Have you experienced fear that robs you of the joy of each moment? Have you, as the person, been afraid of the so-called future? Have you, in the dark of night, tossed about in a bed of worries about the coming day? If such is the case, there’s a solution of which you may be unaware. Here, I offer you a short passage from Teachings of Ramakrishna:

Q: What is the nature of absolute reliance?

A: “It is like that happy state of comfort and satisfaction which is felt by a weary man when, reclining on a pillow, he smokes at leisure after a hard day’s toil: it is the ceasing from all anxiety and fear.”

The peace that is described in the passage is not achieved by actions taken by the person. In fact, to attempt any actions from that perspective will almost certainly fuel our anxiety, or at best allow a brief reprieve. To rest in peace, deeply and fully, we must recognize our essential nature beyond name and form. To do so is to discover the peace that passeth all understanding.

To understand this clearly, it’s important to realize that fear which arises in the form of persistent anxiety and worry belongs to the perspective of the false self, also referred to as the person. Our body-mind is imbued with natural protective instincts that are intended to keep it safe; these usually function perfectly and should be heeded. However, prolonged anxiety and stress is generated by the fictional “i,” which believes itself to be separate from All That Is. Fear of any nature does not belong to true Self, because That which we truly are has nothing to fear. Since it is One, there is literally nothing to oppose It.

How do we adopt this point of view? We do not attempt to do anything from the human perspective; and neither do we repress our fears and just pretend to be brave. In both cases, we would merely be adding another layer of belief to the false self. To arrive at true fearlessness, we must go within and knowingly recognize That which we actually are. To do so is to practice self inquiry. When we habitually become still (meditate) and know that I am God; we realize that we never were the person. We are Consciousness, in which the perspective of our body-mind appears. It was only our our human conditioning that has made us process experience in such a fearful manner.

When we recognize that our higher Self is actually in charge of our life, we realize that we are free to live fearlessly. We learn to trust and have faith during circumstances that seem very uncertain. And the more that we trust That, which is our true nature, the more easily we flow with life. John 14, offers more words of inspiration: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2022 – R. Arthur Russell

P.S. Please share this article if you enjoyed it. If you’d like to view my latest book (This Taste of Flesh and Bones–released September 8, 2020), press here. My YouTube videos may be found through this link. May the content of either or both help you along your spiritual journey. 🙏🧡

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