How vipassana is useful for removing fear from myself?
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From what I understand, what we feel as fear is a reaction when the self is in danger of losing something or itself. For example fear of losing reputation in social situations, fear of death.
This thing we call I or self is because of wrong identifications. We are identified wrongly with our body, our mind, our car, our house, our job. If you really think about it, you will see these things are not "I". You are not the job or the bank balance or the body. Please understand this clearly because that is what Vipassana meditation is trying to tell you.
If you observe your thoughts, which come up and go away, arising and passing away, your body is also the same. It is there for a brief period after which it is gone. Your car will get old and stop working. Your job may change or it may be gone tomorrow. Of course you must cherish it while it is there, but you must not get entangled with it or identify with it. Today it is there, but tomorrow it may not be there. Everything is "mortal". You are not immortal, nothing is.
Fear is coming up because you are afraid of something that you think you will lose. If you realize that this body or thoughts or job or car is temporary and may go away anytime, you will find your fear reducing. Because there is truly nothing to lose.
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Fear is sometimes unescapable. Fearful situations will always tend to create fear. If you find yourself in a room with a dangerous animal you will most likely be afraid. If you fear for the future you might or might not have adequate reasons to fear. As such fear is part of dukkha, it is part of life. It is even necessary to life.
[Ven. Sariputta:] "Now what, friends, is the noble truth of stress? Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are stressful; association with the unbeloved is stressful; separation from the loved is stressful; not getting what is wanted is stressful. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful.
"And what is birth? Whatever birth, taking birth, descent, coming-to-be, coming-forth, appearance of aggregates, & acquisition of [sense] spheres of the various beings in this or that group of beings, that is called birth.
"And what is aging? Whatever aging, decrepitude, brokenness, graying, wrinkling, decline of life-force, weakening of the faculties of the various beings in this or that group of beings, that is called aging.
"And what is death? Whatever deceasing, passing away, breaking up, disappearance, dying, death, completion of time, break up of the aggregates, casting off of the body, interruption in the life faculty of the various beings in this or that group of beings, that is called death.
"And what is sorrow? Whatever sorrow, sorrowing, sadness, inward sorrow, inward sadness of anyone suffering from misfortune, touched by a painful thing, that is called sorrow.
"And what is lamentation? Whatever crying, grieving, lamenting, weeping, wailing, lamentation of anyone suffering from misfortune, touched by a painful thing, that is called lamentation.
"And what is pain? Whatever is experienced as bodily pain, bodily discomfort, pain or discomfort born of bodily contact, that is called pain.
"And what is distress? Whatever is experienced as mental pain, mental discomfort, pain or discomfort born of mental contact, that is called distress.
"And what is despair? Whatever despair, despondency, desperation of anyone suffering from misfortune, touched by a painful thing, that is called despair.
"And what is the stress of association with the unbeloved? There is the case where undesirable, unpleasing, unattractive sights, sounds, aromas, flavors, or tactile sensations occur to one; or one has connection, contact, relationship, interaction with those who wish one ill, who wish for one's harm, who wish for one's discomfort, who wish one no security from the yoke. This is called the stress of association with the unbeloved.
"And what is the stress of separation from the loved? There is the case where desirable, pleasing, attractive sights, sounds, aromas, flavors, or tactile sensations do not occur to one; or one has no connection, no contact, no relationship, no interaction with those who wish one well, who wish for one's benefit, who wish for one's comfort, who wish one security from the yoke, nor with one's mother, father, brother, sister, friends, companions, or relatives. This is called the stress of separation from the loved.
"And what is the stress of not getting what is wanted? In beings subject to birth, the wish arises, 'O, may we not be subject to birth, and may birth not come to us.' But this is not to be achieved by wanting. This is the stress of not getting what is wanted. In beings subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, the wish arises, 'O, may we not be subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, and may aging... illness... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair not come to us.' But this is not to be achieved by wanting. This is the stress of not getting what is wanted. MN 141
To reduce fear you have two viable options :
-resolve the problem that is making you afraid. Real issues call for real solutions.
-realise the dukkha aspect of existence and grow detachment as a consequence.
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