Are Irrational Fears Rational?

Hello, Friends.

Today, we're looking at irrational fears. You know, those fears that pose little or no actual danger yet are intense and undeniable? Well, in this episode, we'll get up close and personal with irrational fears - starting with the question, "Are irrational fears rational?".

For context, this question came from my husband - out of the blue, in the middle of our workday. He came into my office, grabbed a chair, sat down, and said, "Can I ask you a question...". He said it so matter-of-factly that it piqued my curiosity as I had no idea which direction this was going. Then he asks, "Are irrational fears really irrational?". 

I paused and looked for breadcrumbs to get a sense of where he was coming from, why he'd ask, and whether he had the answer and was simply entertaining me by asking a question. I found no breadcrumbs. So I responded with what I know to be true.

What I Know to Be True

I know that a deeply rooted fear stems from an imbalance within you, where something is off-kilter. This imbalance may result in trauma from this lifetime or perhaps a past life. Whether it's an event, a series of events, and/or a person that said or did something that triggered fear - the trauma can get entangled within your energy field. So much so that the sense of fear can feel as if it's a part of your being.  

Through my Depth Hypnosis client practice, and frankly my own work, I've witnessed that more times than not, the fear exists to serve a purpose - oftentimes to protect you from harm. And the longer the anxiety, or imbalance, is not addressed, the more it becomes rooted the entangled in your psyche - to the point, that it feels materialized and is projected forward.

Yet, the mind or your ego tells you the fear is irrational, unlikely to cause harm, and discounts its significance - let alone acknowledges the impact and ripple effect the feeling has on you. For example, when a friend tells you about their fear of spiders, you may notice your initial reaction is to dismiss it or assume your friend manifested or created the absurd fear. But until you witness the physical reaction with BIG terrors or BIG emotions, you may see some fears carry a different energy.

Approaching Fear

When you move past that tendency to discount your or someone's irrational fear and become curious and ask questions - you may tap into substantial and meaningful insights that provide you more depth by looking at the layers of the fear. Consider sitting with it as you sit next to a friend and notice things like...

• How do you relate to the fear?
• Notice what triggers this fear.
• Where the fear appears within your body.  
• You may recall other times you feel that same exact feeling; yet, in different settings.
• You may even remember the very first time you experienced the fear.

When you trust in your higher self to guide you to listen and bend to Spirit's direction and pay attention to subtle and apparent signs - you will get insights into the imbalance that needs healing.

Otherwise, when you're IN the feeling of irrational fear, you're flooded with emotions related to terror and anxiety. You're completely overwhelmed. It makes it nearly impossible to see beyond or behind the fear.  

Navigating Fears

When you move outside your mind and into your Higher Self or inner knowing, you see the configuration of the fear - the patterning and fragmented energy flow. You have a wide-range view when you're detached from the heaviness of fear.  

And as you move further and further away from this dense, low vibration (even if only for a moment or through a short meditative period), you gather an even richer perspective. And through this progression away from the actual fear - you see aspects of the fear, the players, the roles, and the situations involved that cause terror and the exchange of energy or energy loss from the irrational fear.

The more you separate yourself from the fear's physical form, the more you learn about the fear. And when you can view the irrational fear at a macro level, you may even see how it's threaded across lifetimes. For example, you may notice how this thread appears as a karmic pattern intended to teach you a life lesson. Or maybe a soul contract from a past life issue that you brought forward into this lifetime.

Remember that irrational fears are invitations to unwind these patterns and contracts so you can heal the imbalances and free yourself from the trauma.

How This Looks

I'll share one of my own irrational fears and what I uncovered when I detach myself from the fear. So, I have an irrational fear of thunderstorms - those with bolts of lightning followed by earth-shaking claps of thunder.

This is a genuine fear for me - since childhood. Growing up in Arizona, we had incredible thunderstorms. I remember when a storm rolled in during the middle of the night, at the first clap of thunder, I flew out of my bed and jet into my parent's room. I wanted protection and feel safe, and my mom provided that - even if it was only temporary before she walked me back to my bed.    

Which, by the way, I wonder why most thunderstorms happen at night?! Hmmm...

So, through a Shamanic journey, I asked one of my trusted guides to show me what I'm meant to learn from my fear of thunderstorms. The insights I received were profound. I'll share a couple worth noting.

• A storm symbolizes moving into the shadow of my being where it's stormy with unexpected and sometimes jarring experiences.
• Moving through the storm shakes up and cleanses my inner structures to help further my growth along my healing journey.

Yet another amazing insight I was shown reflects just how entangled I am in my fear of thunderstorms. I revisited past lives where I lived on the threshold of horrific storms and knew that if I entered the storm to connect with my authentic self, I put myself, my spouse, and my family's life at risk. So instead, I hid my essence to protect myself and my family. I resented this. But I knew I had to do this as a form of protection and to survive through those lifetimes.

This particular insight re-triggered panic. I saw myself stuck between two worlds. I needed to decide. Do I step into my authentic self and potentially put my life and the lives of my loved ones at risk? Or do I wear a mask and hide? Do I hide my essence to be accepted by the community and preserve my and my loved one's identity?  

While weighty, this insight is not a new revelation for me. Despite all my work on this duality, the fear of thunderstorms still exists today. Yet, it's not as grippy. It's not the same threat it used to be. I no longer focus on its terror-stricken elements or the elements that appear damaging to me - I'm reminded that a change of form is not harmful. And that the explosive energy of a storm is highly creative. So, a storm is a part of creativity.  

Today, I view my fear of thunderstorms from a different perspective. I see the storm as a warning that it's time to go inward, access my truth, and feel the creative energy as my inner structures are shaken and cleansed. And once the storm passes, there's a renewed sense of being as I further integrate the teachings.  

Ways to Approach Your Fears

You may consider repeatedly reciting a short compassion meditation until the fear eases up. One I like is...

• May you be free from fear and anxiety
• May you find freedom and peace

Allow yourself all the time you need to detach yourself from a deeply rooted fear. When attached to your anxiety, it may take you longer to unwind and get to the truth, the imbalance. Yet, allowing this to happen in due time helps you access important insights beneath your fear. 

Have more faith than fear that you will access joy and hope. When you view fear as not being completely bad, it can be a teacher to awaken you and guide you to move past the blocks that fear creates.  

Consider spending time in nature with the elements to reconnect with your wisdom and empower yourself - especially before a situation that tends to trigger your fear. Sometimes fears are activated when we feel powerless, so regaining your power through nature can help you move through your fears.

If you hold a lot of fear or have exhausted these approaches (and others) and are ready to look at your relationship to fear - maybe consider depth hypnosis or an applied shamanic counseling session with me as I'm opening my practice for a few more clients. See the show notes for details.

Full Circle

So to come full circle to the question, "Are irrational fears really irrational?" I am leaving this question for you to decide. 

And with that, I leave you in warm light.

Bye, for now.