What are the ways to overcome fears?
Question - Gurudev, what are the ways to overcome fears?
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji - There are Four ways to overcome fears -
1. Observation
You observe fear. When fear comes, what happens? Some sensation arises in the chest. Observe, go deep into the observation of the sensation. Every emotion in the mind creates a corresponding sensation in the body.
When you observe the sensation, then the emotion gets transformed as a sensation in the body and disappears. See that? This observation is a meditation technique. You observe the sensation and the sensation gets released and the mind becomes free.
2. Belongingness
If observation is difficult, then have a feeling of belonging. I belong to God, or God is taking care of me. Or there is my teacher, my master, to whom I belong, my master is taking care of me. The Divine is taking care of me. By having a sense of belonging, the fear goes away. You belong to somebody. You belong to God. You belong to the Master. You belong to this world or belong to some power. With that sense of belonging, fear goes away. This may be easier, simpler.
3. Know the Impermanence of everything
See the impermanence of everything. Everything is changing around you so fast. Even if you want, you can’t hold on to anything. Things come and things go. People come and people go. Their moods change, emotions change. Their way of behaving with you changes. Everything changes. See the impermanence of all things, everything around you. The whole world is changing. Then also you gain strength. Then also fear disappears.
Fear is clinging on, holding on, not letting go. And there is nothing that you can hold on to in this life. Is there anything that you can hold on to? One day you have to bid goodbye to everything. Absolutely everything, including your own body, you will have to say goodbye. This awareness also brings enormous strength from within you and you’ll be able to laugh.
4. Unleash the Power of your Mind with Sudarshan Kriya
One of the techniques that I advocate and teach everywhere is the Sudarshan Kriya. Sudarshan means the right vision of who I am.“Kriya” means purifying action. In one hour’s time, the very first practice, you see how the energy, the mind, and oxygen penetrate deep into every cell of your body and cleanse you on a very deep level. Every cell of your body gets cleansed, energized, and more oxidized.