FEAR
&
FEARLESSNESS-II
(Continued from previous Post)
FEAR – FEARLESSNESS – COURAGE
FURTHER AMPLIFIED
&
WHAT DO WE NEED?
In this Blog Post – we will examine some key aspects of our fears, fearlessness and courage.
A knowledge of this very important – as we shall see in a future blog post – to become TOTALLY FEARLESS (or nearly so at least).
All of us want to be fearless and courageous. Are these two terms one and the same, or, are they, in some way, different?
FEARLESSNESS VS FEAR
We usually talk of fearlessness in two contexts.
(i) when there is no imminent or expected danger and
(ii) When there is an imminent or expected danger.
Fear also can arise in the same two contexts, namely :
(i) when there is no imminent or expected danger and
(ii) When there is an imminent or expected danger.
Fear of the first variety may be for a short duration – when you recall a fear arousing past incident – and experience the earlier fear. But, the fear goes away – quickly. But, if the fear of the first variety – stays on in us on a much longer term basis – through most of life – then what? Then, it may be called a Phobia, which is briefly examined below :
PHOBIA: You really have no cause to be afraid – when there is no imminent or expected danger. You can remain peaceful. You can remain fearless. Fearlessness in this context is normal. When there is no context at all for fear – why will a person be fearful? No need at all. For most people, this is very true. But, some people borrow a context for fear - from their childhood. Not that they know the context, but a childhood, forgotten context rises from the sub-conscious and makes them fearful – for no immediate apparent reason. This is called PHOBIA.
The roots of a phobia usually lie in one’s childhood fears. A parent, teacher, preacher, a relative or a friend is usually the root cause of the Phobia. They also may not know that are creating a phobia in the child by what they are telling the child or doing to or in presence of the child - periodically. What is small to these adults – is not small for the child. The child does believe what they say or do and is terrified.
This apparently unjustified terror may be amusing to the adult – but not so amusing to the child. Some children get over these fears as they grow in a more healthy, reassuring atmosphere. But, some children develop these into innate Phobias – which tend to stay life long with them. Fear of dark places, fear of groups of people, fear of lonely places, fear of cockroaches etc – are all phobias. A causeless FEAR is of greater panic in a person than a FEAR with a justified cause. People with such PHOBIAS need to be effectively brought out of their childhood Scripts(programs written into their sub-conscious).
The roots of a phobia usually lie in one’s childhood fears. A parent, teacher, preacher, a relative or a friend is usually the root cause of the Phobia. They also may not know that are creating a phobia in the child by what they are telling the child or doing to or in presence of the child - periodically. What is small to these adults – is not small for the child. The child does believe what they say or do and is terrified.
This apparently unjustified terror may be amusing to the adult – but not so amusing to the child. Some children get over these fears as they grow in a more healthy, reassuring atmosphere. But, some children develop these into innate Phobias – which tend to stay life long with them. Fear of dark places, fear of groups of people, fear of lonely places, fear of cockroaches etc – are all phobias. A causeless FEAR is of greater panic in a person than a FEAR with a justified cause. People with such PHOBIAS need to be effectively brought out of their childhood Scripts(programs written into their sub-conscious).
JUST FEARS : When there is a just cause for fear, like an imminent risk / threat – do we need to be afraid or not? Some amount of Fear is a natural reaction in the face of such risks / threats – It is true. It is nature’s way of warning us to take appropriate remedial measures.
A well considered response for such occasions must be Fearlessness arising out of confidence and backed by adequate skill and preparedness in tackling the risk / threat. Fearlessness as a well measured response – is essential for all people – when they face a risk / threat.
We call them Just Fears – because there is a real threat / risk which we are able to perceive. But, do we know why they arise? Most of such fears arise due to lack of adequate knowledge, Skill and preparation for handling the risks / threats / dangers. Sufficient knowledge, skill and preparation for handling them well automatically instills enough FEARLESSNESS in us.
A fearless person is prepared well – but he may or may not take the initiative to remove the cause of fear, until it faces him directly. For instance, a wild animal may be evoking fear in all people of the town / village. A fearless person may continue to do his work peacefully unafraid of the wild animal. But, is that all we need in life?
