Overcoming Fear and Anxiety | Eckhart Tolle Teachings

Summary

The speaker discusses the pervasive nature of fear and anxiety, often stemming from the egoic mind. They emphasize the importance of recognizing fear and identifying the thought processes that fuel it, such as excessive worrying about the future or creating imaginary scenarios of loss. The key to overcoming fear is to disengage from fearful thoughts by becoming aware of their futility and practicing mindfulness through conscious breathing or focusing on the body's energy field. This awareness can lead to a gradual disidentification from fear, allowing individuals to step out of the mental constructs that cause suffering.

Takeaways

• 🧘‍♂️ Fear and anxiety are common states of mind that can intensify over time, especially if not addressed.
• 🔍 Fear often underlies other emotions like anger and can be a constant background state for many individuals.
• 🤔 The egoic mind, when not in check, can produce fear as a default state, even if it's not consciously recognized.
• 🧠 Thoughts can create and fuel fear, especially when they involve excessive worrying about future events or scenarios that may never occur.
• 🔄 Acknowledging the presence of fear is the first step towards understanding and addressing its root causes.
• 🔄 It's crucial to identify if certain habitual thoughts are producing fear and to question the validity of these thoughts.
• 🌪️ Excessive thought activity can create imaginary scenarios that the body reacts to as if they were real, leading to physical symptoms of fear.
• 🏋️‍♀️ To combat fear, one must challenge and step out of fearful thoughts, using techniques like conscious breathing or focusing on the body's energy field.
• 🌀 Recognizing when one is in the grip of fear without being able to immediately escape it is a form of disidentification and a step towards freedom.
• 🌟 The process of stepping out of fear involves being alert and making a conscious choice to redirect attention away from fearful thoughts.

Q & A

What is the relationship between the egoic mind and fear?

The egoic mind is often associated with fear, as it can create a sense of separation and vulnerability. When one is identified with the egoic mind, there is an underlying fear, even if it's not consciously recognized.

How does anger relate to fear according to the transcript?

Anger is often a manifestation of fear. When one examines anger closely, it is frequently found to be rooted in a state of fear, suggesting that fear can be the underlying cause of anger.

What is the role of thought processes in generating fear?

Thought processes play a significant role in generating fear. The mind's tendency to produce fearful thoughts or project into the future can create scenarios that trigger fear, even if they are not grounded in reality.

Why do we need to focus on our thoughts when experiencing fear?

Focusing on thoughts during fear is important because it helps identify whether certain habitual thoughts are producing the fear. Recognizing these thoughts can lead to understanding and potentially changing the thought patterns that cause fear.

How does projecting into the future contribute to fear?

Projecting into the future can contribute to fear by creating imaginary scenarios of loss or danger that are not currently happening. This excessive thought activity can lead to anxiety and stress, as the mind tries to control or prepare for events that may never occur.

What is the difference between dealing with an imaginary situation and an actual situation when it comes to fear?

An imaginary situation created by fearful thoughts cannot be remedied by action because it is not real, whereas an actual situation allows for facing the issue, giving attention, and taking necessary action. The body's response to both can be similar, but only the latter requires tangible response.

How can one step out of the cycle of fearful thoughts?

One can step out of the cycle of fearful thoughts by recognizing the futility and destructive nature of these thoughts and choosing to redirect attention, such as taking a conscious breath or focusing on the inner energy field of the body.

What is the significance of being aware that one is in the grip of fear?

Being aware that one is in the grip of fear is significant because it allows for the beginning of disidentification from the fear. This awareness can be the first step towards managing and eventually overcoming the fear.

How can the energy of fear be managed according to the transcript?

The energy of fear can be managed by acknowledging its presence, understanding its origins in thought, and making a conscious effort to redirect attention away from fearful thoughts, which may eventually lead to the energy exhausting itself.

What is the importance of not being completely identified with the fear one experiences?

Not being completely identified with fear is important because it allows for a level of detachment and objectivity. This can prevent the fear from being perceived as an absolute reality and opens the possibility for change and relief.

How can meditation and awareness help in dealing with fear and anxiety?

Meditation and awareness can help in dealing with fear and anxiety by providing the tools to observe one's thoughts without judgment, recognize patterns that lead to fear, and develop strategies to redirect attention and energy away from fearful thoughts.

