I use art therapy for my own and to help clients ‘meet’ their fear. I get them to represent it in colour, shape and size on large sheets of paper with wax crayons. I then invite them to look at see what it ‘NEEDS’? Again simply with colour, shapes etc. They always find a way to meet it and regulate their nervous system with this simple exercise.
Love your talks (and meditations) thanks Tara xx
Using relaxation techniques such as counting my breath , breathing deeply , body scans , listening to one of your presentations
Thinking and believing my message is so important I have to deliver it
Accepting that I am feeling fear and exploring its catalyst, which is always an assumption that something not-so-good will occur in the future. I then remind myself that the future is unknowable and to focus on ‘The Now’ instead.
Fear is in our minds and thoughts, by thinking of a positive outcome I can eliminate some of the negative thoughts. It’s an ongoing process because fear can appear any time. I help my clients by teaching Mindfulness and Mindful Tapping
I experience fear in my long term relationship that had chronic effects. Frequently feeing judgmental, doubting my relationship, and then wanting to run, withdraw. I also experience a lot of anxieties about other relationships but generally the outcome is reversed so I feel self judgmental and critical. Through mindfulness practise and self compassion training (mostly with Tara’s material – thank you Tara!) I’ve done some work on this and I’m now sure it is fear at the root of my doubt judgments about my partner. But I’m still working to find out WHAT exactly the deep fear is. Also, it’s so strong, and the reaction to judge and condemn is so automatic and habitual, quite often it’s swept me before I can catch it, even with all the Mindfulness training. So I really need to do more, but I don’t know how and I’m starting to wonder if the pattern can ever change. I hope so so that I can save my relationship. (We have a little boy together and are mostly very happy!)
It is the feeling of quietude I get every time after I face fear conscientiously. Once I have learnt that it is doable, I really look forward to having the burden taken off my chest and being able to breathe freely again.
When I face my fears, it is from a decision to do so. And, I go out and do it, fear and all. I don’t know what finally brings me to that point of willingness/readiness. I think about something I really want to do, and I think I just make up my mind to do it.
I’m thankful because my grandmother poured so much of her love into me as a child but then she passed away when I was six. She was only 54 years of age – I learned from that, that love doesn’t stay for very long in my life and from then there has only been love with conditions. After she passed away my life was then full of abuse, on all levels. Any good that did come into my life never stayed…so I developed a limiting belief within me that ‘shit will always hit the fan’. And, my life just echoed and reflected this back to me – the other most important person in my life, my grandfather passed away when I was 11yrs and I lived in a home where I felt unloved, unwanted, unsafe and unworthy.
The flip side of this is that I am actually very talented and intelligent but I find it incredibly difficult to follow though i.e. four careers – professional performing artist, chef, sexologist, and entrepreneur. I’ve reached a level of success in all that I’ve done but then the fear of success creeps in again and I let myself and others down. I sabotage any chance of great success because I don’t know how to lovingly-accept myself. All I hear is how useless and worthless I am.
All my romantic/sexual relationships have failed spectacularly and I also find it difficult to make friends now as I believe that I’m not good enough.
I fear success more than anything else and this fear gives me all the excuses I need to be inconsistent and unreliable and uncommitted. Whenever that proverbial shit hits the fan I think, ‘yep, I was right…I’ll never be any good. I’ll never be loved. I’ll never be happy. I’ll never be healthy’.
I first attempted to kill myself when I was 11 – couldn’t even do that right! Since then I’ve contemplated suicide often but when I meditate and speak sincerely with Source, I am reminded to stay and that I am here to contribute to the ‘grand narrative’ – the big picture, in a positive way. The greatest curse that we humans face is that we forget. We forget to acknowledge the loving-awareness of Source that is always here. We forget loving-acceptance and loving-understanding and loving-appreciation. Instead we remember the time a stranger once called us fat and ugly or when a teacher said that we had no talent.
I’m here, watching these videos etc because I need assistance to help me to remember…my grandmother would want me to remember how creative I am. She would want me to remember that I can use my smarts to bring about optimal health and radiant happiness.
I face fear with the realization that so many others share the same fears I have. And that includes the person I might be fearful of. And usually my fear is based on my belief that I am not adequate to deal with my fear. But…if others share that same fear doesn’t that mean they are inadequate also hence doesn’t that make us equals?
