Fear is a Hoax (and Happy Halloween)

That's probably better asked as a question. IS fear a hoax?

I've been "thinking" about fear lately— mine and yours... all of ours. I'm leaning towards some conclusions, but... I'm always leery (suspicious) of those guys (my conclusions), so, I'm still in the asking phase. Hopefully this won't be too stream-of-consciousness for you. There's value for me in all of this "exploration". I hope for you as well. So...

The feeling of fear. What is it? Describe it?

When I ask this of myself and others what I get in response are the thoughts people have about fear NOT a description of the "feeling" itself. 

That's to be expected. It's the left brain's, Rational/Analytical mind's job to put into words those vibrations of energy we call feeling that arise from someplace within our body— some people call this place the subconscious.

Instinct, intuition, imagination and whatever and all else that's in the right brain part of us, the heart (if you will)— doesn't speak English or any other language for that matter. 

The subconscious mind "speaks and thinks" (both very limited terms that are not accurate descriptions of what our subconscious mind is doing when it's doing its thing) in pictures, senses and sensations, urges, vibrations, waves, patterns, connections and other intangible ways (even more ethereal than thought!).

So when you and I talk about fear— even to ourselves— we're talking about our thinking... we're talking about the mind's attempt to "translate" that so-hard-to-explain as to be mystical combination of body-sensations and inner-vibrations through thought & language and have it make "rational" sense.

I believe THAT is what our emotions are— authentic feelings being expressed in another totally different language called "thought." And "fear" is just such an emotion.

That's what's giving rise (for me) to the idea that fear as we have come to know it may actually be mostly thoughts & at best inaccurately translated feelings. As such, fear is (no "perhaps" about it) all made up by the mind and doesn't really exist in any other dimension of our being.

The possibility (for me) is that there is no such thing as fear outside of the mind. That fear is not real. I made it up.

People make the case that fear is necessary for self-preservation. But is it?

The intuition and instinct that gives rise to the "fight or flight" survival response is— in the very moment of its occurrence— without thought. It doesn't have time to be otherwise— does it?

Look back up there at the bear. FEAR!

Do you feel fear or are you thinking fear?

If you came around the corner of your rented cabin in Alaska and came face to teeth with that grizzly, you would certainly feel something right away. But is that feeling fear?

I've encountered survival situations— attempting to fall off a cliff, out-of-control cars & motorcycles, .357 in the hands of a child in front of me— and my sense of each of them is that in the moment I did not experience fear. I was too busy saving my "ass." 

Fear AFTER the fact... oh yeah!

We've all "felt" that thing that our mind has labeled fear. But is that what it really is?

I don't think so. And, I'm still thinking...

And while I am, think about this please:

FEAR is False Expectations Appearing Real

Like so: It's 2:47 AM on a moonless night and you're walking down the street in a "bad" part of a big city. Ahead of you is a dark alley. You feel fear. What are you afraid of? 

You are not afraid of the alley are you? You are afraid there'll be someone in the alley.

You come up to the alley, look around the corner. WHOA! There's a man standing right there in the shadows.

Are you afraid there's someone in the alley? Or are you afraid he'll come towards you?

He comes towards you.

Are you afraid he'll come towards you, or are you afraid he has a gun or a knife or...?

He pulls out a knife.

Are you afraid he has a knife? 

Enough... I trust you get the bit that in each instance you did NOT fear the "reality" that was right in front of you in the moment of now, but the negative expectation— thought— of what bad thing might happen next.

And as with the bear above, if the guy with the knife did thrust it at you, you'd do the fight or flight thing immediately and there wouldn't be any thought involved in that instant— none. Intuition & instinct rule that doman (I believe that because they are so much faster and so much more reliable than thought).

So...

What your mind believes you will achieve
-- always and in all ways.

Could fear be a hoax?

Please, let me know what you appreciate most about the above. 

Oh, and Happy Halloween.

Thanks.

I appreciate you!

 

 

 

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Comments

[dave rayner]

POWERFUL STUFF JOHN

[John Fogg]

Thanks Dave— I'd love to know what makes you say that...?

I appreciate you.

[Mark O'Guinn]

Hi John,
I just "discovered" you. I've been reading your blogs backward chronologically appreciating the gold mine you've created. I've been wondering if I'd see you making the connections between thought and feelings and thought and belief . Obviously I haven't read all your post yet, but it's time for me to chime in.

You ask "Do you feel fear or are you thinking fear?" Thought and feeling are two sides of the same coin and happen almost simultaneous. However, thought always precedes the feeling (emotion). Even if the thought is subconscious (nothing more than a thought we're not actively aware of...dreams for example) it's the thought first and immediately a feeling...in your example fear.

It's 2:47 AM on a moonless night and you're walking down the street in a "bad" part of a big city. The thought is it's a "bad part of the city" and you get the emotional response associate with this thought. If the thought were this is a "safe part of the city" you would get a completely different emotional response.

Belief is nothing more than thought (often habitual thoughts) and are are very powerful, because of the interplay of thought and feelings.

For example, I have a thought there is a bad guy in the alley that wants to do me harm. The feeling of fear kicks in and re-enforces or validates the "truth" of this thought making it my reality and (very powerful) present belief.
I don't "know" if there is a bad guy in the alley, but my belief is strong enough to change my behavior. Run the other and find a change of underpants.

If however, I'm aware of this "psychological functioning" my awareness can allow me to choose my response to the thoughts occurring to me.

So YES you are correct is saying:

Fear is (no "perhaps" about it) all made up by the mind (THOUGHT not mind: my addition) and doesn't really exist in any other dimension of our being.
The possibility (for me) is that there is no such thing as fear outside of the mind (CONSCIOUSNESS also added my me and worthy of another conversation) . That fear is not real. I made it up.
I look forward to reading your other posts

Respectfully,
Mark