I still remember the day that an intruder (thief) stole our valuble belongings from our home, while we all were sleeping. When I was driving the police officer to home I said;
‘ I never anticipated a thief coming to my house. Becuase we spend a very rituous life, helping people, giving whatever we could share….!’
Police officer started laughing at me.
‘You cannot escape from these mushrooming drug addicts!’
The following night was the worst ever experience in my life; I couldnt catch sleep. Every small sound raise my suspecion that thief is coming again. And I tend to grapple with horrible imaginations that he is threatening my kids…….and I kept walking up and down all the night’.
But theif had never come. It was the manifestation of fear in my mind.
The night before, when the thief intruded, walked into our bed room, spend hours stealing all our valuables…..I slept without a single worry. The next day, there isn’t any thief, night is very peaceful, but I am sleepless, worried and struggling all night.
What makes the difference?
Difference is not the thief. It is my mind. Fear in my mind create all the confusion.
Like all other emotions, fear too has its life cycle> birth – maturity – decay – death.
All these life cycles are pretty short, sometimes difficult to notice. We dont recognize we were in fear. Yet some times, we feel like we were completely disempowered.
That can be multiple emotional cycles occupying us simultaniously as repetitive cycles. For example, when before the first cycle of fear emotion ends, the next one begins. And it builds up into bundles of negative emotions (combined with other negative emotions too).
We have the controling window at the early stage (before it reaching the acute stage). The controle is nothing but the recognition of fear.
Nevertheless, handling of complex fear needs multiple approaches.
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realizaing the nature impermanence
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getting the blessings of Dhamma (truith)
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cultivating and nurturing Metta (Compassion).
If you are Therawada Buddhist following may be helpful>
When you are in fear – just recall following:
a). Repetitively pray – Buddha Vandana Gatha (Ethipiso – Bhagawa – Arahang…….!)
b). Pray – Karaniya mettah Sutta
These two will relax your mind.