Knowing that it’s ok for fear to be there makes its management achievable. Most of us know how futile it is to try to banish fear, but allowing it to remain gives it a loving space amidst the many elements of our emotional landscape. It provides depth and contrast in the self portrait.
I used to have high social anxiety. I am learning and practice kindness and mindfulness, and your radical acceptance. When I repeat “may you be happy, may you be kind, may you be peaceful”, I begin to trust that everybody is kind in their heart, and feel compassionate when they act intentionally rude, then and my social anxiety decreased dramatically.
I am afraid of my problem, my fear, my rudeness, my anger, my resentment…when I build a common trust, there is no wall between I and others…my fear disappear..
I lost my partner last March 2nd!! (I am a recovering addict of 11yrs on 27th this month) I have lost my dad age 40 massive heart attack I was with him age 11,my sis age 30 massive heart attack, and fluid in her lungs also my childhood best pal, age 23, then my mum to cancer! (Apart from my partner) those yrs ago I never was in a bad place and never addressed or spoke about my past buried it due to addiction , so av had to face my biggest fear for my loss!! Addiction free n face my fears on a emotional/and trying to council myself, also bought a book called secrets(how to retrain my brain, be more open minded , only myself has to help my healing , would love to Learn meditation , thank you kind lady ????
Rest well, sleep well, take it a bit more slowly, breathing more aware, reduce other distractions/sounds, fresh air and the realization its just fear, understanding it why it happens from a rational/cognitive way and then try be kind to myself and sooth myself, talk with people close to me about it that can help me cope or make me feel safe, a hug.
Grounding in the Truth of the present moment, with the affirmation of:
I AM COURAGE. Usually followed with:
I AM LOVE, and in this precious moment in time, fear is not recognized here.
What helps me face fear is by being aware of it. The next step I do is sit with it in stillness. I tell myself that it is ok, and that it’s just fear. Sometimes I can feel it pass right through me. Other times I have to go back through the process again and even again. It’s so beautiful when I get to the place where my mind is quiet and a spaciousness opens up.
I try to identify very specifically what it is that is causing fear, so I am better able to think rationally about it. Then, I ask myself what is the absolute worst possible thing the cause of this fear could do to me, what is the worst possible outcome? This helps to put things into perspective, because most of the time the worst possible outcome turns out not to be all that bad in the bigger scheme of things.
I have been working with my therapist to stop practicing worry thoughts and we’ve come up with a strategy that is working for me; I give the thoughts to a funny character, Arnie the Donut, to say, thus changing my relationship to the thoughts-I’m not rehearsing the thoughts over and over, and it’s kind of funny to think of a donut talking. Mindfulness and your podcasts and meditations have also helped me significantly! Thank you so much.
As a child I lived with a lot of fear created in me by my unstable and violent mother. Somehow I learned that no matter what happened there was an important part of me at my centre that she could never touch. That awareness became and remains my source of courage to calmly face many fearful situations. Meditation, breath awareness and mindfulness have helped me a whole lot too through my adult years. But now in my sixties, I find that when I’m faced by situations where I am utterly helpless to change things, I get lost in repetitive thoughts full of anger and resentment. For the most part, I just breathe and stay quiet and let the thoughts pass by but sometimes I can’t and I let those thoughts become angry and resentful words to those I love most. I am so sad about this.
Accepting fear as experienced in the body. And, appreciating how our bodies have born emotions, particularly fear. Yoga is a beautiful blessing in my life. As a Christian, I have Faith that yoga is perfectly aligned with the Scripture, “Love bears all things.” God is Love. Our Divine Creator gave us our bodies to bear our emotions and experience Loving kindness and Compassion. Blessings and Namaste ?
I guess I haven’t faced my fear as I’m always running from it. However something incredible recently happened that may he the catalyst for change. I was in a pretty ordinary state feeling withdrawn and detached, to shake me out of it my husband suggested we go do an “easy” canyon together with some close friends. Normally I’d make an excuse fearing I didn’t have the physical abilities but in this instance i was so over myself and hed gone to such lengths to convince me that it would be ok reassuring me that there would be no abseils rather long cool swims in a large and expansive canyon with a bit of a bush walk in and out. So I did it.
