(Adapted from Swami Paramarthananda’s
talk)
Fear is a powerful emotion
which can become a very big obstacle in pursuing any goal and in attaining
success. One thing that anyone can
notice by one’s sheer observation is that fear is common to all human beings,
young and old. In fact it even extends to animals and plants. Therefore, one
can see that fear is an instinctive and a natural emotion which is provided by Lord
in all living organisms. Whatever is
instinctive and natural, one cannot totally condemn or criticize. Since it is
instinctive, since it is natural, and since it is provided by Lord Himself, it
must have some purpose and function. Therefore, one should ask the question -
what is the function of the instinctive fear that is found in all living
organisms, including animals and plants?
The psychologists say that fear is a part of defence mechanism. Fear occurs as a warning signal to alert the
living organisms whenever there is a threat from outside. Whether threat is an actual or a perceived one,
fear acts as a messenger or as a warning signal to alert the organism. It is a messenger, a warning signal so that one
can take precautionary measures to save oneself. Further when fear comes, certain biochemical changes
take place physically and one gets enhanced capacity so that one can have a
fight or flight response. In fear, one gets some extra strength as some enzymes
are secreted and get activated. Even
sensory powers are activated in animals and human beings. Therefore, existence of fear is a blessing as
well at times and one need not have any regrets if fear comes now and then. If one wonders why then fear is talked about
as a problem to be avoided, Scriptures explain that while fear as a messenger
is a blessing, fear as a guest or resident is an obstacle for growth and hence
fear, Bhayam, is classified as Tamo Guna while fearlessness, Abhayam,
is described as Daivi sampath in the 16th chapter of Bhagavad
Gita.
To discourage the mind from entertaining
fear thoughts, Scriptures mention four methods that are strewn all over the
Scriptures. The first method is Yogabhyasa. Training the mind to remove the fear thought
continuing in the mind is Yogabhyasa. Patanjali yoga sutra (1-2) defines yoga as ‘Chitta
Vritti Nirodhaha’ i.e. the capacity to control the flow of thoughts. One controls
the thought patterns and weeds out unhealthy thoughts by training the mind. The fear thought arrives without our will and
without our permission either because of instinct or because of vasanas. But
without support of our will it cannot continue, point out the Sastras. Patanjali yoga sutra (1-12) declares ‘abhyasa-vairagyabhyam
tan-nirodhah’ i.e. through practice and dispassion the thought
pattern of the mind is to be controlled. Therefore, whenever it comes, one
should deflect the attention of one’s mind by giving the mind constructive and
healthy occupation and activity. Even as
the fear arises, one should give an auto suggestion that fear is useless, fear
is obstructive and fear is harmful to one’s health. This practice of deliberate avoidance of fear
thought and deflection when it occurs is called Yogabhyasa.
The second method is Bhakti
Abhyasa. This method is based on the
principle, ‘whenever fear arises in the mind, the impact of fear is inversely
proportional to the self confidence that one possesses’. Lack of self confidence leads to
magnification of the impact of fear. Lesser
the self confidence, greater the impact of fear and greater the impact of fear,
wilder the imagination. Wilder the imagination, weaker the self confidence.
Thus, one gets into a vicious cycle; fear destroying the self confidence and
that improving the fear leading to a panic attack. Therefore, the second method is weakening the
impact of fear by improving self confidence with the thought that I do have the
resources to confront and overcome the threats.
And one of the methods of building up self confidence is Iswara Bhakthi.
“Ishwara sarva bhutanam hruddeshe
arjuna tishtati (The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna,)”
declares Lord Krishna in Gita (18-60). So remembering Bhagawan with
devotion all the time one can draw strength from Bhagawan and boost
one’s self-confidence with the thought that he is not alone and Bhagawan
is always with him. Greater the
self-confidence, lesser the impact of fear.
This practice of deriving strength from the thought of Bhagawan
with Bhakthi to face any threat with self-confidence is Bhakthi
Abhyasa.
The third method is called Vairagya
Abhyasa. This is based on a very
important teaching in our Scriptures that the whole cosmos including the Pancha
Bhutas is the body of the Bhagawan as Vishwa Rupa Iswara. So all the living beings including all our bodies are within the body of the Lord. Therefore,
everything belongs to the Lord. Lord
alone is the owner of everything. Lord alone is the controller of everything. While the individual does not own anything
and cannot control anything, his ignorance causes Mamakara, the feeling
that I own things. Mamakara
causes attachment and attachment causes fear.
Mamakara, claiming ownership and controllership over persons and
objects, is a spiritual offence and Sastras say that fear is a
punishment given by the Lord for this offence.
Renouncing ownership idea over objects and persons in favour of the Lord
leads to removal of cause for fear and is called Vairagya Abhyasa.
The fourth method is called Jnana
Abhyasa. While the other three
methods seen earlier can accomplish only what Swami Paramarthananda calls as
FIR reduction in case of fear, where FIR reduction stands for reduction of
Frequency, Intensity and Recovery period, Jnana Abhyasa can totally
remove fear. This is because in Jnana Abhyasa one does not identify
oneself with one’s body-mind complex equipped with the Athma Jnanam that
one’s real Self is Sat, Chit, Aananda Athma which is no different from Brahman
and has the conviction of the Maha Vakhya “Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman)”
born of Self-knowledge. Fear is for the mind only and claiming one’s higher
stature as Athma and not identifying oneself with the mind, one frees
oneself from fear.
Thus, we have four methods given
by the Sastras for handling fear; Yogabhyasa, Bhakti Abhyasa, Vairagya Abhyasa
for relative freedom from fear and Jnana
Abhyasa for absolute freedom from fear.
---------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment