Fearlessness can Coexist with Fear, by Gil Fronsdal

निडरता और डर साथ-साथ रह सकते हैं

गिल फ्रौनसडल (५ फरवरी, २०१४)

ध्यान और माइंडफुलनेस अभ्यास में हम डर को भरोसे में बदलना सीख रहे हैं, एक आदर्श या कल्पना की तरह नहीं, बल्कि आत्म-विश्वास के एक ऐसे अहसास की तरह जो डर को अच्छी तरह से जान लेने की वजह से उठता है। बहुत से लोगों को डर से डर लगता है, उन्हें उससे ज़बरदस्त घृणा होती है, और वे खुद को पूरी तरह उस डर के अंदर प्रविष्ट होने की अनुमति नहीं देते। अगर हम अपने आप को अपने डर का आसानी से पूरी तरह अनुभव करने दें, तो आखिर हम जान जाते हैं कि हम उससे परेशान हुए बिना ऐसा कर सकते हैं। विशवास बनता है, केवल विशवास करने की इच्छा बनाने से नहीं, बल्कि खुद यह जान पाने से कि हम अपने अनुभव के लिए मौज़ूद रह सकते हैं और उससे परेशान नहीं हो जाते।

हम में से बहुत से लोगों को समाज द्वारा, अपने खुद की ज़िंदगी के अनुभवों के द्वारा, और हमारे अपने तर्क द्वारा मनवा दिया गया है कि हम अपनी प्राकृतिक अवस्था पर विशवास नहीं कर सकते। हम अपने आप से और अपने अनुभवों से मुंह मोड़ लेते हैं। माइंडफुलनेस अभ्यास में हम सीख रहे हैं कि कैसे अपनी भावनाओं का नाश या उनका नियंत्रण न किया जाए, बल्कि कैसे उन्हें पहचाना जाए और उनके साथ मौज़ूद रहा जाए। जब हम पूरी तरह से उनमें प्रवेश कर लेते हैं और उन्हें जगह देते हैं, तो हमें दिखाई देने लगता है कि वे कैसे काम करती हैं। हमें दिखाई देने लगता है कि हम अपनी भावनात्मक ज़िंदगी और प्रतिक्रियाओं का निर्माण कैसे करते हैं।

इस प्रक्रिया में हम जागरूकता और जो ठीक हमारे सामने है, उस पर ज़यादा से ज़यादा विशवास करना सीखते
हैं। हम जैसे-जैसे अपने डर की तहों को जांचते हैं, हम कौन हैं, इस बात पर हमारा विश्वास बड़े से बड़े दायरों में बढ़ता जाता है। जागरूकता की इस प्रक्रिया को बढ़ते हुए विशवास के दायरों की तरह समझा जा सकता है। जागरूकता तब आती है जब विशवास पूर्ण-व्यापक हो जाता है।

इस प्रक्रिया में, हम जागरूकता और जो ठीक हमारे सामने है, उस पर ज़यादा से ज़यादा विशवास करना सीखते हैं। हम जैसे-जैसे अपने डर की तहों को जांचते हैं, हम कौन हैं, इस बात पर हमारा विश्वास बड़े से बड़े दायरों में बढ़ता जाता है। जागरूकता की इस प्रक्रिया को बढ़ते हुए विशवास के दायरों की तरह समझा जा सकता है। जागरूकता तब आती है जब विशवास पूर्ण-व्यापक हो जाता है।

बिना किसी मदद, सहारे, विचार या दृष्टिकोण के, हम जागरूकता और अपने ज़िंदा होने पर विशवास करना सीख सकते हैं। बौद्ध परम्परा में ऐसे लोगों को डर का नाश करने वाला कहते हैं। वे निडरता की भेंट देते हैं। निडरता सिर्फ डर का न होना ही नहीं है। यह एक अच्छा गुण है जो डर से उत्पन्न होने वाली सीमाओं को पार करते हुए, डर के साथ-साथ ज़िंदा रह सकता है। ऐसी निडरता हमारे आस-पास के लोगों के लिए परम देन हो सकती है। जब हम निडर बनने की शक्ति को बढ़ाते हैं, तो यह हम सिर्फ अपने लिए ही नहीं करते, बल्कि औरों के लिए भी करते हैं।

गिल फ्रौनसडल, "द इशू ऐट हैंड" से

विचार के लिए कुछ मूल प्रश्न: निडरता की भेंट देने से आप क्या समझते हैं? डर और निडरता के एक साथ रह पाने से आप क्या समझते हैं? क्या आप अपना कोई व्यक्तिगत अनुभव बांटना चाहेंगे जहाँ आपने डर और निडरता दोनों का एक साथ अनुभव किया हो?

Seed Questions for Reflection

What does giving the gift of fearlessness mean to you? How do you understand fear and fearlessness existing side by side? Can you share a personal experience where you felt both fear and fearlessness, side by side?

Moved by this reading? Join a live Awakin Circle to discuss in community.

Join this week

More ways to connect

Join a Metta Circle

Practice loving-kindness meditation together

Explore peer-learning pods

Small groups diving deeper into shared themes

Start your own local circle

One living room, one intention — we'll help

Add Your Reflection

18 Past Reflections

Blessings

May 13, 2014

Everything happens for a reason, it seems. Good . . . Bad . . . Or a mixture of both. Since there is good and bad in all things/people, we can just about expect to see "a mix" of possible outcomes/reactions.
The farmer showed wisdom in responding, "maybe". The farmer is essentially saying, "God is God and I am not." (May His will be done.)
The person making a prediction of good and/or bad, "plays god". (Here's how my will was done.)

