Running Away From Fear

"What is needed, rather than running away or controlling
or suppressing, or any other resistance, is understanding fear;  that means, watch it, learn about it, come directly into contact with it.  We are to learn about fear, not how to escape from it."

Author Unknown



 In early childhood, I learned how to run away from what I feared or experienced while standing perfectly still.  There are many psychological terms for this, but my focus is not on terminology.

As a child, when life became painful, I would emotionally retreat.  I never felt any sense of power or permission to relax into being my self.  In order to make sense out of my world, I would suppress my feelings and rearrange actual circumstances in order to feel safe.

Through years of education, I came to understand the reasons causing such a reaction within me, and I also attracted greater fears of living.  I learned more sophisticated behaviors to disguise my emotional running, rather than embracing methods for healing. 

Finally, in adulthood, I began to observe my fears and placed my energies into releasing negative people, places, and situations to create a place of safety.  Facing unpleasantness, my life skills grew stronger, but I could still hear my feet pounding down the corridors of my mind, preparing for flight. 

The eventual correction, however, was that I remained in the present moment without being prompted to escape.  Instead of running away, I listened, risking fear and pain.  I mentally instructed myself to emotionally 'stand still' allowing all things to pass through me. 

The desire to follow my spiritual path was stronger than my need to stay hidden.  In order to learn and experience the magic of life, I needed to be open and vulnerable to the lessons presented before me.

Life is filled with challenges and personal growth expands through the most difficult times.  When fear prevents our progress, we need to remember it is an emotion and not a fact.  We need to step through fear and not allow it to be a barrier to our personal freedom.