I have tried hard to avoid this, but I must undergo a Stem Cell Transplant. I have a little Lymphoma in my leg! Just a little, but a little is a lot with this stuff. I was terrified that this might happen. I’ve already experienced many cancer treatments, and I have opinions about all of them. Stem Cell Transplant is the Big Daddy of all cancer treatments, and my view was that I was terrified of this one. With the stem cell transplant closing in, my fears were rising.
If I’m like most people, I don’t want to have a stem cell transplant. I don’t want to face my fears. I don’t want what I’m scared of to come true. That’s what fear is about—the anxiety of future events. We would choose the easier path in nearly every situation, even though the lessons learned from facing fear are priceless for our growth. It just seems so scary to us. Sometimes the choice is clear that the best path is the most challenging path.
When we meditate, we examine our fears. It takes time to unravel our worries, but in calming our minds, our fears are revealed, which takes power from them. Fear has been with us a long time, and it doesn’t go away overnight. Shining a light on our fears will disarm them.
Meditation brings them to the forefront of your mind. When you are meditating, bring your fear to your mind. Look at it. You may begin to cry. Look into the darkness with your eyes close. Look at that fear, ask it questions, ’are you real? What is your purpose? Tell it you have exposed it, and now you may conquer it. Through meditation, you will train your mind to observe the uncomfortable from a safe place. Then when they pop up in our life, we can look at them again with our objective mind. Taking power away and facing the fear will disarm it.
Our thoughts primarily cause fear: the what-ifs, the false expectations appearing real. Meditation for fear and anxiety helps by interrupting the mind-body loop. The mind-body loop is where we react to our first impulse, usually from the limbic brain center, and we get trapped in that thought of fear. Instead, meditation sees the fear for what it is “just a thought.” You can change your thoughts and feelings to become more centered and balanced to where fear isn’t overtaking you. Fear should only be appearing when there is something to be afraid of. In that case, fear properly managed can assist you in making decisions to run or fight.
Meditate for fear reduction by first following your breath with your mind. Think of your breath filling your body. Allow the fear to surface in your mind. Focus on it. Allow it to scare you. Allow it to make you cry. Then reduce it to nothing. In your mind, see your fear as just a thought. You can disarm it by looking into it, experience it, and then realize it is harmless. Diminish it in your mind, belittle the fear, tell it you are not afraid any longer. It can go to hell. Tell that fear to take a hike. Feel the power in you. You do have the ability. No matter what you may be thinking. You are powerful, and as a human, you can conquer. Then open your eyes and smile. You have won. High Vibes!
