how to eliminate fear?

[seekinganswers]

how does one eliminate fear when the feeling is present? does anyone have advice on this, not just in meditation, but also in general?

thank you

[Anirudh]

Namaste SeekingAnswers

how does one eliminate fear when the feeling is present? does anyone have advice on this, not just in meditation, but also in general?

I found the way to eliminate the fear on the day of this Vaikunta Ekadasi. I fully believe Shree Raama Chandra Prabhu created certain situation in life which prompted me to dwell and as a result got the answer.

If one has the REAL faith on Bhagawan and the law of Karma, he won't fear of anything. If one has the courage to accept and take responsibility of his own actions, he would stop fearing. Also when he goes through unpleasant situation if he mentally understand that it s his body undergoing the hardship and not his soul, he will not feel the pain.

This body is destined to be destroyed one day or other, so little by little it will deteriorate irrespective of your fear. If your fear, it will deteriorate in a faster pace. Also development of courage is a continuous on going process just like we have three meals every day till we cease to exist.

I will explain that real life situation which changed me on a later date because I wouldn't want it to influence you, as every one has to search his own path to the solution though the solution is the same.

A very simple step to develop the courage and stop fearing. Write down in a piece of paper the following and keep reading it.

Why Fear When I am Here.

You can find this statement in almost all religious scripture. If you are a believer, then ask yourself do you fully endorse that statement. And then if you are interested and do not know the meaning of Karma or wanted to clarify certain elements of the word Karma, kindly read this link.

They say a picture substitute many words.

May Shree Raama Chandra Prabhu guide you in your quest.

[yajvan]

　
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�

Let me if I may extend the idea just a bit more...
The answer is found in the bṛhadaraṇyaka upaniṣad� ; it says, dvitiyad vai bhayam bhavati . Any time there is a sense of 2, fear arises i.e. dvitiyad vai bhayam bhavati - Fear is born of duality.

That is, when I sense there is more then 'me' there is the possiblity of '2' and with that two or more, then there is the notion that fear can arise. Yet if there is only 'me', the universe as an extention of my Self, who then is there to fear when everything is just 'me' ?

iti śivaṁ

words

• Bṛhadaraṇyaka upaniṣad - puruṣavidha-brāhmaṇa, 2nd śloka.
  • dvitiyad or dvitīya द्वितीय - 2nd or two , couple,
  • bhayam or bhaya भय - fear , alarm dread apprehension
    ( rooted in bhī to fear for , be anxious about )
  • vai an emphasis and affirmation , generally placed after a word and laying stress on it (it is usually translatable by 'indeed' , 'truly' , 'certainly' )
  • bhavati or bhava भव arising or produced from , being in

[Anirudh]

dvitiyad vai bhayam bhavati

Pranaam Yajvan,

Thanks for sharing the reference from Upanishad along with the word by word meaning. I am yet to appreciate and accept Advaita in its true sense. May be Shree Raama Chandra Prabhu feels that its time to illuminate me further in the course of my spiritual quest...

-~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~
And now the question with a brief write up ......

As long as I see my body and my soul as two different entities and that one is destined to be destroyed and the other will find multiple bodies to nullify the accumulated Karma, there is no disconect in my thinking process.

The moment I start seeing no difference between my soul and Bhagwaan, end up in chaos. I am trying my best to articulate few of the questions that are overwhelming me :

1. What is this soul all about?

2. if its not different from Bhagwaan how does it accumulate Karma.

3. Isn't Karma an intrinsic property of the soul, if not then why it carry forward along with it to the next body.

4. If my soul and Bhagwaan are one and the same, then why Bhagwaan does not accumulate Karma?

What i tend to believe is that, I haven't correctly conceptualized the meaning of Soul or Aatma or Brahmaan or what ever the word that accurately substitutes the thing I am referring to.

Can you point out a link or clarify the meaning of Aatma or Soul. If there is no confusion in conceptualizing Aatma, then that would be my starting point to explore Advaita...

Thanks in advance!!



PS : In my understanding Bhagwaan and Paramaatma are one the same

[Amrut]

how does one eliminate fear when the feeling is present? does anyone have advice on this, not just in meditation, but also in general?

thank you

Namaste,
As a Human being, no matter how much philosophy we may put forward to debate, we are not free of fear.

Above explanations are very good.

I would like to share my way.

When you feel fear at that very moment, pray to God to take away.

Swami Chinmaya said, "The Glory is not in never falling, but in rising each time you fall"

Also find the root cause of fear (practical approach and not advaita) will help too. I am saying not advaita as Yajvan ji has correctly said, fear is born out of duality, but we are still in duality. So the permanent cure is to be in non-dual state.

But for practical purpose, you pray to God to take away fear and give devotion helps. Also finding root cause help. e.g. you are afraid of failure. Then work on it, spiritually.

Since there are many approaches, so the answers differs. What kind of fear you have? Would you like to share.

