Overcoming Fear

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A Musing on Overcoming Fear

Five Major Sources That Elicit in Me Fear of Pain

Most important to remember: fear “. . . attracts the very thing you fear.”

Paramahansa Yogananda: “Whatever it is that you fear, take your mind away from it and leave it to God. Have faith in Him. Much suffering is due simply to worry. Why suffer now when the malady has not yet come? Since most of our ills come through fear, if you give up fear you will be free at once. The healing will be instant. Every night, before you sleep, affirm: “The Heavenly Father is with me; I am protected.” Mentally surround yourself with Spirit….You will feel His wonderful protection.”

Paramahansa Yogananda: “Trust in God and destroy fear, which paralyzes all efforts to succeed and attracts the very thing you fear.”

Status in Astral World: because of failure to attain goal
Losing Ron
Gaining weight: not losing to desired goal
Not being able to quit coffee
Accidents, diseases, old age losing ability to function and pain in general

Overcoming Fear of Pain for Each Source

Status in Astral World: because of failure to attain samadhi:

I don’t remember being born in this incarnation. So I don’t remember that it was like when I was last in the Astral World. Leave it to God and Guru: “Forget the past. The vanished lives of all men are dark with many shames. Human conduct is ever unreliable until man is anchored in the Divine. Everything in future will improve if you are making a spiritual effort now.” —Swami Sri Yukteswar

2. Losing Ron: One day at a time. With guidance from God and Guru. We are not given more than we can deal with. Guruji says: “You should be prepared to deal with all problems of health, mind, and soul by common sense methods and faith in God, knowing that in life or death your soul remains unconquered.” I am more likely to shuffle off first, but if I do not, I know I would do what I had to do . . . still ?!

3. Gaining weight or not losing to desired goal: From SRF talk, Brother Anantananda: “Fear disrupts our natural inner harmony, causing physical, mental, and spiritual disturbances. But as we learn to live more in the calm interior silence of the soul, we discover an inner sanctuary where worries and fears cannot intrude — and where we are ever safe and secure in our oneness with the Divine.”

4. Not being able to quit coffee: Remember the little drunk devotee in the lesson “The Bad Man Who Was Preferred By God.”

5. Accidents, diseases, and pain in general: “Daily devotional contact with the Eternal Source of security and resilience is the way to train ourselves to a constant, lived affirmation of our souls’ power to ‘stand unshaken amidst the crash of breaking worlds’.” —A New Year’s Message From Brother Chidananda 2022

Whenever a stray fear pops up such as fear of losing physical and cognitive ability—just let it go just like the others, give it God and Guruji. They are in control, not me.

Most important to remember:

fear “. . . attracts the very thing you fear.”

And then there are regrets:

Biggest regret: that I have not been able to to influence my family to study and follow the spiritual teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda. I must not be a good enough example for them to follow or even wonder about.

Answer: I cannot control the karma of others. I must take care of my own soul. The others belong to God. God is guiding them as He sees fit. Again, let it go and leave it to God and Gurus.