Outlines

00:00

🧘‍♂️ Fear and Anxiety in Meditation

The speaker discusses the commonality of fear and anxiety, even among those who have practiced meditation for years. They note that fear can manifest in various ways, including as anger or through excessive worry about future events. The speaker emphasizes the importance of acknowledging fear and examining the thought processes that accompany it. They suggest that fear might be a result of habitual negative thinking or projecting oneself into the future, which can lead to imagined scenarios of loss or danger. The speaker advises that recognizing these thought patterns is the first step in addressing fear, as the body can't differentiate between imagined threats and real ones, leading to physical symptoms like palpitations and shortness of breath. The key is to understand that these thoughts are not reality and to work on stepping out of them.

05:01

🌟 Breaking Free from Fearful Thoughts

This paragraph delves into the practical steps one can take to disengage from fearful thoughts. The speaker suggests using conscious breathing or focusing on the body's energy field as ways to redirect attention away from the mind's fearful narratives. They acknowledge the difficulty of this process, especially when the mind's 'gravitational pull' is strong, but encourage the development of a heightened awareness that can lead to disidentification from these thoughts. The speaker highlights the importance of recognizing when one is caught in the grip of fear, as this awareness is a crucial step towards liberation. They also mention that, over time, the intensity of fear may lessen, allowing for the possibility of stepping out of the thought patterns that perpetuate it. The ultimate goal is to experience relief from the mental burden of fear, achieved through conscious effort and awareness.

Keywords

💡Meditation

Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique, such as focusing their mind on a particular object, thought, or activity, to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. In the context of the video, meditation is mentioned as a long-term practice that the individual has engaged in, suggesting it as a foundational element in their journey towards understanding and managing fear and anxiety.

💡Fear and Anxiety

Fear and anxiety are emotional and physiological states experienced in response to a perceived threat or stressor. They are often characterized by feelings of unease, apprehension, and worry. In the video, fear and anxiety are central themes, with the speaker discussing their intensification over time and the impact they have on one's mental state, including the potential for these feelings to manifest as physical symptoms.

💡Egoic Mind

The egoic mind refers to the part of the conscious mind that is driven by self-interest, personal desires, and the need for control. It is often associated with the experience of fear, as the speaker in the video suggests that being identified with the egoic mind leads to a constant background fear, even if it's not consciously recognized. This concept is integral to understanding the root of the fear and anxiety being discussed.

💡Anger

Anger is an intense emotional response to a perceived provocation, hurt, or threat. The video script connects anger to fear, suggesting that anger often masks or is a manifestation of underlying fear. The speaker encourages viewers to look beneath the surface of anger to identify the fear that may be driving it.

💡Thought Processes

Thought processes refer to the mental activity of generating and following sequences of ideas or thoughts. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing the connection between fearful thoughts and the experience of fear, suggesting that certain habitual thoughts may be the source of fear and anxiety.

💡Projection

Projection in psychology is the act of attributing one's own emotions, thoughts, or desires to someone else or something else. In the context of the video, the speaker discusses how individuals may project themselves into the future, creating scenarios of potential loss or danger that are not grounded in the present moment, thus contributing to fear and anxiety.

💡Imaginary Scenarios

Imaginary scenarios are mental constructs that are not based on reality but are created by the mind. The video script highlights how the mind can create these scenarios, which can lead to fear and anxiety even though they are not happening in the present. The speaker advises recognizing when the mind is generating these scenarios and learning to disengage from them.

💡Disidentification

Disidentification is the process of recognizing and detaching from one's own thoughts, emotions, or behaviors that are not serving one's well-being. In the video, the speaker talks about the importance of disidentifying from the fearful thoughts and the egoic mind to mitigate the experience of fear and anxiety.

💡Conscious Breathing

Conscious breathing is a technique where one focuses on their breath to bring awareness to the present moment and reduce stress. The video mentions conscious breathing as a tool to help step out of the cycle of fearful thoughts and refocus attention on the present moment.

💡Inner Energy Field

The inner energy field refers to the subtle energy that is believed to exist within and around the physical body, often associated with practices such as meditation and mindfulness. In the video, the speaker suggests directing attention to this inner energy field as a way to shift focus away from fearful thoughts and towards a more balanced state of being.

💡Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing one's attention on the present moment and accepting it without judgment. It is a key concept in the video, as the speaker discusses the importance of being mindful of one's thoughts and emotions, particularly in recognizing and managing fear and anxiety.

Highlights

Fear and anxiety can be intensified by meditation and life experiences.

Fear is often present, even if not consciously recognized.

Egoic mind identification can lead to a background presence of fear.

Anger can be a manifestation of underlying fear.

Excessive thought activity can create imaginary scenarios of loss or danger.

The mind can project into the future, causing fear without present danger.

Fearful thoughts can be recognized as the source of anxiety.