Aum
Indiaspirituality

[wundermonk]

2. if its not different from Bhagwaan how does it accumulate Karma.

You have asked a question pertaining to Advaita. The Advaitin response is that Brahman (Jiva's essence) does NOT transmigrate. What accumulates Karma and reincarnates/transmigrates is basically the sukshma sarira. This is basically prakriti that has Brahman's light within it. The essence of the Jiva is that it is simply the pure unadulterated witness. Neither pleasure nor pain touches it. Causality applies only to Prakriti insofar as it is illuminated by Brahman's light.

[Twilightdance]

how does one eliminate fear...

thank you

By looking straight back at it. This wud be the permanent and sure shot method of dealing with fear without the need of faith or support of a diety or God. Can vouch works very well, not just for fear but all other mental sufferings like sorrow and depression.

[orlando]

Namaste seekinganswers!

how does one eliminate fear when the feeling is present? does anyone have advice on this, not just in meditation, but also in general?

I strongly suggest you practice both bhakti(devotion to God) and Brahmacharya(chastity).

I copy and past from http://www.dlshq.org/download/brahma_nopic.htm
Those who have not observed the vow of celibacy become the slaves of anger, jealousy, laziness and fear.

Pranama,
Orlando.

[Amrut]

Namaste seekinganswers!

I strongly suggest you practice both bhakti(devotion to God) and Brahmacharya(chastity).

I copy and past from http://www.dlshq.org/download/brahma_nopic.htm
Those who have not observed the vow of celibacy become the slaves of anger, jealousy, laziness and fear.

Pranama,
Orlando.

Good point orlando. Mostly one never thinks about it.

Aum
Indiaspirituality

[Amrut]

Pranaam Yajvan,

Thanks for sharing the reference from Upanishad along with the word by word meaning. I am yet to appreciate and accept Advaita in its true sense. May be Shree Raama Chandra Prabhu feels that its time to illuminate me further in the course of my spiritual quest...

-~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~ -~-~
And now the question with a brief write up ......

As long as I see my body and my soul as two different entities and that one is destined to be destroyed and the other will find multiple bodies to nullify the accumulated Karma, there is no disconect in my thinking process.

The moment I start seeing no difference between my soul and Bhagwaan, end up in chaos. I am trying my best to articulate few of the questions that are overwhelming me :

1. What is this soul all about?

2. if its not different from Bhagwaan how does it accumulate Karma.

3. Isn't Karma an intrinsic property of the soul, if not then why it carry forward along with it to the next body.

4. If my soul and Bhagwaan are one and the same, then why Bhagwaan does not accumulate Karma?

What i tend to believe is that, I haven't correctly conceptualized the meaning of Soul or Aatma or Brahmaan or what ever the word that accurately substitutes the thing I am referring to.

Can you point out a link or clarify the meaning of Aatma or Soul. If there is no confusion in conceptualizing Aatma, then that would be my starting point to explore Advaita...

Thanks in advance!!



PS : In my understanding Bhagwaan and Paramaatma are one the same

If you want to understand advaita, please read Prakarana Grantha - Tatva Bodha

And to understand the formation of universe i.e. from formless to form, please read Panchikaranam

Also refer Panchadasi part 2

Direct download - PDF (238 pages)

Bhagawan is Mayapati or swami of maya, which is brahman. Ishwara has six qualities. Ishwara can ever free and can enter into advaita state at will and can manifest in any form at will.

Six qualities or 6 attributes of Ishwara are

1. Jnana
2. Vairagya
3. Aishwarya
4. Sri
5. Kirti
6. Saundarya

Source:

He has six attributes, viz., Jnana (intelligence), Vairagya (dispassion), Saundarya or Madhurya (beauty and grace), Aishwarya (Siddhis or powers), Sri (wealth), and Kirti (fame).

AFAIK, bhagawan, brahman, parabrahman, paramatma, mula brahman, ishwara are one and same thing. Only when you give a definite name like Bhagawan Ram, etc, then they become Saguna Brahman i.e. Brahman with form.

some say

saguna Brahma, Ishwara, Bhagawan mean one and the same and
Brahman, Nirguna Brahman, Atman, Nirakara Brahman, para Brahman, Mula Brahman, Paramatma are one and the same. Different schools talk of same tatva in different ways.

EDIT1:

When the incarnated soul (jiva) is termed or defined as atman, then it's atman and paramatman.

God with god and without form are like fire and it's warmth.

EDIT2:

Thanks for sharing the reference from Upanishad along with the word by word meaning. I am yet to appreciate and accept Advaita in its true sense. May be Shree Raama Chandra Prabhu feels that its time to illuminate me further in the course of my spiritual quest...

If you feel you are getting inspiration to shift to advaita then this link might be of some help.

P.S. You will have to read it from bottom to top.

Aum
Indiaspirituality