Although fear is a hardwired survival mechanism, intended to increase our attention, energy, and strength when faced with a threat to life; in the absence of real danger it can become a barrier to the fulfillment of our dreams, potential, and purpose by causing us to miss out on enriching, life-changing opportunities. And when we gather our courage and move forward toward facing our fears, just before we actually begin making the changes, we will probably be bombarded with a flood of negative thoughts and emotions. These are linked to the wiring intended to protect our cave dwelling ancestors from threats like a snarling tiger; along with our unresolved personality issues. Since we are rarely faced with life threatening danger, our fear of change, and the surge of thoughts and emotions we may experience when taking a step forward toward the change, are usually unfounded. For example, if we fear leaving an unfulfilling relationship (irrational fear as there is no real danger present), this general fear is being generated by our evolutionary wiring. If we decide to face this fear, and take a step forward toward the desired change, then we will likely be bombarded with thoughts of looking like a failure, losing control, seeming selfish, or being disloyal; and feelings of anxiety, stress, guilt, and specific fears of rejection, loss, and the unknown. When examined closely, there is no danger present, so there is no reason to fear the change. When carefully considering the thoughts and feelings that flood our mind and heart when we move forward toward it, there is also no rational basis for them. When we decide to face our fears of change, we will probably have at least these two levels of obstacles to overcome, so we want to expect them, welcome them, understand them for what they are, and just keep walking forward through the changes. What we will discover, when we do this, is that there was nothing there to be afraid of in the first place. We will become more courageous, empowered, and fulfilled by walking through the process; and gain the benefits from having made the change. If we allow either the general fears of change, or the surging thoughts and feelings that bombard us when taking a step forward toward it, to stop us; then we’ll be allowing things that don’t exist to prevent us from fulfilling our purpose and our dreams. We’ll also be teaching this fear-based approach to those who are modeling themselves in our likeness.
Alternative Angles
So, in order to create a broader perspective, let’s step way back and take a look at this process through some alternative lenses. Having been blessed to study and work with members of the Lakota, Navajo, Santee Sioux, Apache, and Rincon Band of Luiseño tribes; native Hawaiians; and Ayurvedic visionaries; it could prove refreshing to look at our fears of change through the eyes of wolf medicine, kalakupua shamanism, and plant consciousness. Of all the animals, the wolf is my favorite, and that of my beloved soul companion; and fits well with this discussion. And my two faithful doberwolves are lying at my feet as I write.
Wolf Medicine
According to wolf medicine, it is in the sharing of great truths that the consciousness of humanity will attain new heights. This great truth refers to the higher consciousness that comes to our spirit from the Great Spirit, or universal consciousness. By recognizing and receiving it, and then sharing it with others, we will contribute to the elevation of human consciousness. As we feel Wolf coming alive within us, we may wish to share our knowledge by writing or teaching about things that will help others better understand their uniqueness or path in life. Wolf is the tribe’s greatest teacher, and may also ask us to expand our limited view of the present situation. Doing this may require a great deal of courage, and a willingness to face the inevitability of change. “The gift of wisdom comes to you when you have walked enough pathways and found enough dead ends to truly know the forest. In the discovery and rediscovery of every inch of ground comes the knowledge that nothing ever remains the same.” Whether in the same situation, or a different one, there is always change. What we must consider is whether or not our changes are leading to new heights in human consciousness. This can only occur when we live according to the Great Truth of the Great Spirit (the truth of our spiritual awareness).
Another truth to remember is that we do not know what changes will occur if we choose to remain in our current situation rather than accepting the prompts of the Great Spirit. If we don’t want to deal with major change, so choose to remain in our current situation, then we may end up facing bigger and more disruptive changes than if we had flowed with the naturalness of the universal wisdom. And Wolf believes that our choice to ignore the prompting of the Great Spirit may be the cause of the unexpected changes in the life that we were trying to control. This could be a lesson in acceptance of the limitations of our control, and awareness of the importance of recognizing and accepting spiritual things.