Sir Michael the Just

Feb 5, 2014

During the civil wars in feudal Japan, an invading army would quickly sweep into a town and take control. In one particular village, everyone fled just before the army arrived - everyone except the Zen master. Curious about this old fellow, the general went to the temple to see for himself what kind of man this master was. When he wasn't treated with the deference and submissiveness to which he was accustomed, the general burst into anger. "You fool," he shouted as he reached for his sword, "don't you realize you are standing before a man who could run you through without blinking an eye!" But despite the threat, the master seemed unmoved. "And do you realize," the master replied calmly, "that you are standing before a man who can be run through without blinking an eye?" - See more at: http://truecenterpublishing.com/zenstory/nofear.html#sthash.EolXjjA5.dpuf

Mish Feb 6, 2014

Thank you for this "Sir Michael"!!

Raghu

Feb 4, 2014

From my experience attachment contains fear in it. When insecurity arise within us fear start dominating. Best way to understand this concept in deep meditation those insecurity, attachment arises and also fear which you can understand and observing without any judgement those emotions evaporate and you feel fearlessness and over a practice of mindfullness and awareness fearlessness will be more.....

Alan

Feb 4, 2014

This was beautifully right on.

Donna

Feb 4, 2014

I think fear and fearlessness are two sides of one

Bob S Feb 4, 2014

Fear is part of the illusion of being human. On earth everything splits into positive and negative, and society focuses on the negative. What if this...? What if that...? I have come to believe that there are only two emotions - love and fear. Fear essentially is the absence of love - not trusting. Spirit is within, so if you learn to love and trust yourself you are learning to trust Spirit. If we learn to live in the moment, we can always access Spirit. We have everything we need, we simply need to remember how to access it

Mish Feb 4, 2014

Right on!!

Amy

Feb 4, 2014

The ultimate Gift Giver of this would be God. Since I have been told (the words) "Do Not Be Afraid" can be found in the bible 365 times! This tells me, by the POWER He invests in me, He wishes me to invest in Him in attempt to face my fears, His way . . . FEARLESSLY.
My DNA and childhood experience lean heavily to the fearful end of the "Fear Spectrum". In calling on The Name of my Father, my Brother and Their Fearless Spirit, I've been able to find a "functional medium". Certainly not perfect in this, I am MUCH LESS fearful with the knowledge I am not alone. Those of Heaven are as close as I keep them. Always

Mish

Feb 4, 2014

FACING my fear...I am empowered...... to live with COURAGE & not be a "PRISONER".....

Amy Feb 4, 2014

AMEN! We have to remind ourselves of this 7 x 7 times a day sometimes. We do we so easily forget?

One of the reasons I believe God brought my husband and me together would be to balance out our fear. My kind of fear paralyzes. His kind of fear, equally unhealthy, is to not regard it. In the middle, You come before us, Lord . lfm

Mish Feb 4, 2014

Blessed be Amy

Always Feb 4, 2014

Most Blessed, be YOU!

david doane

Feb 1, 2014

Fearlessness as the author seems to use it is to not be afraid of my fear or any of my feelings. I can be fearful and not be fearful of my fear, which adds another layer. It's important to remember that my fear and all my feelings are mine, are part of me, are my experience for me to attend to, explore, listen to, learn from rather than deny or disown as I am more likely to do if I fear them. The personal examples that come to mind are times I went ahead and did something even though I was afraid. I didn't feel afraid of my fear -- I didn't like my fear and didn't know how to dissolve or let go of it, and I went ahead and took action while feeling it. I think I could have done better if I weren't fearful, but I did go ahead and not stop myself because of the fear, and I do think of that as courageous. Not being afraid of my fear seems to make it easier to take action that I fear but it doesn't seem to lessen my fear. Taking action even t... View full comment

Ganoba

Jan 31, 2014

Fear gets an entry where ignorance exists. Fear goes with awareness. If we observe fear and not run away from it, we will notice its message, Fear indicates that we are entering a new situation and we need to deal with it in a new way. old methods will not do. They will get us into trouble. So fearlessness is really being fully aware, being fully present.

Linesh

Jan 31, 2014

When you are in love with life, when you like the world given to you, when you are friends with everyone, fearlessness seeps into life.courage is antidote of fear, fearlessness is natural to absence of animosity in life. When we love others,we give them gift of communicating without fear. However when our love produces an attachment with others we fear losing them.Attachment breeds fear. I was fearless in life in friendliness, I have been fearful of losing those dear ones i am attached to. ... View full comment

Me Feb 1, 2014

Fear not. I am with you always.

Conrad P Pritscher

Jan 31, 2014

This Fronzdal article is outstanding. After reading this I feel I fear my fear a bit less. Fearlessness means that it is easier for me to accept myself as I am with my flaws, more easily. Many of my experiences with others include fear and fearlessness. I fear that I will not be liked if others found out who I really am, and on the other hand, I find some acceptance that it's okay not to be liked as much as I want to be liked. Sharon Begley, Reuters science writer, and psychiatrist Schwartz say: “Through mindfulness you can stand outside your own mind as if you are watching what is happening to another person rather than experiencing it herself….Mindfulness requires direct willful effort, and the ability to forge those practicing it to observe their sensations and thoughts with a calm clarity of an external witness….One views his thoughts, feelings, and expectations much as a scientist views experimental data - - that is, as a natural phenomena to... View full comment