How to maintain fearlessness?

[Gesundheit]

Hi!

What are some practical ways for reaching and maintaining fearlessness/peace of mind in day to day life?

I've reached a point where I don't see life worth living except from that particular state. It really feels stupid to settle for anything less than that. Why live in fear when you don't have to? Right?

The thing is that the ego is standing in the way, and it's creating fear and therefore not allowing fearlessness. A lot of people have multiple facets and components to their egos, like greed, pride, fear, anger, etc... I think I do too. Although, I think my ego is mostly made out fear and attachment. I've noticed that when I dissolve the ego, I reach the state of not-knowing/fearlessness/peace of mind. But that's only easy when I isolate myself from people. However, as soon as I return to the ordinary life, I start losing awareness and my ego gets reborn. I've noticed that it starts with conscious fear, which im time turns into unconscious attachment, and then it turns into unconscious fear, which then will needs deconstructing to be let go of.

So how can I reach that state and maintain it for good? Is that realistic?

[Moksha]

You can build spiritual muscle. If you are able to realize the state of not-knowing/fearlessness/peace of mind when alone, practice maintaining that state in increasingly challenging circumstances.

Other people are hell ? Maybe set yourself a more realistic level, like maintaining awareness while walking through a park, or while watching CNN. From the place of Consciousness, these passing forms can be hefted, like you are in a spiritual gym. The more you lift, the lighter they seem, not because they have changed, but because your spiritual muscle has grown.

[fridjonk]

Wanting to maintain something will always come with a fear of losing it.

Just tackle your fears and see what happens instead of trying to make it permanent. 

[PurpleTree]

yea man that's a good question

fear has such a strong pull, i also struggle with it

[aurum]

@Gesundheit

You might as well ask how do I become enlightened.

It’s all the work Leo has talked about. Pick your path and go deep with it.

[Nahm]

In letting go of the story of me, there never was fear. 

[Preety_India]

Maybe avoid people as much as you can. Because it seems they create negative energy of fear in you. 

I think what you're looking for is also liberation and not just fearlessness. 

This has come a deep ego attachment coming from the social setup around you. Understand that this is your human body trying to stay comfortable in that setup in that sense of fear to survive. 

Go out for long long walks and say to yourself "everything around me is survival and I no longer find meaning in this meaningless attachment of my ego to survival, I'm truly free and fearless and I can be me." 

See what difference this exercise makes.. The problem is that your mind has been engineered to think a particular way the way people around you think.. But if you retrain your mind to think in free fearless ways you will feel liberated and you will never think like others again. It's only a matter of training your mind to get used to your non attachment to ego needs. 

 

[VeganAwake]

The ego or sense of self desires fearlessness because it believes it will put it at a better vantage point.

What it can't grasp is that the very cessation of itself that constantly desires for a better vantage point is what leads to lasting freedom.

The VERY last thing the ego wants to hear is that nothing needs to be done because this puts it out of a job... it will fight tooth and nail to keep you identified and keep the search going(hamster wheel effect)

"the ego says seek but do not find"

[Eph75]

Fear is like an onion, layered; fear percieved as X, when deconstructed, may very well consist of Y and Z, and X was just a distraction.

Deconstructing multiple fears usually boil down to few underlying needs that are not met. From this vantage point is is much easier to address that underlying thing. 

Around these underlying needs we create encapsulations that allow us to navigate around and away from that which is unpleasent. A control mechanism of sorts, a fear of discovery or subjection of that which causes us some sort of pain. 

Understanding these dynamics redefines what fear is, and, what related anxiety is. It helps with navigating the depth of self, the exploration of ones inner being, and inner wiring, that ultimate can lead to decontruction of whatever that underlying thing may be - uncovering facets of ones ego imposing limitations back on oneself. 

We may think that we are complicated, but we are not, not really. We've just lost ourselves for a moment. Our reactions are complex and chaotic in the sense that they are not predictible in a linear fashion. Yet, peeling those layers of that onion of ours off, the simplicity of being becomes increasingly unveiled.

Try detaching from the what and where fear arises and explore the nature of the experience, and in that sense, peeling off one layer at a time, with loving embrace, to see what is hidden below that which is first percieved. 

[Gesundheit]

11 hours ago, Moksha said:

You can build spiritual muscle. If you are able to realize the state of not-knowing/fearlessness/peace of mind when alone, practice maintaining that state in increasingly challenging circumstances.

Other people are hell ? Maybe set yourself a more realistic level, like maintaining awareness while walking through a park, or while watching CNN. From the place of Consciousness, these passing forms can be hefted, like you are in a spiritual gym. The more you lift, the lighter they seem, not because they have changed, but because your spiritual muscle has grown.

