"Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth"
- Pema Chodron
I am reading Pema Chodron's books "When Things Fall Apart" and "The Places that Scare you." The following excerpts are resonating with me today:
"Embarking on the spiritual journey is like getting into a very small boat and setting out on the ocean to search for unknown lands. With wholehearted practice comes inspiration, but sooner or later we will also encounter fear. For all we know, when we get to the horizon, we are going to drop off the edge of the world. Like all explorers, we are drawn to discover what's waiting out there without knowing yet if we have the courage to face it....."
"... Fear is a universal experience...it's not a terrible thing that we feel fear when faced with the unknown. It is part of being alive, something we all share. We react against the possibility of loneliness, of death, of not having anything to hold on to. Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth."
"If we commit ourselves to staying right where we are, then our experience becomes very vivid. Things become very clear when there is nowhere to escape."
May I be brave and stay with my vulnerabilities and fear.
new to your blog.
ReplyDeletefinding your blog is pretty serendipitous actually. i started the 'be brave' project yesterday. it is a current theme in my life.
be brave.
feel the fear and do it anyway.
thank you for sharing those inspiring words.
marilou, i am so touched by what you do for animals. truly wonderful! :)
"Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth."
ReplyDeleteThose words spoke deeply to me. In what I've been experiencing these past days, weeks, months, I am amazed by how true these words are. There is an actual physical sensation to truth. I've been trying to figure out how, exactly, to explain it. Often times the sensation includes fear. Hmmmmm...that is interesting and speaks so well to the notion of being brave. I think this quote has given me a new appreciation of the feeling of fear because, in many ways, it acts as guideposts...and I am always thankful for those.