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Today many fears seem woven into the very fabric of our society, such as fear of terrorism, fear of epidemics, fear of a bad economy, fear of commitment, and fear of losing a job, as well as fear of being separated from people we love, fear of loved ones dying, and the all-encompassing fear of the future.

Many of our present fears are rooted in delusions, which are distorted ways of looking at ourselves and the world around us. Most fears also appear to be based on illusions. An illusion, as I’m using the word, refers to faulty interpretations and conclusions the mind makes about real or imagined circumstances. But if we learn to deal with the mind that creates the fears and to reduce and eventually eliminate the delusions and illusions, our fears themselves can likewise be diminished and in many cases eliminated.

Avoiding Real Dangers

If a fear has some rational basis, one obvious step is to take action to change that basis — for example, quitting smoking if there’s a fear of getting cancer. Avoiding real dangers is a way of dealing with some fears; for example, avoiding a known violent person, not crossing a busy street without a crosswalk, or not flying in an airplane during a major storm. Of course, such fears can become exaggerated to the point where they become phobias that prevent people from engaging fully with life.

Nevertheless, most of the issues people have shared with me over the years haven’t concerned real threats. Rather, they’re rooted in some form of anxiety that arises from projecting ideas about what might happen or could happen, but that may not even be likely to happen. These kinds of fears include “What if” scenarios. But why fear what hasn’t yet happened or may not even be likely to happen?

Such fears have their roots in the ego and its endless fear of annihilation. Generalized anxiety may also relate to a pattern set up in the subconscious mind, perhaps relating to childhood, heredity, or even an energy pattern transferred from a parent or ancestor.

What To Do About Fear

Whatever the source, fear is abundant among human beings. It isn’t worth blaming yourself for having anxiety and fear. You aren’t alone in experiencing them. But you do have the ability to release them. The ego will always signal you about the next thing that needs release. Being attentive to reactions coming to the surface presents you with tremendous opportunities for growth.

Start by observing your thoughts and feelings because they are clues about what you need to release. Catching yourself while a reaction is happening isn’t always easy, but if you pause a few times during the day and ask yourself what you’re experiencing, your answers will indicate what you need to release and clear.

What Have I Been Experiencing?

I suggest you stop what you’re doing every hour or so if possible, and tune in to yourself and ask: “What have I been experiencing during the previous hour?” This is a helpful process that enables you to become more mindful as well as to discover what issue or pattern to bring to your soul-solution process. One way to help you remember to do this is to carry a small, inexpensive electronic timer in your pocket, and set it to vibrate every hour. The vibration is your reminder to check in with yourself. After a few weeks you’ll find that you’re automatically more mindfully aware all the time.

As you tune in to your body, let yourself sense the feelings. Then recognize that it isn’t the real you causing these reactions and feelings. You might approach this disidentification process as if you were watching a movie of someone experiencing the same fear or anxiety. Observe yourself and your patterns as if you were a character in a movie.

Why Worry About Worry?

Worry and anxiety are among the most common forms of fear. But with all the techniques out there to deal with fear, and with none of us wanting to feel fear, why does fear remain so prevalent?

One reason many techniques don’t succeed in completely eliminating our fears is that they don’t always address the causative factors that extend beyond the conscious and subconscious minds. Fear not only operates through the conscious and subconscious minds; it also exists in subtle realms of consciousness.

The collective consciousness of humanity still seems to view life as a never-ending struggle. Amazingly, even those who seem to be above and beyond this perception are nonetheless influenced by it in some respect. Even those who have a lot of money may have areas where they feel lack — a subtle fear pattern — whether in the arena of health, relationship, or general happiness.

The Illusion Of The Past

Another way fear expresses itself is as a belief that the past is somehow true in the present. For example, if you’ve lost money on an investment in the past or made a foolish mistake, you might fear similar experiences in the future. This is a hasty conclusion based on a faulty assumption.

The truth is that the past is nothing more than a memory, and it has no real existence other than what we project on it. We benefit greatly when we no longer treat the past as a determiner of our present or future. This doesn’t mean forgetting your past — the past provides wisdom that can help prevent needless pain and suffering — but it does mean letting go of the painful aspects and struggles of the past. You can begin this process of release by tuning in to any uncomfortable feelings the past is creating in the present and stating an affirmation, such as, “I release and let go of the painful feelings I am feeling about my past.”

Making such conscious statements of release sets your inner intention, which you’ll then want to follow with a healing approach. The healing approach that most effectively deals with fear is the way you live life itself.

This article was excerpted with permission from the book:

The Soul Solution: Enlightening Meditations for Resolving Life's Problems
by Jonathan Parker.

This article was reprinted with permission of the publisher, HJ Kramer/New World Library. ©2011. www.newworldlibrary.com

Click here for more info or to order this book on Amazon.

About the Author

Jonathan Parker is the founder and director of Quantum Quests International. Jonathan has university degrees in Education, Chemistry, Theology, Counseling Psychology, and Human Behavior & Development. For over 30 years he has been a counselor, workshop facilitator and author of one of the largest self-development libraries in the world. His outstanding TV programs, "Mind Power," "Self-Empowerment" and "Winning at Weight Loss" have brought his results-oriented approach to millions. His recordings, workshops, and retreats offer inspiring and life-changing experiences. Audio programs of meditations similar to those in his book The Soul Solution are available at www.jonathanparker.org.

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