Yeah, I guess so. Thank you. I'll try to increase my mindfulness.

Edited November 24, 2020 by Gesundheit

[Gesundheit]

10 hours ago, fridjonk said:

Wanting to maintain something will always come with a fear of losing it.

Well, I would rather be afraid of losing just one thing than a million other things. Quantity matters.

10 hours ago, fridjonk said:

Just tackle your fears and see what happens instead of trying to make it permanent. 

I can't do that precisely because I have attachments, mainly family. Once I was on a retreat, and I thought that I have transcended fear and attachment. Next thing you know, I went outside and did something borderline dangerous, and the first thing I noticed was that my fear was all about attachment to my family. See, if I was homeless, I would probably not care, but since I have family and I don't want them to get hurt or be in trouble, I have to behave in a certain responsible way. Fear is what's maintaining that for me. How can I be responsible and not afraid?

[Gesundheit]

5 hours ago, aurum said:

@Gesundheit

You might as well ask how do I become enlightened.

It’s all the work Leo has talked about. Pick your path and go deep with it.

I understand that. It's because I've been doing the work that I am now able to realize this. But I don't think it's that simple. A lot of people think they are enlightened when their lives are comfortable and they don't face dangerous situations. It's very easy to be fearless when you're in an ashram. I thought the same thing many times, only to realize that I was bullshitting myself every single time. In this case, lifestyle would be a facade for true enlightenment. And I don't want that. I want to live in fearlessness.

Edited November 24, 2020 by Gesundheit

[Gesundheit]

3 hours ago, Nahm said:

In letting go of the story of me, there never was fear. 

Yeah, I agree.

Can you suggest a few particular practices for that?

[Gesundheit]

3 hours ago, Preety_India said:

Maybe avoid people as much as you can. Because it seems they create negative energy of fear in you. 

I would love to live alone, but I don't see my life unfolding in that direction.

3 hours ago, Preety_India said:

I think what you're looking for is also liberation and not just fearlessness. 

This has come a deep ego attachment coming from the social setup around you. Understand that this is your human body trying to stay comfortable in that setup in that sense of fear to survive. 

Go out for long long walks and say to yourself "everything around me is survival and I no longer find meaning in this meaningless attachment of my ego to survival, I'm truly free and fearless and I can be me." 

See what difference this exercise makes.. The problem is that your mind has been engineered to think a particular way the way people around you think.. But if you retrain your mind to think in free fearless ways you will feel liberated and you will never think like others again. It's only a matter of training your mind to get used to your non attachment to ego needs. 

Thanks. I'll contemplate that.

[Gesundheit]

6 hours ago, VeganAwake said:

The ego or sense of self desires fearlessness because it believes it will put it at a better vantage point.

Won't it though?

6 hours ago, VeganAwake said:

What it can't grasp is that the very cessation of itself that constantly desires for a better vantage point is what leads to lasting freedom.

The VERY last thing the ego wants to hear is that nothing needs to be done because this puts it out of a job... it will fight tooth and nail to keep you identified and keep the search going(hamster wheel effect)

"the ego says seek but do not find"

That sounds nice on paper, but I'm talking about gun to my head kind of fearlessness. Not lying on the couch and eating cheetos.

[Gesundheit]

6 hours ago, Eph75 said:

Fear is like an onion, layered; fear percieved as X, when deconstructed, may very well consist of Y and Z, and X was just a distraction.

Deconstructing multiple fears usually boil down to few underlying needs that are not met. From this vantage point is is much easier to address that underlying thing. 

Around these underlying needs we create encapsulations that allow us to navigate around and away from that which is unpleasent. A control mechanism of sorts, a fear of discovery or subjection of that which causes us some sort of pain. 

Understanding these dynamics redefines what fear is, and, what related anxiety is. It helps with navigating the depth of self, the exploration of ones inner being, and inner wiring, that ultimate can lead to decontruction of whatever that underlying thing may be - uncovering facets of ones ego imposing limitations back on oneself. 

We may think that we are complicated, but we are not, not really. We've just lost ourselves for a moment. Our reactions are complex and chaotic in the sense that they are not predictible in a linear fashion. Yet, peeling those layers of that onion of ours off, the simplicity of being becomes increasingly unveiled.

Try detaching from the what and where fear arises and explore the nature of the experience, and in that sense, peeling off one layer at a time, with loving embrace, to see what is hidden below that which is first percieved. 

