper than the body,

Deeper than the mind,

There's something in you that knows.

Something in you that knows what it needs.

It knows what calls to you.

And it's actually more painful to ignore the call than to rest in this very fear that you feel in this moment.

Keep moving closer.

Trust yourself to stop and pause.

Trust yourself to get overwhelmed and take a step back.

Find familiar ground and footing and rest again.

Still open and alive and awake to what calls you at the deepest level of your being,

Your soul urge.

It's always here,

It's always throbbing,

It's always drawing you in.

Trust yourself in this movement,

The coming,

The going,

Neither coming nor going.

You can trust it all.

You can trust yourself.

You can keep moving.

Keep moving.

Whether it takes you a single day or 10,

000 years to realize the truth of who you are,

It makes no difference.

It's already done.

It's already true.

You can trust yourself and just enjoy the dance.

Meet your Teacher

Thomas McConkieBoston, MA, USA

4.7 (83)

Recent Reviews

Jessica

January 1, 2021

Really helped me face my fears of being alone without my loved ones. Thank you.

Mthetheleli

May 20, 2020

Approaching the fear is not easy, but I had a sense that it's worth doing so I can set myself free from the fear.

More from Thomas McConkie

Loading...

Related Meditations

Loading...

Related Teachers

Loading...
© 2026 Thomas McConkie. All rights reserved. All copyright in this work remains with the original creator. No part of this material may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

How can we help?

Sleep better
Reduce stress or anxiety
Meditation
Spirituality
Something else