Well, It was far from easy it was darn right scary at times, and yes there was an abseil! In fairness to him the guide book had said no abseils. But we were on the track and there was no turning back so I sucked it up and did it. I broke down into tears once I got through it as all my fears washed through me. However once I knew I was through the worst of it I was able to relax a bit and start to enjoy the exquisite place I was in. I even got to walk through a glenn filled with fireflies at twilight, the experience being one of the most magical moments of my life.
A Trauma expect I ran a workshop with asked us to create a card we could carry in our wallet or purse with the question
” What would my brave heart do? What would my brave heart say?”. We decorated the card, laminated it and were asked to look at it regularly especially when we were faced with an emotional response, difficult challenge or confronting situation. It was a great way of creating a different dialogue for me when my mind was consumed with anxiety or defensive thoughts which I came to understand, were just fear responses. I can be brave and face these things calmly and with a sense of control over my own responses but I found the strategy of “stopping, reframing my thoughts and responding as a brave heart would” a very effective tool. Having a physical “touch stone” helped embed this practice for me.
Hi! Normally my loving kindness practice can address my fear. But I have been suffering from bad asthma and the medications given to me have made me hard. I have had such a difficult time accessing the softness of my heart and meditation has become difficult. I am dealing with depression at my state. But I have not, and never will, stop believing in the ocean of God’s love. I now this too will pass.
Listening to this first video was a step in that direction. Thank you Tara!
I have learned to face fear with the help of Tara and her husband’s flute.
I meditate regularly and try to work proactively to face my fear and put into place concrete efforts to resolve the sources of my fears while at the same time accepting them and knowing I won’t always be successful in subduing them but accept them like an important but troublesome family member. Tara has been of great help to me for many years in learning about how to live with my feelings. I do not know what I would have done without her OR her husband’s flute.
Hi Tara!
Thanks for your wonderful teachings! You are an inspiration for me and others ?
Whenever I recognize the fear, I know it is the ego working through me. Meditation and breathing exercises help me reconnect with myself and find love and peace in my heart. Also, saying out loud all the things I am grateful for takes me out of the insanity that fear can cause.
I feel my body and breath and try to pay attention to what I am experiencing. I also have a small sketch book and markers close at hand and I draw what I feel.
This has help me as an artist and allowing me to respond the way I feel most natural and there is a better connection to my true myself.
What prevented me from facing fear for much of my life was that I didn’t even know what I was feeling. I didn’t recoginize fearfulness. I “froze” whenever I was faced with something I didn’t understand and gradually blocked it totally out. This resulted in my not engaging in relationships that might have been very fulfilling. I’m older now and can see how that reaction altered my life’s path. I’ve always been curious how my life would have been different had I known how to recognize and face fear.
I help clients face fear by teaching the return to fear based origins, exposing underlying currents that have destabilized the energy field, and supporting restoration of integrity to the whole system.
Accepting the fear in the body by Noting, then breathing In and Out without
judgment or changing and fixing it .
Saying ‘it was then and it is now ‘ , great soothing line.
I often ask my clients to make friends with their fear. It has helped me and usually helps the clients who are willing to try it out. It’s often my fear I’m afraid of, but my fear can’t hurt me. And if I own it and work together with it, we can better address whatever it’s alerting me to. I also feel much less alone. It’s really neat too to watch as clients toy with the idea and then come in one day ecstatic that they did it or get it now! Or to listen as they explain their journey with it to another member in the group. 🙂 I still feel fear but I respect it. It also helps to learn to trust the fear and to trust that I’ll know when something really is wrong.
Breathing into the fear. Also reminding myself that I am part of the wider world and that everyone else feels a little frightened too. Feeling compassion for that.
My clients and I work on identifying and connecting with somatic experiences connected with fear. I find that sometimes EMDR helps with this. We also use meditation and breathing exercises.
Thanks Tara- excellent guidance! I appreciate your kindness and generosity as well as your wisdom and gentle manner. Plus you are the best story-teller!
