Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Demonstrate that you can face your fear. Do that which you’re afraid to do, and fear will go away. To stop fearing death, you must die. That’s your ultimate reality, right? You’ve come to die, to face what you’re unconsciously afraid of, so why not face everything you’re afraid of whilst living?
The only way to get rid of fear is to face it until your nerves calm. It’s what a cognitive, behavioral therapist would do. It’s called exposure therapy. Whatever you fear, expose yourself. Fear of dogs? Interact with a gentle puppy. Fear being alone? Isolate yourself. Fear boredom? Put away your phone and sit quietly until the heebie-jeebies subside. Fear the future? Pay attention to your swirling thoughts until they calm down.
What most of us do is push away fear, try to mitigate it by over controlling or avoiding. If you face your naked body in a mirror, and you are revolted, remember a revolution is a fight. What are you revolting against? You’re revolting against an image, one of yourself. That’s fear folks.
Why are we provoked? When it comes right down to it, you’re provoked by a shadow and you don’t realize that shadow is you too. Whatever it is you’re afraid of is simply more of yourself. The seed of fear is in you until you expose it. You’re scared you might mess up. You’re scared that the image in the mirror might just be you. Simply put, you distrust reality. What good is that?
What about some exposure therapy? Why not look at yourself until the fear subsides, or pay attention to your thoughts until you realize where the fear comes from? Why not go to the grocery store without your list? Or are you “too afraid” to forget? Why not really look at that naked body? Or do you distrust reality too much?
Who are you fooling? Who are you fearing?