| Freedom From Fear | | | | can never find both the position and velocity at the |
| Many people are so conditioned by alarmist ideology | | | | same time. |
| they don't even realize how incredibly insecure they | | | | This fascinating law of physics teaches us much about |
| are. Others who are more self-aware see the | | | | the nature of life. Scientists choose to pull either a tiny |
| negative impact of constant anxiety and worry on | | | | bit of matter or an energetic frequency from the plane |
| their physical or emotional wellbeing. | | | | of raw potential. In the same manner you decide |
| Fear of losing a loved one, anxiety over personal | | | | moment-to-moment where to rest your awareness |
| death and what - if anything - comes next, concern | | | | and how to interpret the experience of reality. The |
| over lack or scarcity, and dread of terrorist attack are | | | | principle of uncertainty is always at work beyond the |
| all examples of the burdens people carry daily. | | | | world of subatomic energy and particles, in the realm |
| Whether intense phobia or general neurosis, living with | | | | of daily life. Because we cannot predict with complete |
| undue fear greatly diminishes the joy of life and drains | | | | accuracy how any specific situation will unfold, there is |
| your power in the present moment. | | | | always the potential for new developments and |
| Whether you have a serious problem or simply | | | | exciting surprises. |
| understand the value of eliminating fear from a | | | | The pessimist would argue that, from this perspective, |
| personal development perspective, you have the | | | | the possibility also exists for great disaster. This may |
| power to walk away from this potentially destructive | | | | be true, but we can't simply pretend uncertainty isn't a |
| process - to enjoy genuine freedom from fear - right | | | | reality just because we are uncomfortable with one |
| now. | | | | range of possible outcomes. |
| Two Brief Disclaimers | | | | Furthermore, we have the power to define any event |
| First of all it's important to grasp that fear is actually a | | | | or circumstance as positive or negative, even if we |
| very useful emotion when experienced at appropriate | | | | can't predict or demand an absolutely precise |
| levels. If you're strolling through the woods and a bear | | | | conclusion. We can choose to manifest a reality that |
| rushes toward you from the underbrush, it's desirable | | | | serves our highest good, and to see every new |
| that your body sends the signal of fear rather than | | | | development as something that moves us toward |
| curiosity so you'll take ideal measures. This sensation is | | | | what we want or teaches us an important life lesson. |
| very handy in times of need. What we're looking at in | | | | Therefore it's completely unnecessary to view |
| this article is the excess levels of fear modern society | | | | uncertainty as the basis for fear and insecurity. |
| accepts and encourages. | | | | On the contrary we should embrace the always-open |
| Second, I'm not impersonating a psychologist. All I'm | | | | possibilities of life with endless enthusiasm and |
| doing with this content is sharing some very useful | | | | exhilaration. Because you don't know exactly what will |
| insight derived from ancient wisdom and contemporary | | | | come next, there is always an intellectually plausible |
| personal development philosophies. | | | | reason to look forward with great excitement. |
| The Deep Need For Answers | | | | Past disappointments are not destined to repeat |
| Humans naturally seek an intellectual understanding of | | | | themselves unless we believe this to be the case. |
| themselves and the world in which they live. Obviously | | | | Using negative, previous experiences to predict future |
| this is a productive trait of the species, for it has led to | | | | events may be useful in laboratory settings, but it's |
| numerous wonderful advances in technology and | | | | counterproductive as a life philosophy. |
| lifestyle. | | | | Whatever your life situation, you are free to explore |
| This deep need for answers and security is perhaps | | | | new possibilities at any time. Regardless of any defeat |
| the greatest motivation for pursuing organized faith. | | | | or failure you've experienced up to this point, it is |
| Religion promises, often falsely, certainty about the | | | | absolutely feasible to expect more favorable results in |
| deepest mysteries of life. | | | | the future. Of course new action may be required to |
| Some Answers Simply Don't Exist | | | | break old patterns, and new thinking is a definite must |
| Some questions, however, may be unanswerable in | | | | to get clear of recurring frustrations. |
| intellectual terms. For example, what happens to the | | | | The point is, because of the inherent uncertainty of life, |
| mind and identity when someone's body dies? | | | | you can greet each new day with the intention to |
| It's a fascinating query with a variety of theoretical | | | | create new experiences. People trapped in the prison |
| answers. Perhaps nothing at all happens and the | | | | of mundane thought find this idea horrifying, but those |
| stream of consciousness ends forever. Maybe the | | | | who walk the spiritual path rejoice at the unlimited |
| energetic essence of a person shifts into another | | | | potential of life. |
| form. Who's to say that our minds don't wake up in | | | | The Prison Of Comfort |
| another reality or enter an emerging fetus to begin the | | | | A primary reason for resisting the notion of uncertainty |
| life's journey anew? The bottom line is nobody knows | | | | is the desire to remain comfortable. Change in any |
| for sure how this works. Reincarnation and a new life | | | | form requires the firing of new neurons and the |
| in heaven are fine ideas but there's no substantial | | | | processing of atypical emotional sequences; most |
| proof for either. | | | | people find this process disagreeable and even |
| Dogma - Scientific Or Religious - Is Often | | | | frightening. |
| Counterproductive | | | | Think about how you get dressed each morning; in |