I like to tap small intestine points on the “Karate Chop” part of the edge of my hand under the little fingers and repeat 3 times: (as in TFT or EFT)
“I love and accept myself even though I feel fearful” (or a more specific description). This grounds me, relaxess my breathing and also expands my awareness to allow me comfort and trust in the world, once more.
I find meditation helps. I’ve been working on myself for sometime, but usually forget to do breathing, felt sense exercises when I need them.
I’d really like to see a Tara Brach or Sounds True app that I could reach for at any time. The Head Space meditation app has helped me a great deal, and I meditate most days. A Tara Brach app would be wonderful.
Through mindful practices especially the central practice of lovingkindness which even if I sometimes have a cynical skeptic in me that cringes at the concept, I can access this quiet, still, vast place that helps me ground to a more kind attention towards myself. Instead of the extra layer of judgement on top of the fear keeping it “frozen “ or “ running” or “guarding”( freeze, flight, fight) I am sort of able to see it for its vulnerable, scared,adrenal,chronic anxiec self and bring more kindness to it. And that kindness truly eases it some. Then by practicing this access daily I am able to reference it for my patients in their moments of fear and not only say I too am or have been afraid but here is a place you can find inside yourself.. you can say it is neuroplasticity, or hypnotherapy, this human incarnation,lovingkindness or God- so many different possible ways to find it but it is inside you and your consciousness. I may not use these words, we have to remain with professional boundaries, but bringing the essence of compassionate curiosity and the trust that this person can find their way through with this kindness towards themselves is reinforcing and inspiring.
I use art therapy for my own and to help clients ‘meet’ their fear. I get them to represent it in colour, shape and size on large sheets of paper with wax crayons. I then invite them to look at see what it ‘NEEDS’? Again simply with colour, shapes etc. They always find a way to meet it and regulate their nervous system with this simple exercise.
Love your talks (and meditations) thanks Tara xx
Using relaxation techniques such as counting my breath , breathing deeply , body scans , listening to one of your presentations
Thinking and believing my message is so important I have to deliver it
Accepting that I am feeling fear and exploring its catalyst, which is always an assumption that something not-so-good will occur in the future. I then remind myself that the future is unknowable and to focus on ‘The Now’ instead.
Regular mindfulness and meditation. Checking in with how Im feeling. Acceptance and kindness.
Fear is in our minds and thoughts, by thinking of a positive outcome I can eliminate some of the negative thoughts. It’s an ongoing process because fear can appear any time. I help my clients by teaching Mindfulness and Mindful Tapping
Whatever is going to happen is going to happen,
and being able to accept this result, makes it easier
I experience fear in my long term relationship that had chronic effects. Frequently feeing judgmental, doubting my relationship, and then wanting to run, withdraw. I also experience a lot of anxieties about other relationships but generally the outcome is reversed so I feel self judgmental and critical. Through mindfulness practise and self compassion training (mostly with Tara’s material – thank you Tara!) I’ve done some work on this and I’m now sure it is fear at the root of my doubt judgments about my partner. But I’m still working to find out WHAT exactly the deep fear is. Also, it’s so strong, and the reaction to judge and condemn is so automatic and habitual, quite often it’s swept me before I can catch it, even with all the Mindfulness training. So I really need to do more, but I don’t know how and I’m starting to wonder if the pattern can ever change. I hope so so that I can save my relationship. (We have a little boy together and are mostly very happy!)
I practice RAIN.
To trust that I’ll do what is needed when needed.
It is the feeling of quietude I get every time after I face fear conscientiously. Once I have learnt that it is doable, I really look forward to having the burden taken off my chest and being able to breathe freely again.
When I face my fears, it is from a decision to do so. And, I go out and do it, fear and all. I don’t know what finally brings me to that point of willingness/readiness. I think about something I really want to do, and I think I just make up my mind to do it.
Kia ora,
I fear success most of all.
It seems that I’m scared of goodness.
I’m thankful because my grandmother poured so much of her love into me as a child but then she passed away when I was six. She was only 54 years of age – I learned from that, that love doesn’t stay for very long in my life and from then there has only been love with conditions. After she passed away my life was then full of abuse, on all levels. Any good that did come into my life never stayed…so I developed a limiting belief within me that ‘shit will always hit the fan’. And, my life just echoed and reflected this back to me – the other most important person in my life, my grandfather passed away when I was 11yrs and I lived in a home where I felt unloved, unwanted, unsafe and unworthy.
