Hi DocM,
Quote:I didn't mention your link Kyo to the space aliens inserting sinus devices to cause aging because I don't know what to say. That person's fear is certainly false and unjustified. A malignant alien intelligence could find many easier ways to kill off large segments of the population than inserting sinus based devices - so even under the light of reason, this makes no sense.
That post, was used as an example to illustrate the fearful thosenes (thoughts, sentiments, energies) behind it; it is the fear that is the critical problem here, regardless of the ideas (and the accuracy of), that it is projected upon.
For instance, in certain posts, you may come across people that are deeply troubled by ideas that their 'guides', 'helpers', or 'guardian angel' (or for some, even their 'higher self', 'Disc'/'Disk', etc) are unloving, disapproving or even hateful of themselves (the individuals making the posts), sending them hateful, reproachful, scolding telepathic messages regularly, and other such ideas.
Or, in other posts, ideas surrounding intrusion issues are similarly fraught with fear and misunderstanding, whether they be 'black magic attacks', 'demonic possession', 'alien abductions or implantation', etc.
It is easy to say (as many did, on the forums such posts were made on) that these are foolish, unjustified and paranoid ideas. But to the suffering individual entrapped and deranged by the fear behind these ideas, their suffering and pain is palpable and pitiful indeed. Take a look on forums such as the Astral Pulse - the number of such individuals suffering from these fears are 'frightfully' large, and oh so pitiful.
Comparing to the post on Simpo's forum (hyperlinked on my original post), it is easy to see that a similar principle, a similar fear is operating there. A corruptive fear based on false ideas, or False Evidence Appearing as Real.
It is this fear which is the real problem here, rather than the 'aliens' or 'demons' or 'implantations' or 'evil guides' or 'big bad guardian angels' or 'disapproving higher selves', or other such false ideas, that the fear is projected upon.
Quote:There is normal fear, associated with our reality and abnormal fear that spirals in our mind and spirit. All of us know this firsthand. Of course, the "normal fear," running into a great white shark while swimming, may temporarily activate epinephrine in the physical world. If the response is brief, it may serve some transient benefit. You can claim that this normal flight or fight response is misguided and that we should not allow it if we are truly enlightened, but I might disagree as my adrenaline kicked in swimming away from the shark.
The secretion of the hormone adrenaline (also called epinephrine) by the adrenal glands (situated above or 'epi', the kidneys or 'nephros'), is indeed a biological or physiological response to what is perceived or understood by the brain as a life-threatening situation, hence it is known as a 'fight or flight' hormonal response.
The adrenaline/epinephrine, then activates the rapid conversion of glycogen to glucose in muscle cells and in the liver (to increase overall blood glucose levels), dilating aterioles in leg muscles (in preparation to flee), constricts the arterioles near the surface of skin to conserve and redirect blood resources (hence causing the pale face), dilates pupils (allowing one to see thus react better in the dark), and increases heart rate (perhaps the most easily noticed effect for the individual) to support the anticipated muscular activities, for 'fighting' or 'fleeing'.
It might seem as you say, that therefore, in a situation wherein the secretion of adrenaline/epinephrine saves one's life by boosting the body's readiness and capacity to flee from a threat, such as a great white shark, that therefore the 'fear' in that situation might be regardless as useful.
Instead, recognize (as you do, DocM) that there is an important difference between 'fear' as a primordial survival instinct of the biological body, versus 'fear' that is a psychological, emotional and consciential/spiritual darkness born out of false ideas, confusion and misconception.
As physically incarnate or intraphysical human beings, it is all to easy to confuse or equate the two. This is because a natural (indeed intended) consequence of the consciousness or soul, incarnating into a physical body, is that the biochemical reactions of the brain and body, are closely tied in to the pyschological emotions of the incarnated consciousness or awareness. To some extent then, during a biological incarnation, each influences the other. This is the basis for the (flawed) argument held by some so-called scientists, that 'love' is nothing more than 'chemicals or nerve impulses in the brain'.
