Fear factor

Fear was a big theme for me throughout my yoga teacher training program. Fear that I wasn’t “advanced” enough, fear that I’d never get up into a handstand. And quite frankly, this fear situation was holding me back… So I decided to leave fear behind upon graduating the course. Of course I still get scared, but now I use my freaky thoughts to my advantage. And quite coincidentally (God?) Martha Beck recently wrote an inspiring article on how to harness fear (and get what you want) in the October 2011 issue of O, the Oprah Magazine. Check it out. Can you relate?

My response to Beck’s instructions:

I want

to write a book

but I’m afraid

I won’t be "good enough" and/or I’ll embarrass myself & my family

(sorry in advance guys!)

Then again, I was scared to start blogging. And how awesome is po(i)sed?!

Good luck steering through your fear.

P.S. More on fear…

“Clinging to bodily life” (or fear of death) is the fifth of Patanjali’s kleshas, or obstacles. Deal with the kleshas, and you will be good-to-go! In his translation of the Yoga Sutras, Sri Swami Satchidananda provides an enjoyable commentary on fear of death and attachment to the body:

“Some people have old, old cars, say a ’43 Dodge. Even if you offer them the latest model Dodge they wouldn’t want it. You may even say, ‘Your car is no good anymore. You are blocking the road by driving it at ten miles an hour when everybody else is going fifty-five. You need to get a new one.’ The motor vehicles department may even take it away by force and throw it in a junkyard, but the owner will sit by it, crying and lamenting. Attachment to the body is like attachment to that car.”

(Sutra 2:9)

Curious about the first four? They are:

Ignorance

Egoism

Attachment

Hatred

(Sutra 2:3)

P.P.S. Just for fun: Nicole 4 Eva