Dealing with fear

April 7 marks World Health Day, a reminder that true health goes beyond the physical to include mental and emotional well-being. Understanding and overcoming fear is essential to living a balanced and healthy life

“When the mind is free of fear, free of guilt, free of anger, and more centered, then it can heal the system of any ailment.”

One definite thing in life is that everyone is going to die. No one can escape this reality. The only difference is that some people may die a little sooner and some a little later. The doctor dies as well as the patient. The king dies as well as the servant. This is a place where everyone dies.

No one knows how or when he is going to die. If you look at the situation in third world countries, people live in extremely unstable conditions. They are never sure how close death is. There may be a flood, or famine, or even an epidemic. Monsoons may destroy their homes and the entire family can be separated but still, these people are able to smile and enjoy the life that they have.

The quality of our life is very important. The intensity with which we live from moment to moment is essential. Sickness has nothing to do with death. It is the fear associated with having a disease disturbs and weakens one’s whole system. A clear mind free of fear can have a healing effect on the body. So, how do we get over this fear?

First, there is observation: observe this fear. When fear comes, what happens? A sensation arises in the chest region of the body. Observe this sensation and go deep into it. You see, every emotion in the mind creates a corresponding sensation in the body. When you observe sensations, emotions are transformed as sensations in the body and then they disappear. The sensations are released and the mind becomes clear.

If this is too difficult and is not possible to do without some help, then secondly you have the sense of belonging. You belong to God, to the universe, or to some power. God is taking care of me, my master is taking care of me, the divine is taking care of me. This sense of belonging is an easier and simpler way to deal with fear.

If this sense of belonging is not possible, then see the impermanence of everything. Everything is changing around you. You cannot hold on to anything. Things come and things go. Emotions change, behaviours change, everything changes. The world is changing all around you. See the impermanence in everything. You will gain strength from this understanding and the fear will also disappear.

Fear is clinging to something, holding on and not letting go. But there is nothing you can hold on to in this life. One day you have to bid goodbye to everything, absolutely everything, including your own body. This awareness brings an enormous strength from within. Just as the rootcause of fear can be eliminated through understanding and observation, health can be regained by attending to the source of the mind, pure consciousness. Pure consciousness is pure love, and love is the highest healer on the planet. You can say it is your natural self. Love is not just an emotion; it is your existence. It is what you are made up of. To know this, you must be free of fear and anxiety.

One of the techniques I advocate and teach in the Art of living Healing Breath Workshop is Sudarshan Kriya. Sudarshan means the right vision of who you are. Kriya means purifying action. As you practice Sudarshan Kriya, every cell in your body becomes alive and releases toxins and negative emotions it has stored from times past. Kriya cleanses you very deeply; you become more energized and more oxygenated. During Sudarshan Kriya, you are able to dive deep within and experience your own inner Self and see how your Being permeates your body, emotions, thoughts and affects your health. After Sudarshan Kriya, people report that they feel renewed physically, emotionally, mentally and elevated spiritually. They feel more centered and freer.

The Sanskrit word for health, swasta, actually means stabilized in one’s Self. Health means being centered. When the mind is free of fear, free of guilt, free of anger, and more centered, then it can heal the system of any ailment. There is a huge power in consciousness. When you are truly centered, nothing can disturb you. If you throw a small stone in a pond of water, there will be great turbulence, whereas a lake needs a bigger stone to create turbulence. However, nothing can disturb the ocean. Mountains can fall into the ocean, but the ocean remains as it is.

(Writer is a is a globally renowned spiritual leader, humanitarian, and peacebuilder. He is also the founder of The Art of Living foundation, according to the Art of Living)