Yourself, DocM, have recognized and differentiated between the two by calling them 'normal fear' and 'abnormal fear'. That is one way to label them. I find that taking the word 'fear' as an acronym for 'False Evidence Appearing as Real', is far more helpful, when speaking in the context of psychological, consciential or spiritual issues; because in these contexts, we are speaking of a type of darkness (literally seen as such, by clairvoyant sight) or lack-of-light, lack-of-understanding, lack-of-clarity, caused by false ideas appearing as real (which is what you have labelled as 'abnormal fear').
Hence, we (DocM and myself) certainly agree that these are two completely separate phenomena, which is why I (and many others), have found it more helpful to differentiate them totally, by calling it False Evidence Appearing as Real; by this term not referring to the biological survival response as to the body, but to the psychological/emotional/consciential as to the consciousness or awareness. These must never be misconstrued as being equal, which might otherwise seem to justify that fear (the False Evidence Appearing as Real), is a worthy emotion.
It is not, and in a spiritual context, the fear (or darkness) is the opposite of love (or light), of clarity, of understanding. And as such, it is never truly helpful to the consciousness or soul.
A common misconception leading to the criticism of Byron Katie's Clarification methodology, is in regards to the step in which you no longer fear, or hate, or get angry (the basis of hate and anger is *always* fear, or false evidence appearing as real), at the situation which you have identified as the problem. Instead, you love (ie. accept) it.
Critics argue, "If the situation is of a social injustice, an act of terorrism, or a paedophilic rape; we *should* get angry and we *should* hate the perpetrators, it is *wrong* to love the situation, that would be equivalent to condoning the wrongdoing!"
There are a number of errors here. Let's look at this more closely.
The 'wrongdoing', is to be more correctly termed, the anti-cosmoethical action, itself always born out of anger, hatred, fear, or false ideas appearing as real. The terrorist, the abuser, the rapist, are individuals whose psyche, awareness, mind, consciousnesses and souls, have been warped by darkness, of anger, of hatred, of fear. Violence begets more violence; fear begets more fear.
The anger and fear that many have as a response to such 'atrocities', while born out of compassion (the higher or more spiritually evolved quality) and love, is to be distinguished as distinct and unnecessary, unhelpful even (to the compassion and love). Because it is more actually a result of false ideas appearing as real, the false idea of hopelessness, or helplessness, or victimhood, of more innocents being hurt, being raped, being violated, being abused, being unloved, and so on.
These false ideas, are always the true basis of fear, anger and hatred. But people often mistake these emotions of darkness as a natural association of love and compassion. This is only the (unnecessary) case when the consciousness, or the species or race as a whole, whilst intraphysical or incarnated, is not yet conscientially prepared to understand the underlying principles clearly.
Loving the situation, which is accepting it, which is coming to terms with it, which is being able to understand the situation with clarity, is the first step to improving the situation. This does *not* imply the condoning (the other, inaccurate idea of 'passive acceptance') of the situation, which is certainly far from the most helpful or cosmoethical scenario possible. That which the guides & helpers wish to work towards.
Loving and compassion, means to love, to care for, the individuals concerned, and to assist or help those most in need of this. Far from condoning the misguided, unhelpful or anti-cosmoethical action, to be loving means to first accept (ie. loving or compassionate acceptance) and understand the situation as it is, through the eyes of compassion, without the fearful implications or other false, limting ideas or assumptions, and to see what is the most helpful, the most compassionate, the most loving, the most cosmoethical action to be taken in such a situation, in order to most effectively help all involved, particularly those most in need of assistance, such as the injured, the abused, the 'victims' of the situation.
