LOVE VERSUS FEAR

THE FIVE LOVES AND THE FIVE FEARS (JUDGMENTS) ON THE T.O.L.

 

 

There are five loves (purple) and five fears (red) on the T.O.L. – the latter also called the five judgments. Most of the loves are on the right side of the Tree which expands and most of the fears, on the left which contracts or restrains. The left side is more connected to Monkey or Narrow Mind and our unskillful, primitive emotions, the right side more to Spacious Mind and our higher awareness and consciousness.

The center column mediates between the two with will (also free will,)  intention and passion. By staying in the middle and balancing the polarities we can attain Keter the Crown.

Monkey Mind's unskillful fearful emotions include anger, hatred, malice well as our desires, compulsions, habits and addictions.

Spacious Mind mediates effectively between love and fear and is more about feelings than raw emotions. Spacious Mind embraces notions, concepts, belief, ideas, ideals, discrimination and discernment.

Monkey Mind can be localized to the primitive areas of the brain whereas Spacious Mind resides in the higher consciousness of the prefrontal lobe. This has been demonstrated in functional M.R.I studies. Advanced mediators default to the prefrontal lobe and recover quickly after being subjected to stress. Most of us default to the primitive brain unless we use stress reduction techniques.

“Love is the most universal, formidable and mysterious of all the cosmic forces.” De Chardin

 

There are only two feelings; Love and Fear. The Shadow (Evil Inclination,) Monkey Mind and Ego are subject to fear and our survival, sympathetic flight or fight reaction response, while love  induces a parasympathetic relaxation response.

 

FEAR

 

Guarded heart or gracious heart?
Protective self or expansive self?
Dutifully committed or passionately empty?

The Ancestors

 

“It must be a poor life that achieves freedom from fear.” 

Aldo Leopold

That to be totally fearless is foolish, that courage is to act in the face of fear. No fear means that no courage is required.

 

“Fear itself is not a foe but acquiescing to fear empowers it to be a formidable one.” Hillel

 

“Fear can be a friend if it alerts, warns, and yes, tempts thus testing one’s resolve. It is a magician in conjuring up all manner of images. What we do not reason with or dismiss become their own reality. Fear conquers when we let its possibilities project as realities directing and controlling our actions and decisions.” Hillel

 

Narrow (Monkey) mind is intimidated by fear and enslaves itself to it.
Spacious mind acknowledges fear and copes with it according to its merit thus relegating fear to that of a sometimes, useful servant, never one of a master. Spacious mind also recognizes the many guises of fear some of which masquerade as sensible and compelling considerations that offer prudence to cloak lack of hope and trust. 

How do you know? It is your heart – your heart that tells you.

The Ancestors

  

Causes of fear: The deep, the dark, the steep, threat to life, limb, organ or function, religious and superstitious and fear of the unknown. The greatest of all, however, is a threat to the ego, of falling out of favor with other humans.

Fear can be a catalyst for growth and those who have the furthest to go can gain the most. However, when confronted with overpowering adverse circumstances fear and it's consequences may create a form P.T.S.D.

There is distress which induces a flight or fight reaction, or eustress (good stress) which depends on our experiences and memories for past events. Many people strive on eustress and some on the adrenalin rush danger gives them. 

Stress, fear and performance can be tested by increasing the perception of danger by; manipulating the task at hand by increasing its complexity, decreasing the time required for the task, increasing the risk, and ensuring ignorance of what is to come. These techniques are used by the military. Fear has its dark side as well as its protective side.

 

Fear not loving while you have a chance.

Fear becoming bitter. 

Fear cynicism.

Fear turning to stone.

Fear living underwhelmed by everything.

 

Be fearful and bless others.

Be fearful and be merciful.

Be fearful and forgive.

Be fearful and do.

Be fearful and love.

C. Pinkola Estes

Fear is a key factor in negotiating all three phases of the hero/ine's journey; Separation, Threshold and Incorporation. The journey is about embracing the fear and doing it anyway which can be life-transforming.

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”             J. Campbell

 

“The meeting of oneself is at first the meeting of the shadow.    C. Jung