The flip side of this is that I am actually very talented and intelligent but I find it incredibly difficult to follow though i.e. four careers – professional performing artist, chef, sexologist, and entrepreneur. I’ve reached a level of success in all that I’ve done but then the fear of success creeps in again and I let myself and others down. I sabotage any chance of great success because I don’t know how to lovingly-accept myself. All I hear is how useless and worthless I am.
All my romantic/sexual relationships have failed spectacularly and I also find it difficult to make friends now as I believe that I’m not good enough.
I fear success more than anything else and this fear gives me all the excuses I need to be inconsistent and unreliable and uncommitted. Whenever that proverbial shit hits the fan I think, ‘yep, I was right…I’ll never be any good. I’ll never be loved. I’ll never be happy. I’ll never be healthy’.
I first attempted to kill myself when I was 11 – couldn’t even do that right! Since then I’ve contemplated suicide often but when I meditate and speak sincerely with Source, I am reminded to stay and that I am here to contribute to the ‘grand narrative’ – the big picture, in a positive way. The greatest curse that we humans face is that we forget. We forget to acknowledge the loving-awareness of Source that is always here. We forget loving-acceptance and loving-understanding and loving-appreciation. Instead we remember the time a stranger once called us fat and ugly or when a teacher said that we had no talent.
I’m here, watching these videos etc because I need assistance to help me to remember…my grandmother would want me to remember how creative I am. She would want me to remember that I can use my smarts to bring about optimal health and radiant happiness.
Naaku noa, naa – with a sincere heart, love
Toa
I face fear with the realization that so many others share the same fears I have. And that includes the person I might be fearful of. And usually my fear is based on my belief that I am not adequate to deal with my fear. But…if others share that same fear doesn’t that mean they are inadequate also hence doesn’t that make us equals?
Knowing that it’s ok for fear to be there makes its management achievable. Most of us know how futile it is to try to banish fear, but allowing it to remain gives it a loving space amidst the many elements of our emotional landscape. It provides depth and contrast in the self portrait.
I used to have high social anxiety. I am learning and practice kindness and mindfulness, and your radical acceptance. When I repeat “may you be happy, may you be kind, may you be peaceful”, I begin to trust that everybody is kind in their heart, and feel compassionate when they act intentionally rude, then and my social anxiety decreased dramatically.
I am afraid of my problem, my fear, my rudeness, my anger, my resentment…when I build a common trust, there is no wall between I and others…my fear disappear..
I lost my partner last March 2nd!! (I am a recovering addict of 11yrs on 27th this month) I have lost my dad age 40 massive heart attack I was with him age 11,my sis age 30 massive heart attack, and fluid in her lungs also my childhood best pal, age 23, then my mum to cancer! (Apart from my partner) those yrs ago I never was in a bad place and never addressed or spoke about my past buried it due to addiction , so av had to face my biggest fear for my loss!! Addiction free n face my fears on a emotional/and trying to council myself, also bought a book called secrets(how to retrain my brain, be more open minded , only myself has to help my healing , would love to Learn meditation , thank you kind lady ????
I will share my fear to others and try to find ways to solve the fear or avoid it.
Prayer and meditation. Working my 12 step Alanon program. Sharing with a trusted friend.
Meditation
Remembering:
F=false
E=evidence
A=appearing
R=real
4-5-6 Breathing
Rest well, sleep well, take it a bit more slowly, breathing more aware, reduce other distractions/sounds, fresh air and the realization its just fear, understanding it why it happens from a rational/cognitive way and then try be kind to myself and sooth myself, talk with people close to me about it that can help me cope or make me feel safe, a hug.
Mindfulness, perspective: “the awareness of fear is not fearful”
Grounding in the Truth of the present moment, with the affirmation of:
I AM COURAGE. Usually followed with:
I AM LOVE, and in this precious moment in time, fear is not recognized here.
What helps me face fear is by being aware of it. The next step I do is sit with it in stillness. I tell myself that it is ok, and that it’s just fear. Sometimes I can feel it pass right through me. Other times I have to go back through the process again and even again. It’s so beautiful when I get to the place where my mind is quiet and a spaciousness opens up.