To reiterate once again, for this is very important to understand, when one observes an atrocity, and one is able to be loving, (even to say, "I am able to love or compassionately understand the situation that I once hated or feared"), it is not at all condoning the unloving or anticosmoethical action, the 'atrocity'; it is in fact to be compassionate and loving to all individuals involved; to love is to accept, understand, recognize, respect and be compassionate for, not only the people involved, but as well the opportunities now present to reach out, to assist, to take cosmoethical action to *help* the ones who need help, in the most loving, effective, helpful way possible.
Of course, with the case of the limited intraphysical human awareness, it is frequently the case of "the heart is compassionate and willing, but the mind is not sure how to help". This is where the guides & helpers come in, or to be precise, this underscores the importance of a helpful, positive, collegial and collaborative, active relationship that must be developed between every intraphysical human, and the guides & helpers (both the individual's personal guides & helpers; as well as the generic or universalistic guide & helpers of all types that are available to all beings at all times, including every intraphysical human willing to work with this).
Quote:Fear can be conquered in many ways. I find calling it "false evidence appearing real," not at all very comforting. What is better is to look with a tranquil mind at the real situation. Gather facts and knowledge. Then the fear must be cleansed by embracing the feared object or projecting its opposite...
Which is basically pretty close to what I've been saying, or that which is (from my perspective) most helpfully understood by the acronym of fear as False Evidence Appearing as Real.
However, I wish to use this opportunity to point out, that it is always wise to avoid the trap of dogma that have befallen many religions. That is to say, to recognize that if something which someone says does not feel comfortable, or agreeable, or 'right', it is because the ideas that you have understood, translated or interpreted from the other persons' words, are indeed not correct for you. That is to say, not necessarily what the other person is intending to say, but what you took from his words, is certainly not correct or helpful for you to adopt or use. That is to say, it (the ideas perceived or interpreted) is counter-intuitive for you, or against the wisdom of your higher self.
Quote:I have found that meditation and conviction in my positive beliefs were helpful, as well as embracing the object of my fear and replacing it with a constructive positive, and desired end.
As with other paranoid beliefs, this must be confronted as not being based in reality. The person may try other techniques, however I believe that embracing and visualizing the opposite of one's fear (or one's stated desire in the physical world as being manifest), and meditation can do wonders. It did for me.
Thusly in conclusion, I thank you (DocM) for your willingness and positive intention in the sharing of your views, and suggest that everyone, all readers of this thread, including you (DocM) and myself, would do well to honour, respect or love what is within yourself, ie. what is correct for you, as you understand it. In other words, continue the most helpful view as you have known, understood, or expressed; if it works for you, it is good or correct for you. And not be unduly influenced by the ideas of others, the messages, communications or even channelings (no matter who the purported entity is said to be) of others.
For instance, I for one am most happy to state that, for the most part, in regards to the issue of the 'demonic', due to the further clarification and evolution of my understanding and perspective of this subject, has now evolved to be quite identical with that of Dr Dave_a_mbs. In the past I had perhaps been overly cautious, perhaps out of concern for the those who might not fully understand the subject or shrug it off with nonchalance, but now I indeed see that *essentially*, Dr Dave_a_mbs was, and is, completely correct as the to true *nature* of the beings known as 'demonic'.
He was correct to speak or share his view at the time, as I was (also correct) to speak and share mine at the time; it is important to first accept (ie. understand clearly and through compassion) one's own perspective, nature or choice, before any clear, helpful evolution of ideas, perspectives and choices, can be made or progressed. This is indeed applicable across a wide gamut of subjects, including social issues such as religion, politics, sexuality, science and philosophy.
And now, it is correct, important and useful, for you (DocM), for myself, for Spitfire, for Chumley, and for everyone else here on this forum, and on other forums, on the internet, or in whatever context, to clearly and consciously, share their understanding, their perspective, their willingness and their love, in any best way that they can. Even if the ideas or views might appear to be conflicting, that is ok. More than ok, it is beautiful, if seen through the eyes of love.
Many thanks again to DocM, to Dr Dave_a_mbs, to Byron Katie, to Hilarion, and to all.
Kyo