AOM Meditations: Tom Daley "Beneath The Surface"

Calvin and Hobbes

“If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, 

I'll bet they'd live a lot differently. ”

~Bill Watterson

~*~

Tom Daley

Beneath The Surface

YouTube Direct Link: https://youtu.be/KjQ-4W7Yb7U

AOM TV: Susan David - The Science of Fear-Mongering

Susan David

The Science of Fear-Mongering: 

How to Protect Your Mind from Demagogues

YouTube Direct Link: https://youtu.be/lXqdGZXyFUw

AOM Meditations: 110719

The cliffs of Le-Bouille (1884) Paul Gauguin

~*~

“There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.”

~John Lennon

~*~

~*~

AOM Meditations: 072419

 Breezing Up (A Fair Wind) by Winslow Homer

~*~

“I must not fear. 

Fear is the mind-killer. 

Fear is the little-death 

that brings total obliteration. 

I will face my fear. 

I will permit it to pass 

over me and through me. 

And when it has gone past 

I will turn the inner eye to see its path. 

Where the fear has gone 

there will be nothing. 

Only I will remain.” 

~Frank Herbert

(Dune)

~*~

“Don't be afraid of your fears. 

They're not there to scare you. 

They're there to let you know 

that something is worth it.” 

~C. JoyBell C.

~*~

~*~

AOM Meditations: 121917

Dance II (1910) by Henri Matisse

Thanks to a Friend for sending us this beautiful art

~*~

4 Steps to Facing Your Fears

By Jesse Jacobs

(Source)

"Fear is sticky, like glue. The initial emotion of fear may only last a few minutes, but if we let it linger, it can get stuck in our system for days, months, or even a lifetime.

The sensation of fear is effective if it protects us from real threats. The fight-or-flight reaction has helped humans escape life-threatening dangers over the millennium. But in this era of thinking, creating, and problem solving, our fears are usually unfounded. And when fear sticks in our system, it becomes a toxic influence on our choices, emotions, and actions.

Here are a few tips for getting fear out of your system:

1. Label it.

The first step is to simply notice your fear. As soon as you feel that tightness in your chest, just say, “I’m feeling afraid.” By labeling the fear, you separate the feeling from who you are. It is just a sensation.

2. Accept it.

Once you notice your fear, don’t judge yourself for feeling this way. You’re human; to feel fear is part of our DNA. Instead, be proud of it–if you’re feeling fear, you’re likely pushing your comfort zone and fighting the good fight. Let the feeling flow through you.

3. Let it go.

This is the hardest part, because a part of our mind feels safer clinging to the fear. It feels productive, and we worry that if we let go of the fear, it’ll sneak up and catch us off-guard.

But there’s a difference between being aware of your risks and clinging to fear. Let your fear go, and like a passing rain shower it will soon dissipate.

4. Focus on the present.

Most people dwell on future outcomes that will probably never happen, or past failures that don’t define who we are. We can avoid useless fear by instead focusing on the present.

How do you get present? By stopping right here and now, and taking a breath. As soon as you feel that knot in your stomach, stop everything you’re doing and just sit with it. Turn off your phone, step away from your computer, and take three breaths. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.

In that pause, you can let the fear run its course. And once the storm has passed, you’ll move on, stronger and better equipped to face life’s challenges."