I find myself avoiding doing the things that would bring me joy.
I can’t seem to get out of my own way.
my workaround is doing the second thing on my list of I want to dos instead of the first. It is far from perfect but it is something.
I try to identify very specifically what it is that is causing fear, so I am better able to think rationally about it. Then, I ask myself what is the absolute worst possible thing the cause of this fear could do to me, what is the worst possible outcome? This helps to put things into perspective, because most of the time the worst possible outcome turns out not to be all that bad in the bigger scheme of things.
Prayer, writing in the journal, walking and sports.
I have been working with my therapist to stop practicing worry thoughts and we’ve come up with a strategy that is working for me; I give the thoughts to a funny character, Arnie the Donut, to say, thus changing my relationship to the thoughts-I’m not rehearsing the thoughts over and over, and it’s kind of funny to think of a donut talking. Mindfulness and your podcasts and meditations have also helped me significantly! Thank you so much.
Video isn’t working…..I’ll try again later!
JoAna
talking about it with another person. prayer.
As a child I lived with a lot of fear created in me by my unstable and violent mother. Somehow I learned that no matter what happened there was an important part of me at my centre that she could never touch. That awareness became and remains my source of courage to calmly face many fearful situations. Meditation, breath awareness and mindfulness have helped me a whole lot too through my adult years. But now in my sixties, I find that when I’m faced by situations where I am utterly helpless to change things, I get lost in repetitive thoughts full of anger and resentment. For the most part, I just breathe and stay quiet and let the thoughts pass by but sometimes I can’t and I let those thoughts become angry and resentful words to those I love most. I am so sad about this.
Accepting fear as experienced in the body. And, appreciating how our bodies have born emotions, particularly fear. Yoga is a beautiful blessing in my life. As a Christian, I have Faith that yoga is perfectly aligned with the Scripture, “Love bears all things.” God is Love. Our Divine Creator gave us our bodies to bear our emotions and experience Loving kindness and Compassion. Blessings and Namaste ?
Thanks for the video
Without doubt, I would be a kind,generous, fun and interesting woman worthy of love
I guess I haven’t faced my fear as I’m always running from it. However something incredible recently happened that may he the catalyst for change. I was in a pretty ordinary state feeling withdrawn and detached, to shake me out of it my husband suggested we go do an “easy” canyon together with some close friends. Normally I’d make an excuse fearing I didn’t have the physical abilities but in this instance i was so over myself and hed gone to such lengths to convince me that it would be ok reassuring me that there would be no abseils rather long cool swims in a large and expansive canyon with a bit of a bush walk in and out. So I did it.
Well, It was far from easy it was darn right scary at times, and yes there was an abseil! In fairness to him the guide book had said no abseils. But we were on the track and there was no turning back so I sucked it up and did it. I broke down into tears once I got through it as all my fears washed through me. However once I knew I was through the worst of it I was able to relax a bit and start to enjoy the exquisite place I was in. I even got to walk through a glenn filled with fireflies at twilight, the experience being one of the most magical moments of my life.
A Trauma expect I ran a workshop with asked us to create a card we could carry in our wallet or purse with the question
” What would my brave heart do? What would my brave heart say?”. We decorated the card, laminated it and were asked to look at it regularly especially when we were faced with an emotional response, difficult challenge or confronting situation. It was a great way of creating a different dialogue for me when my mind was consumed with anxiety or defensive thoughts which I came to understand, were just fear responses. I can be brave and face these things calmly and with a sense of control over my own responses but I found the strategy of “stopping, reframing my thoughts and responding as a brave heart would” a very effective tool. Having a physical “touch stone” helped embed this practice for me.
Hi! Normally my loving kindness practice can address my fear. But I have been suffering from bad asthma and the medications given to me have made me hard. I have had such a difficult time accessing the softness of my heart and meditation has become difficult. I am dealing with depression at my state. But I have not, and never will, stop believing in the ocean of God’s love. I now this too will pass.
Listening to this first video was a step in that direction. Thank you Tara!
I have learned to face fear with the help of Tara and her husband’s flute.
