Glen, the majority of blogs and articles about fear describe it in negative terms – how fear prevents us from truly living the life we say/think we wish for ourselves, how it keeps us from having, being and doing the things we most desire. Do you think that fear can be a blessing (an inquiry from a reader of my book and blog)?
Response: Humbly and respectfully, in the ages-old health/wellness arts that I teach, coach, and endeavor to follow, there is the notion of learning to better and better “embrace one’s comfort and discomfort equally.” It is consistent with forgiveness – forgiving oneself and others for our fears and mistakes in general. It is also consistent with our (in said arts) notion of ‘true love,’ i.e., there is a love which is beyond, yet inclusive of friendship, familial, and romantic love.
All of these concepts fall under the umbrella of resplendent genuine effort in learning better and better to enjoy a deep, abiding, loving, quintessential spirit of true appreciation (more and more as a way of life). This is in harmony with the notion that, if there is a Heaven, if ‘there is a ‘key to the universe,’ if there is a ‘sixth sense,’ they are rooted in true honesty, promoting of true happiness and true freedom…but MOST importantly, needing less and less to hide behind. Accordingly, we can become more and more healthful conduits between Heaven/heavens and Earth – promote greater harmony between…AND maybe we can even thus promote a greater closeness/affinity/oneness thereof. Oh boy! This is lovingly, selflessly, and altruistically congruent with learning to meditatively/mindfully (in private AND in one’s daily life activities) play the part of the less and less blemished witness to our internal and external environments.
This brings me full circle back to the point of facing one’s fears AND with regard to our fears being potential gifts: Through the wonderfully healthful outlook set forth herein, one can better and better learn to see our discomfort through a more and more healthful lens or spirit. Our fear, frustration, anger, sadness can be witnessed more clearly, for exactly what it is (nothing more/nothing less): We can learn to better and better embrace these negative feelings/thoughts, avoid hanging onto them, and more easily let them go (often the “greatest fear” is of “fear itself” – as Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said).
Negative thinking is often cyclical…thinking the same thing over and over and over again. We can more easily learn to abbreviate this heavy cyclical thinking, when we better and better learn to focus more/all on one thing…MOST especially true/loving appreciation. As we gather greater skill in this, we can realize greater and greater levels of lightness – emotionally, spiritually, even physically – AND maybe even more absorbing of light/healthful energy. Fear CAN be a significant opportunity for substantive growth, or it can be a stagnant plateau which, if we get stuck long enough, can be a living purgatory…a living death. In alleviating this awful pernicious weight/discomfort, it may be possible to caste aside what can be among our most chronic of fears – fear of healthful change (often rooted in craving/desire).
To put it more simply – it is really, really, really difficult to feel this awful weight if one is not thinking of these things…but more importantly – it is really, really, really difficult to feel fear if one is deeply, healthfully, lovingly, selflessly feeling/enjoying a spirit of true appreciation of the miracle of the moment (and learning to do so, more and more EACH moment – more and more as a way of life).
Is there a means by which to witness fear as a gift, to learn to better and better embrace it as an opportunity, a challenge by which to grow? This is a pinnacle of what we can coin as ‘true health through true responsibility,’ whose central features are – displaying dignity, decency, goodness, and grace in our interaction with others (and figuring out how to truly mean it – NO MATTER WHAT); doing the right thing for the right sake…without the need for selfish recognition or hidden agendas. Nothing may be more difficult, albeit it ISN’T as possible to be fearful of ANYTHING when one is so much so Acting Without Acting. Yin to yang…it isn’t possible to be without fear, if one is on ANY level being fake/unreal (inclusive of being dishonest with ourselves). Once we realize that we are ALL so much so in the same common boat in this and all things, then there is less and less to hide behind – less and less to fear. It is the impeccable spirit of true love and true appreciation…selfless…light…AND full of light! It CAN be a ‘glimpse’ of Heaven. — Dr. Glen Hepker
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A Glimpse of Heaven: The Philosophy of True Health 
Thanks so much for this post, Dr Glen. I’ve been reading about this and agree, everything is an opportunity to learn about ourselves and love ourselves.
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You’re so EVER quite welcome, Olga – thanks so VERY much also to you! AND yes,”everything is an opportunity to learn about ourselves and love ourselves.” I am so pleased that you agree and liked the post. Please know it so genuinely means a lot. Brightest of splendid blessings in your day – Glen
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