How to Manage Fear?

The holistic guide can help to remove or reduce the power of any fear. 

Should we necessarily succumb to fear of any and every kind? No. In fact, we never want to. In life we feel the urge to succeed by overcoming fear. We fight against nervousness. After struggling against stage fright, we speak confidently in public. 

All seekers have one fear or another. The fear may be rational or irrational, real or imaginary, concerning the past, present or the future. Fear has to be understood for what it is and then to be overcome. 

The holistic guide can help to remove or reduce the power of any fear. Fear may not disappear completely, but the seeker can be empowered to deal with it fruitfully. In spite of its discomforting presence, she can live and function reasonably well. 

The religious seeker may have needless religious fear too. The holistic guide does not lead her into some other type of illusion. Religion is not to be used as opium to escape fear that invites us to look at reality. Religious fears and guilt often stem from wrong images of God. The holistic guide has a duty to enlighten the seeker with life-giving spirituality, healthy theology and understanding of God. 

The following passage could be useful to fill the frightened seeker with unshakable confidence in God. “Do not be afraid for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you go through the waters I will be with you and in the rivers you shall not drown. When you pass through the fire you shall not be burned and the flames will not consume you... For you are precious to my eyes and I love you?“ 

Fear forces the seeker to be self-absorbed and self-centred. She tends to see her timid self as alone in the world. Her body is tense, her mind is full of wild guesses and her heart is insecure. She tries to protect herself through her wits. She is quite helpless and vulnerable. The basis of all fear is the spectre of death.‘ Fear of loss of self and determination can be diminished by love for others. One of the best methods is to root and strengthen the seeker in the love of God. “Perfect love casts out all fear.” 

Fear can stem from any false image we may have of God, images we may have formed in our childhood. The frightened seeker withdraws from God. She resists offers of intimacy with God and fears deeper relationship with God and others. Intimacy with God can lead to serve others and also to confront unjust powers just as Jesus did. Fear can prevent her from active engagement in ministry. 

The holistic guide helps the seeker to have healthy images of God. One of them is: God is compassion and love. Not a policeman. The holistic guide can help the seeker to discover and experience loving God in a benign way. He can encourage her to love Jesus and his mission so deeply as to dare to continue his noble mission in spite of all opposition.