I meditate regularly and try to work proactively to face my fear and put into place concrete efforts to resolve the sources of my fears while at the same time accepting them and knowing I won’t always be successful in subduing them but accept them like an important but troublesome family member. Tara has been of great help to me for many years in learning about how to live with my feelings. I do not know what I would have done without her OR her husband’s flute.
Hi Tara!
Thanks for your wonderful teachings! You are an inspiration for me and others ?
Whenever I recognize the fear, I know it is the ego working through me. Meditation and breathing exercises help me reconnect with myself and find love and peace in my heart. Also, saying out loud all the things I am grateful for takes me out of the insanity that fear can cause.
I feel my body and breath and try to pay attention to what I am experiencing. I also have a small sketch book and markers close at hand and I draw what I feel.
This has help me as an artist and allowing me to respond the way I feel most natural and there is a better connection to my true myself.
A mantra that counteracts the fear…for example…I Am safe.
What prevented me from facing fear for much of my life was that I didn’t even know what I was feeling. I didn’t recoginize fearfulness. I “froze” whenever I was faced with something I didn’t understand and gradually blocked it totally out. This resulted in my not engaging in relationships that might have been very fulfilling. I’m older now and can see how that reaction altered my life’s path. I’ve always been curious how my life would have been different had I known how to recognize and face fear.
I help clients face fear by teaching the return to fear based origins, exposing underlying currents that have destabilized the energy field, and supporting restoration of integrity to the whole system.
Accepting the fear in the body by Noting, then breathing In and Out without
judgment or changing and fixing it .
Saying ‘it was then and it is now ‘ , great soothing line.
I often ask my clients to make friends with their fear. It has helped me and usually helps the clients who are willing to try it out. It’s often my fear I’m afraid of, but my fear can’t hurt me. And if I own it and work together with it, we can better address whatever it’s alerting me to. I also feel much less alone. It’s really neat too to watch as clients toy with the idea and then come in one day ecstatic that they did it or get it now! Or to listen as they explain their journey with it to another member in the group. 🙂 I still feel fear but I respect it. It also helps to learn to trust the fear and to trust that I’ll know when something really is wrong.
Breathing into the fear. Also reminding myself that I am part of the wider world and that everyone else feels a little frightened too. Feeling compassion for that.
That is true. We only need to offer it kindness. It has tried to b protective a long time. Laura
My clients and I work on identifying and connecting with somatic experiences connected with fear. I find that sometimes EMDR helps with this. We also use meditation and breathing exercises.
Slowed, deep breathing
Thanks Tara- excellent guidance! I appreciate your kindness and generosity as well as your wisdom and gentle manner. Plus you are the best story-teller!
I like to tap small intestine points on the “Karate Chop” part of the edge of my hand under the little fingers and repeat 3 times: (as in TFT or EFT)
“I love and accept myself even though I feel fearful” (or a more specific description). This grounds me, relaxess my breathing and also expands my awareness to allow me comfort and trust in the world, once more.
I find meditation helps. I’ve been working on myself for sometime, but usually forget to do breathing, felt sense exercises when I need them.
I’d really like to see a Tara Brach or Sounds True app that I could reach for at any time. The Head Space meditation app has helped me a great deal, and I meditate most days. A Tara Brach app would be wonderful.
I am able to face my fear more easily when I follow a daily meditation practice.
Through mindful practices especially the central practice of lovingkindness which even if I sometimes have a cynical skeptic in me that cringes at the concept, I can access this quiet, still, vast place that helps me ground to a more kind attention towards myself. Instead of the extra layer of judgement on top of the fear keeping it “frozen “ or “ running” or “guarding”( freeze, flight, fight) I am sort of able to see it for its vulnerable, scared,adrenal,chronic anxiec self and bring more kindness to it. And that kindness truly eases it some. Then by practicing this access daily I am able to reference it for my patients in their moments of fear and not only say I too am or have been afraid but here is a place you can find inside yourself.. you can say it is neuroplasticity, or hypnotherapy, this human incarnation,lovingkindness or God- so many different possible ways to find it but it is inside you and your consciousness. I may not use these words, we have to remain with professional boundaries, but bringing the essence of compassionate curiosity and the trust that this person can find their way through with this kindness towards themselves is reinforcing and inspiring.