In the practice circle for an online course I am participating in on ‘soulful aging’, another participant, after recounting a story of a traumatic incident from their youth, asks, “Is this the last fear that I need to fully embrace, accept and pass through?”
Upon reading their words, my mind quickly answered, “There are always more hidden fears.”
Perhaps that is my last fear. That I will come to a final fear, obstacle, hurdle and there will be nothing beyond. Not even bliss. Happiness. Joy. Contentment. Just nothing.
I smile as I write that. It sounds so existential, so empty of the promise of possibility, or as my father would say, referencing the Irish at the root of his being, ‘so James Joyce’.
I am not prone to dark thoughts, so when an automatic response such as I made this morning rises unbidden in my mind, I become curious.
Where on earth would such a dark thought arise from? I wonder.
Why on earth would would my automatic thoughts think that?
In Letters to a Young Poet, Rainier Rilke writes, “Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.” (emphasis mine)
Perhaps, rather than questioning “why would my mind think that?” the question could be, “how does fear limit my living fearlessly in this moment right now?”
Or maybe, “What is in it for me to hold onto fear?”
Or, “How does fear stop love flowing freely?”
You get it.
The questions are limitless.
The gift is found living into the questions to that place where the answer is always the same.
Love Deeply. Share Your heart. Be Grateful. Live Now.
Namaste.
Dare Boldly 
I guess it’s a question of whether we want to ‘fear more’ or ‘fear less’. I prefer fear less, do more – try more, experiment more, fail more …. and fear less fearlessly.
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Love this –” try more, experiment more, fail more …. and fear less fearlessly.” Thanks Mark!
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I love your questions and answers, Louise.
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And I love your presence here Ann ❤
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Fear is the apprehension of that which will or might be experienced. “Nothing” precludes awareness, without which there can be no experience. If the ultimate cosmic twist is that all our participation in this universal journey is to end in “nothing” then we will have transcended awareness and will not experience it. In that sense, “nothing” is nothing to fear.
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That is pretty profound. and wise. Thank you for joining in the conversation — With nothing to fear, there’s nothing to lose! Blessings.
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Another post that makes one think and ponder, I like posts like this
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Thank you Joanne. I like that you like to think and ponder. ❤
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Thank you for sharing this self inquiry Louise 🙏
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It is always good to self-inquire Val — and to know that others are on the journey with me. Thank you! ❤
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Hi Louise, I just thought your response was right on. Probably a level of awareness you’ve reached that allows you to face those fears and not get totally sucked into them. For me, knowing they will always be there in some way takes some of their power away.
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Thank you Tracy! I agree — knowing them, acknowledging them takes some of their power away. Hugs – my blog today is on a similar vein. We can’t push the fears away, we need to lovingly face them. ❤
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Awesome, I’d like to read it.
So true, our resistance to them is what gives them power over us. So cool. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. Everyone has these fears!!
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