Thanks. You're right.

[Nahm]

5 hours ago, Gesundheit said:

Yeah, I agree.

Can you suggest a few particular practices for that?

 

5 hours ago, Gesundheit said:

I would love to ___________, but I don't see my life unfolding in that direction.

See it on a dreamboard. It brings how you want life to unfold into focus, and it does.

There’s a belief to be let go. Most thoughts come & go unfettered, but that belief can be spotted in that is elicits a reaction when that topic, category, or thought arises. A feeling that is undesirable accompanies the belief. In non-reaction, & non-believing the thought, how one has identified with the belief is recognized. The feeling is recognized as the related only to the occurrence of the thought. The feeling is listened to, rather than the thought believed. 

Focusing on fearlessness is perpetuating the belief that that feeling, is fear, when it’s not. “Fear” is a label, a thought, not a feeling. Focusing on what you want on your board, seeing it in front of you brings the limited belief up and out. Let go of what you’re been unwilling to let go of. Experience what you have ruled out thus far. 

One can take a look around at one’s life and see the story ones been telling. One can tell the story of wanted, and one will see that all around as well. 

[Moksha]

6 hours ago, Gesundheit said:

I can't do that precisely because I have attachments, mainly family. Once I was on a retreat, and I thought that I have transcended fear and attachment. Next thing you know, I went outside and did something borderline dangerous, and the first thing I noticed was that my fear was all about attachment to my family. See, if I was homeless, I would probably not care, but since I have family and I don't want them to get hurt or be in trouble, I have to behave in a certain responsible way. Fear is what's maintaining that for me. How can I be responsible and not afraid?

This question goes to the heart of identity. I have been working through a lot of this myself. When you toss a stone into the sea of Consciousness, your realizations ripple outward. It can be disorienting. Everything you based your identity on begins to dissolve.

1. My person is an illusion.

2. The persons I love are also an illusion.

3. The entire world is an illusion.

4. What does morality mean?

5. Why does anything matter?

For me, the solace has been returning to the core realization. I am Consciousness. When I realize Consciousness, what is it? Does Consciousness feel like an alien scientist that is spinning out energy forms in a sterile cosmic laboratory? Partly yes, but it is much more than that. Consciousness also feels infinitely abundant, and eternally brims with light and love. There is no hatred, evil, or suffering in it. These things only exist in the world of form, not because they are Conscious, but because they are Unconscious. The realization of Consciousness is the banishing of these things, and the battle between Consciousness and Unconsciousness goes forever. One cannot exist without the other, and both are inevitable, as long as Consciousness dreams.

This morning, I was wondering why the Buddha, after his enlightenment, felt compassion for the world. He knew that the world is an illusion, including the people in it. Why feel compassion for a dream, with such ferocity that you are willing to leave Nirvana, and spend another 40 years loving characters in the dream?

The Buddha knew that Consciousness created the world for a reason. People are not only dream characters; we are Consciousness itself, dreaming. Consciousness is divine. The creations it enlivens are its temple. We are not just abstract video characters; we are the divine experiencing its own creation.

Sorry for the long answer, but it boils down to this. Realizing Consciousness frees you from fear, but not from responsibility. Waking up from the dream actually creates responsibility. Consciousness is committed to its creation, and it loves through you.

[loub]

I'm working quite closely on fear myself atm. From time to time I like to go to this video to slap some sense into me. Its a masterpiece. Under this premise, i would say you confused a state without fear for fearlessness, but to really live without it would mean to grasp what it is truly, and eradicate the need for it. Fear has a function, it serves a purpose. Good luck, let me know what you think.

 

[Gesundheit]

6 hours ago, Nahm said:

 

See it on a dreamboard. It brings how you want life to unfold into focus, and it does.

There’s a belief to be let go. Most thoughts come & go unfettered, but that belief can be spotted in that is elicits a reaction when that topic, category, or thought arises. A feeling that is undesirable accompanies the belief. In non-reaction, & non-believing the thought, how one has identified with the belief is recognized. The feeling is recognized as the related only to the occurrence of the thought. The feeling is listened to, rather than the thought believed. 

Focusing on fearlessness is perpetuating the belief that that feeling, is fear, when it’s not. “Fear” is a label, a thought, not a feeling. Focusing on what you want on your board, seeing it in front of you brings the limited belief up and out. Let go of what you’re been unwilling to let go of. Experience what you have ruled out thus far. 

One can take a look around at one’s life and see the story ones been telling. One can tell the story of wanted, and one will see that all around as well. 

Thanks. I'll take a look at the dreamboard thing.