Working with Our Fears
Working with Our Fears
Sometimes when we are feeling stuck, it could be that a general fear is present. We know we are feeling stressed or stuck, but it’s not completely clear what is triggering it. And if we want to do inquiry on it, we don’t know what thought to do the work on.
Typically, before we begin inquiry, we get still and notice a stressful moment in our life. We meditate on that moment and take note of the details of the place, time, other people that were present etc. When nothing concrete has happened yet, how do we choose an anchor point to settle into for the meditation?
I have found that for “future” work, creating an imaginary scenario is very effective and often very easy to do. Usually, we have already imagined future scenarios that cause us stress, sometimes in great detail.
For example, I am fearful of this praying mantis. And though it hasn’t hurt me, I’m terrified to touch it or get too close. I close my eyes and see a future moment where the praying mantis bites me. I look around in my imagination of this moment and see I am standing in the backyard. I see it’s late afternoon. I see that I am alone. I see myself reaching my hand up toward it and it lunges at my hand and bites it.
Grounded in this imagined moment, I can see some details in my fear. Thoughts arise like;
- The praying mantis will hurt me.
- The praying mantis is mean.
- Gardening is dangerous.
I read my list and notice which thought has the most mental sting in it and start my work there.
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