COURAGE : Courage has a more positive quality than mere fearlessness. A fearless person merely averts dangers and threats to himself – as and when they come to him. A courageous person, on the other hand, goes out all the way - to extinguish the object of fear or the fearfulness – not only from himself but also for all those around him. He removes the cause of fear from all. He makes all people around him FEARLESS.
A courageous person is therefore more compassionate than the FEARLESS persons, towards other weaker persons around him. He tries to remove the causes of fear in and around him, thus benefitting others around him. For example – a fearless person goes on doing his work unafraid of a wild animal that may be a source of fear for people of his village / town, but a courageous person, goes out to drive away the wild animal permanently from the vicinity of the town / village so that the fellow people have no more fear of the wild animal. Courage is infinitely superior to mere fearlessness.
Let us examine the concept of COURAGE a little more closely. We find, courage also is of 3 varieties :
Saathvic Courage;
Raajasic Courage; &
Thaamasic Courage.
Buddha was most courageous in approaching Angulimaal, the fearsome dacoit who had killed 999 persons already and was waiting for the 1000th person, and in reforming Angulimaal through his love and compassion, into his own path of courageous non-violence.
Gandhi was most courageous in facing any danger to him self – in trying to bring warring people and their minds towards love and peace.
Christ sacrificed himself on the cross willingly and sought God’s pardon for people who were putting him on cross. This requires extraordinary courage.
Adi Sankara – whose Maanishee Panchakam episode – was a most courageous act for his times – 1200 years ago, of telling the whole orthodox community in India and rest of the world, that it is one and the same consciousness that pervades the high and low and it is a delusion of the mind to make differentiation based on aspects like caste. The truly learned cannot and should not differentiate people based on any such parameters – said Adi Sankara 1200 years ago.
There was no fear in the minds of these great people; there was extraordinary courage – not mere fearlessness. There are such courageous persons – in all parts of the world at different times.
The courage of the type displayed by Buddha, Christ, Gandhi, Adi Sankara and such persons – for the benefit of mankind – is known as “SAATHVIC COURAGE”. These people had absolute love and compassion for all in their hearts – and absolutely no fear at all.
The second variety is “RAAJASIC COURAGE” – which is more action oriented, may use violence to curb violence and lawlessness, and promote decent social behavior. It may arise out of ANGER – and usually tries to defend Law, Dharma and Justice.
It is also, to some extent, based on EGO and some selfishness. It may be used for self aggrandizement. But Raajasic courage is needed at times – to protect people from big dangers and big enemies quickly. Of the above two - Saathvic courage is more difficult to practice than Raajasic courage and more beneficial on the long term. For that reason – People with Saathvic courage are as rare as Gandhi, Buddha, Christ and Adi Sankara – not even one in a billion people. Raajasic courage is more common and easier to practice. It is equated with an EYE FOR AN EYE principle.
Raajasic people can some times protect the innocent and the weak from the cruel and lawless persons more quickly and easily - simply because their method of justice is quicker and easier.
The third variety is THAAMASIC COURAGE. People with Thaamasic courage indulge in violence out of jealousy, hatred, cruelty and selfishness – against defenseless, nonviolent people. They can be criminals, terrorists and murderers. Taamasic courage makes people essentially indulge in mindless violence and crimes against defence-less people. Every Society must make all out efforts to guard itself against the designs of people with Thaamasic courage. They are more dangerous than wild animals. They are in the society and always planning thaamasic acts (crimes) – and have the guts to carry them out mostly against weak people. Wild animals are predictable and identifiable easily. People with thaamasic courage – are not so predictable.
Another trait frequently seen is – thaamasic people join together easily – to support each other in their cruel acts – while Saathvic and Raajasic people – usually find no such need to come together. But then – this mind set needs change! People with Saathvic and Raajasic Courage must come together - to check the growing violence of Thaamasic People.
FEAR IN RELATION TO TIME:
We have seen Fear with cause, without cause, fearless and courage, the three varieties of courage and how they manifest in the world.
Now – let us also understand the relationship of FEAR to TIME.