The body reacts to imagined threats similarly to real ones.

Physical symptoms like palpitations and shortness of breath can be caused by fearful thoughts.

It's crucial to recognize when the mind is creating fear.

Disidentification from fearful thoughts is a step towards managing anxiety.

Conscious breathing can help step out of the cycle of fearful thoughts.

Redirecting attention to the inner energy field of the body can alleviate fear.

Being alert to the mind's tendency to create fear is essential for overcoming it.

The realization that fear is a mental construct can reduce its power.

Fear can be managed by not believing the mind's insistence on its permanence.

The energy of fear can exhaust itself, allowing for a release from its grip.

Knowing that fear is a mental creation is a significant step in overcoming it.

Transcripts

this person asks

after many years of meditation and all

the twists and turns of life i'm now in

the grip of intense fear and anxiety it

seems it was always there only more

intense now

sitting with it letting it be there

seems to make it grow

well fear anxiety which is a form of

fear

very common

for some people have it many have it in

the background continuously

and i would say there's some degree of

fear even if you're not conscious of it

if you're totally identified with the

egoic mind you will have fear

if only in the background and it may

come out in the other forms it come can

come express itself as anger if you look

at anger closely you usually find

hidden underneath the anger in the state

of fear

so

if there's fear

one important thing is to of course you

need to direct your attention to it you

acknowledge that there's fear

the quest the important question that

arises is

are there any thought processes

connected with the fear in other words

what are the thoughts

that your mind is producing while you're

feeling the fear

is it possible that

certain thoughts that you think

frequently or habitually

produce the fear

is it possible you project yourself into

the next moment into the future moment

excessively trying to control something

that you have no control over what's

going to happen to me

or

project or

creating an imaginary imaginary scenario

of loss

that you might yet

you might

suffer

it's not happening now but it might

happen

and many things that the

thought activity

excessive thought activity often creates

scenarios of things going wrong

that are not happening now

may never happen

often probably will never happen

and even if they did happen

actual situation would actually be

easier to face

than the imaginary situation in your

mind because there's nothing you can do

there's no action you can take

to remedy an imaginary situation except

to stop thinking it

but if an actual situation arises you

face it and you give it your attention

and then you take the action that you

need to take

but an imaginary situation

you're totally at the mercy of it so it

only exists in your mind

so you need to see whether your mind is

creating the fear by thinking fearful

thoughts by projecting itself into the

future

and if

if that is the case then you can see

oh

so i'm creating

those because my body cannot tell the

difference

between an actual event that's happening

outside and what my mind is producing

so when when i'm thinking thought

my life situation is critical if if this

is the basically what your thoughts are

telling you

then your body believes that this is the

actual truth that you are being

threatened at this very moment

the body doesn't know the difference

that the tiger

isn't in the room

the threatening presence is your

thoughts

the body erects in the same way whether

there's a threat

an actual threat in the room all your

thoughts can create the same

even palpitations you can be shortness

of breath because you're thinking

fearful thoughts you go

at night i had that for years

awful state

it's insane it's a disease but

nothing is happening absolutely nothing

there's a quiet room

nothing

it's all happening in the mind

so if that's the case see okay then you

need to tackle

the thoughts because they will cause the

fear

and how do you take a thought is by

using by realizing the futility

and the destructive nature of these

thoughts and choosing

to step out

and what do you do to step out

first you don't believe your mind that

tells you no you can't step out you have

to continue thinking no you step out

and

take a conscious breath or put your

attention into the inner energy field of

the body a conscious choice

to remove attention from thinking

and you may have to be really alert to

do it if you are immersed in this

mindstream

it could even be that it's so powerful

that you just cannot get out

it has such gravitational pull it pulls

you

but at least you know that this is

what's happening so you

there's a state where you cannot help

yourself yet but at least

there is the beginning of

a beginning of a disidentification

from it when you know that this is what

is happening

so there's at least there's a part of

you that knows this is not totally real

this is the fear is being produced by my

mind or the

in the those early stages you may not

yet be able to step out of it it may be

so strong that you're still totally in

the grip of it but at least you know

that you're in the grip of it

the worst thing is to be in the grip of

it and not even knowing it because

you're so identified with it it's it is

absolutely real to you

so even to know that this is happening

is already a step forward and then

perhaps after a while the energy

exhausts itself a little bit of this and

then you can begin to say

okay you will step out of thought that

those fearful thoughts

because they are

creating suffering

and you be take a conscious breath

and another

and another

and then begin to feel the inner energy

field of the body aha

wow

it's like this huge burden is suddenly

dropped away

foreign