Source · attributed
#fear
#mind
#freedom
💭 What does this mean to you?
Every soul reads the same words differently. Add your interpretation.
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On the surface, Sadhguru's statement suggests a direct confrontation with fear. It implies that the act of facing what you dread, rather than trying to escape it, is the most effective strategy for its dissolution. This is a counter-intuitive approach, as our natural inclination is to retreat from perceived threats.
Within the framework of Hindu philosophy, particularly as explored in texts like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, this advice points towards the nature of the mind and its relationship with reality. Fear often arises from the ego's attachment to outcomes and its identification with the transient self. By 'embracing' fear, one is not condoning it, but rather observing it without resistance. This practice aligns with yogic principles of *abhyasa* (sustained practice) and *vairagya* (dispassion). When you cease to run from the sensation of fear, you begin to see its impermanent nature, its roots in your own perceptions and conditioning, rather than an external enemy. This disidentification from the fearful response leads to a state of inner freedom, a glimpse of the *Atman* (the true Self) which is beyond the fluctuations of the mind.
In your life: When anxiety arises, instead of immediately seeking distraction or suppression, try to sit with the physical sensations and thoughts of fear for a few moments, observing them without judgment.