Fear

"Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts."

Staying tapped into the Blogosphere will be a welcome challenge for posting relevant info here. To date, I have mainly been virtually exploring dharma centers throughout the States and describing what I perceive of spaces.

But at some point there will be a major break. My engagement with Buddhism transcends the deep attraction I have to the aesthetics of it's practice space. The manner in which Buddhist precepts are so incredibly poised to inform current happenings is, frankly, such an overwhelming topic that I have been simply simmering the issues, to give them full justice when I do decide to finally write extensively about them.

Today over at Bindu Wiles Blog a very frank and candid discussion regarding fear is underway. I have not thumbed through the hundreds (!!!!) of responses there but I am in awe of how many folks put forth a moment of effort to add to the discussion.

Fear shadows the most inconspicuous of situations. We may think things are under control and then there, there is the fear. Fear occurs at home, with the self, with the partner, at work, where you expect it and where you don't. Fear is tremendously equal opportunity in its approach. Fear does not care who you are.

Acknowledging our own sources of fear- fears we may not even be aware of- becomes crucial. Superstitions and distorted perceptions (some of the worst fear inspirers) dissolve in the face of courage and awareness. The ability to, first, acknowledge the fear inspiring source before it reaches a crescendo. Alternately, vulnerability can be seen as natural precursor to the induction of fear and part of a necessary chain of events to hone our fight or flight awareness.

Much like the parent nuzzling the child tearing up over the "monsters under the bed," fear presents us with the opportunity to discuss 'what is,' the nature of realities and our perceptions and to use love as the balm to soothe the angst and worry that fear often brings along.