Kalakupua Shamanism
Kalakupua shamanism teaches that the material world is an illusion, that all things are interconnected, that everything is a symbol of something about the self, and that all things are causally part of the same whole. According to this view, the truth of higher consciousness is exchanged via energy and information between and among all things. When we become consciously aware of this great truth, through our spirit, we can shine its wisdom through our words and actions into the material world to help elevate human consciousness. Through our spirit we can also connect directly with universal consciousness to co-create the essence of our dreams. Our acceptance of the inevitability of change is a prerequisite to our awareness of the truth of higher consciousness. Like Wolf medicine, Kalakupua shamanism teaches that whether we remain in the same material world situations, or transition into different ones; everything is always changing; in ways we may or may not be aware of. The most important thing for us to consider is whether or not our changes are contributing to the elevation of human consciousness. We did not choose this life to waste it by escaping from, denying, or avoiding growth and change.
Plant Consciousness
Plants bring us the love, the nourishing power of the sun, which is the same energy contained within all the stars, of all light. These cosmic energies emanated by plants thus nourish, sustain and encourage the growth of our own astral body. In this way the existence of plants is a great offering, a sacrifice. They offer us not only their own nutritive value but the very light and love from the stars, from the cosmos whose messengers they are. They bring to us the universal light so that we can enter the universal life. They exist for psychological, as well as physical nourishment. Our feelings, then, are our own inner plants, our own inner flowers. They grow in accordance with our perception of the nature of all life. This perception can grow into the flowering of higher consciousness when our choices contribute to its natural evolution.
Plants exist to transmute light into life. Human beings exist to transmute life into consciousness, love. These three–light, life and love–are one, each an expression of the other, three dimensions of the same existence. Plants transmute light into life through photosynthesis. The human being transmutes life into consciousness through perception. Through direct perception, the seer is the seen, the observer the observed. The Sanskrit word for the plant osadhi means literally a receptacle or mind, dhi, in which there is burning transformation, osa. In the Vedas this can mean not only plants but all entities in creation.
The human being is the plant of consciousness. The plant, which effects a similar process on a “lower level” of evolution, feeds our mind and nervous system to help in this process. As below, so above; all the universe is a metamorphosis of light.
In the outer world, a central sun is the source of light and life. In the inner world, a central sun is also the source of life. This inner sun is our true Self, what the ancients called the Purusha or Atman. Plants bring us into communion with the energy of the outer sun, while our inner plant, our nervous system, brings us into communion with the inner sun. Establishing the proper link between the outer plant and the inner plant thus completes the circuit of light and life, and establishes the free flow of awareness in which the mind is liberated–unites the sun with the sun, merges the outer with the inner, creates a festival of delight in living.
This awareness, our awareness of the light of truth, our awareness of the circuit of light and life; accessed through our inner true nature, reveals the inevitability of change. As with Wolf Medicine and Kalakupua shamanism, what matters is whether our change is contributing to the elevation of human consciousness, and by doing so to the further awakening of universal consciousness.
The Inevitability of Change
So no matter what happens in our lives, we will always be dealing with change. If we remain in our current situation to avoid major changes, then there may be even bigger changes that will occur unexpectedly than if we had transitioned in accordance with the prompting of our spiritual awareness, and the changes may not be to our liking. We do not know if we, or anyone else, will be alive in another moment, day, or year. Anything could change at any time, in any way. If the universe is prompting us to make changes, and if we fail to do so because of our fears, avoidance, or issues; then we may end up facing even bigger changes that create even more disruption in our lives. Fear of change is denial of truth. As we begin a new year, let us accept the spiritual truth of higher consciousness. Let us walk through our fears of change to the safety and clarity on the other side. Let us accept, with faith and devotion, the truth of our spiritual awareness, the changes it points to, and the natural beauty it contains. Happy New Year!
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