I had another life changing session with Jaap Van Etten.  We have both been receiving similar messages about the path ahead.  Our discussion led to a concept that has been coming up in readings I’ve been doing over the last month.  We both feel that our species is in the process of evolving.  Our lizard brain that is still wired to react with adrenaline to prepare for fight or flight is not serving us well these days (as modern challenges rarely allow us to respond in either of these ways).  As this part of our brain evolves, we are moving our instinctive reaction to one of love instead of fear.  So how do we do this?  The message both Jaap and I received was to LOVE the fear.

Loving what we are afraid of seems like a crazy idea.  And yet, it is impossible to experience fear and love at the same time.  Try it and you’ll see what I mean.  Think about something that worries you.  Then repeat, “I love my fear about (insert what you are worried about).”  Keep repeating it for a few moments.  How does your body feel?  I’ve found when I do this, my system relaxes and the fear disappears.

Why does this work?  It has to do with what these two emotions evoke in our physical system.  Love sends a message to the body that all is well. It sends calming, soothing hormones through the system. It opens and flows.  The breathing slows and the muscles relax.  Fear, on the other hand, sends the message that we are in danger. When it arrives, our body tenses and tightens.  Breath shortens the organs are lifted up under the rib cage and our senses go on high alert.  We are ready to fight or run for our life.

Clearly, these two responses are completely opposite. So when we focus on love, the body gets a message that contradicts the worry we are experiencing.  It allows us to relax and deal with the situation calmly (which is the reaction that works best with our modern-day challenges).  The key to all of this is to recognize that when we stop fighting fear (or trying to avoid it) we can allow it to lose its power to harm us.  We can truly be centered in love.  When we love, we align with our highest good and we align with who we really are.

Love the Fear Challenge

Would you like to join me in a month-long endeavor to change our instinctive response from one of fight or flight to one of love?  Participation is simple:  Just commit to spending 5 minutes twice a day to meditate on feeling love.  Try using a simple statement such as “Breathing IN I love.  Breathing OUT I love” as you slowly inhale and exhale.  Imagine yourself somewhere peaceful where you feel relaxed and safe.  Throughout the day, keep this practice in mind and when you begin to feel fear (which often masks itself as anger, sadness, boredom, guilt, frustration, or anxiety) then say, “I love my (fill in what you are feeling) because it is teaching me to love myself.”

Opportunities for Additional Support

My Sanctuary Soul Friends Community:  I’ll be sharing weekly recordings/meditations, readings, and encouragement to empower this shift.  You can join here:  Become a Member

Empowerment Circle on Money:  This week’s Empowerment Circle is another way to get some support if money is one of the topics that generate fear for you.  Details are at this link: Empowerment Circles

Let’s bring this year to a close with love flooding our system,  so we can “ride the wave” into this new way of being!

Wishing you much love and blessings!

Nancy