| The fervent priest who insists he knows the truth | | | | particular note which foot you put into a shoe first. |
| about life after death is deluding himself and his trusting | | | | Because this is an automatic activity you may need to |
| followers. It's one thing to hold strongly an opinion or | | | | actually go through the physical motions of putting your |
| belief, and there's nothing intrinsically wrong about doing | | | | shoes on to figure out which foot is shod first. Once |
| so. Things take a turn for the perverse however when | | | | you know your regular routine, switch it up and start |
| an organization demands that everyone agree with | | | | putting the shoe on your opposite foot first each |
| their take on what happens to the mind when the | | | | morning. |
| body dies; to suggest that individuals who reject the | | | | You may be surprised by how unpleasant you find this |
| idea of heaven are instantly doomed to fiery eternal | | | | simple test. From here it should be quite easy to |
| torment in the pits of hell, for example, is preposterous | | | | understand how the potential for major change is |
| and deeply disturbed. | | | | extremely unsettling for most individuals. |
| By the same token, it's foolish for the proud agnostic | | | | As creatures of habit, human beings cling tightly to |
| to immediately assume anything beyond the mundane | | | | established comfort zones, even if the familiar |
| is impossible. Soapbox scholars who constantly | | | | circumstances are unpleasant and contrary to what |
| harangue others with tirades about how | | | | someone claims to desire. A good example of this is |
| consciousness after physical death just can't be are | | | | the person who lives in utter poverty, constantly |
| not only false skeptics, they're every bit as fanatically | | | | complains about his plight, and yet routinely sabotages |
| religious as those they claim to oppose. | | | | new opportunities to receive money so he can stay in |
| Here is where dogma - whether religious or scientific - | | | | the situation he has become so accustomed to. An |
| and genuine spirituality part ways in the most dramatic | | | | individual living in poverty who hits a major lottery |
| fashion. Spirituality is not concerned with specific belief | | | | jackpot has an above 80% chance of squandering all |
| systems; the individual is free to entertain whatever | | | | their winnings and returning to destitution within a period |
| theories he wishes. Religion (including neo-atheism), on | | | | of two years. The bizarre and disappointing reality is, |
| the other hand, furnishes highly specific beliefs for | | | | many people would rather suffer than have new |
| adherents and then enforces these ideas, sometimes | | | | experiences. |
| with the threat of death or eternal torment. | | | | Your inclination to remain complacent, even at the |
| From a legitimate, mature spiritual perspective clinging | | | | expense of fulfillment and growth, must be confronted. |
| to definite answers when none can logically exist is | | | | Comfort is not intrinsically bad. It's right and good that |
| seen as counterproductive and unintuitive. | | | | you should indulge in the experience of contentment. |
| Especially in Western society, certainty and intellectual | | | | You might sink into a soft chair for a few hours to |
| security are highly valued. While harmless to a certain | | | | enjoy a book, or relax into a hot whirlpool spa with a |
| extent, in some areas of life this rigidity constitutes | | | | drink in hand. Just beware the lazy and fear-based |
| pettiness, insecurity, and delusion. | | | | aspect of placation. Remember that expansion and |
| Why Should There Always Be A Solution? | | | | creativity, i.e. change, is the natural state of things. |
| Whether or not the fact is fashionable or comfortable, | | | | When you resist the flow of life in order to avoid |
| human beings do not currently have all the answers | | | | inevitable developments you become emotionally |
| about the cosmos and the phenomenon known as life. | | | | stagnant and spiritually defunct. Only by accepting new |
| Our intuitive faculties provide compelling insight and | | | | lessons and the processes of renewal and adaptation |
| allude to many possibilities, but it's ultimately important | | | | can you be genuinely free and empowered. |
| to accept the mystery. | | | | As the French author François de la Rochefoucauld |
| Uncertainty is viewed as an unpleasant experience or | | | | said: |
| even as a weakness by mainstream society, but this | | | | "The only thing constant in life is change" |
| is primitive exoteric thinking. Embracing the ambiguity of | | | | However counter intuitive this may seem, it's important |
| life is actually the first step toward real spiritual living. | | | | that you embrace the uncertainty of life. Rejoice in the |
| Not having all the answers about the mysteries of life, | | | | infinite potentiality of each new day, indeed of every |
| or even about your own future, gives you tremendous | | | | fresh moment as it unfolds before and through you. |
| freedom. In the space of this uncertainty lies infinite | | | | Once you let go of preexisting inhibitions and embrace |
| potential. | | | | the thrill of not having all the answers, the subtle |
| Spiritual Uncertainty Brings Liberation And Power | | | | anxiety and underlying fear modern life has planted |
| In the quantum field before a particle or wave is | | | | within you will begin to fade. Release the need for |
| observed, only the probability for either a particle or a | | | | specific outcomes. Accept the freedom of |
| wave exists. The principle of uncertainty set forth by | | | | immeasurable prospects. Continue to acknowledge the |
| the physicist Heisenberg states that pairs of physical | | | | unlimited possibilities while welcoming the best-case |
| properties like location and speed of movement cannot | | | | scenarios and trusting in the good of life, and your |
| both be known at the same time. For instance, a | | | | anxieties over change will soon be replaced with a |
| researcher can find a particle by measuring its position, | | | | new vigor for living. |
| and can identify a wave by measuring its velocity, but | | | | |