Our Fears are related –
(i) Mostly to future and therefore to likely but uncertain events
(ii) to a much lesser extent to Past unpalatable instances with some hurting consequences and
(iii) very little to current or today’s or this moment’s events.
FUTURE RELATED FEARS : Some one expects to die soon – which is a future event – and therefore he / she is afraid. You expect an operation / surgery – a future event - therefore you are afraid. You expect your company to sack you – therefore you are afraid. You expect your spouse to ditch you – therefore you are afraid. You expect to fare poorly in an exam / interview – therefore you are afraid. So, thoughts of a catastrophic event – that may or may not happen – but is related in time to the future, evoke fear in you.
PAST RELATED FEARS : You were in a prison or concentration camp or in Police custody or custody of some terrorists. You were probably tortured then. Its memories continue to evoke fear in you – even though you are now free.
Your first marriage had ended in bitterness two decades ago. Now you are fine and happy. But, the bitter memories sit in you and evoke fears in you periodically.
You contracted a major illness a few years ago. You have recovered fully quickly. But, its experience haunts you for a long time.
You were caught by a wild animal and badly mauled by it. You did escape with minor injuries and recovered. The experience continues to evoke deep fears in you periodically. Thus, past bad experiences do leave their imprint and evoke fears in us. We may not get over them fully. They may not develop into full scale Phobias – but, now and then, they may come back into our memories and create fear in us.
PRESENT RELATED FEARS : You are now faced with a problem. Say, you are being pursued by a wild animal. Or, your child is taken away by a thief – who wants a huge ransom. You are now facing a terrorist. You are facing the problem NOW and you are justifiably afraid.
But, If you look at your life closely, the events which should justifiably evoke fear in you are FEARS RELATED TO THE PRESENT and these are of very short duration. Past and Future related fears – in most cases are UNJUSTIFIED. But only they - did, do and will haunt your life – unless you become FEARLESS and COURAGEOUS.
But, If you look at your life closely, the events which should justifiably evoke fear in you are FEARS RELATED TO THE PRESENT and these are of very short duration. Past and Future related fears – in most cases are UNJUSTIFIED. But only they - did, do and will haunt your life – unless you become FEARLESS and COURAGEOUS.
So, to sum up this post –
Fear comes – mostly from future related events, to some extent from past events, and least from current events. We have also seen that fears can develop into Phobias, or fears may stay as Just fears for short durations. We have also seen the time relationship of fears.
In the previous Blog Post, we have seen that – there is almost nothing in this world – that cannot become a cause of FEAR in some person at some time, in some place, in the world.
From God to ant to the unseen bacteria and virus around us; from the smallest dust particle to the biggest mountain; even our own body parts can be a cause of fear in some of us.
SO WHAT IS OUR NEED?
We must make our journey from fear to fearlessness to courage – in respect of our most common fears.
Can fear as such, of all hues and colours; and of all degrees (smallest to biggest) disappear from our hearts at any time?
Some people and some philosophies say – it is possible. Some have displayed extraordinary levels of fearlessness and Saathvic courage. So – it seems possible. So, let us travel from our common fears to the biggest fears and see what can be done with them all.
From what we have so far seen – the technique appears to be very simple:
- Identify each of your fears (one by one) and the degree of each (small, not so small, big, very big, mind blowing – and so on). Describe it to your self in terms you feel are realistic.
- Identify the justness / unjustness of the fear – and its likelihood of occurring frequently / very rarely / never.
- Identify what exactly you need – the knowledge and skills – to become fearless – especially if the likelihood is frequent.
- Go for acquiring the knowledge and skills – to become fearless.
- Remember that – many times, a mere decision to be FEARLESS – is all that you need to tackle even a just threat / risk. What else is required – will be taught by your fearlessness itself. Some times, more knowledge and skills are needed.
- Practice Fearlessness and courage. Face the threats / risks squarely. If you have no such threats / risks, help some other people facing them to come out of their fear. Use each such occasion to develop fearlessness and courage. As some one said – if your neighbor is in danger and you do not go to his rescue – remember, next time – it will be your turn. I fully agree with who ever said it.
In the Next Post – we will dissect some of our commonest INDIVIDUAL FEARS – and see how easy it is to tackle them each.
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