ever walk out of a crowded room and sigh in relief?
the noise, the clamour, the heady aromas, all the energies assaulting your senses and then all of a sudden: quiet, fresh air, and a nothingness

This is a tiny sliver of a visual, a representation, of what it feels like to leave fear behind.

A deep knowing: abandoning fear

Anyone can do it
Anyone can choose it
Anyone can try it

Most never will.
Most are too busy.

Most of us are too wrapped up in habits, superficial rituals, external rituals, external stimuli, to work within.
To look within.
To stop within.

Yes. Emerging Zen is another way of seeing fear fall away.

To stop within requires: quiet
To stop within requires: well exactly that -> stopping

I have discovered that:
A lifetime of questions can be answered in one meditative sitting

What?
(you may ask.)

How can you have answers, when you meditate? It’s quiet time. You hear, see, say nothing. Yes. That is true. During and even after a meditation exercise, you often follow a protocol with the breath, where each breath takes you further and further away from being present in your mind, to a place where you are present in body and soul only. As your practice grows, your depth of connection will grow also. Even so, especially at the beginning of each sitting, or zazen, thoughts wander in and out. Their constant parade requires a gentle acknowledgement and a direct send off to another place. Out of the self.

As we direct thoughts out of the mind self, we begin the connection to our true self.
- This is the inner being -
- This is the soul human -
- This is felt but unseen -

This is what makes meditation so powerful. Our true self contains no fear. Our true self is guided by the heart and soul and not the mind. Fear is a construct of the mind.

A meditation can bring about an instant inner knowing. The exterior ‘you’ may remain the same and some may perceive this shift. Some will say ‘you’ve changed’ or ‘something is different’ or may ask ‘what did you do?’ And yes, you have changed by eliminating what you don’t need. You have shifted vibrations and opened up to yourself more. But this is not really a change. It is simply a clearer presentation of who you are. A clearer picture to the world.

Emerging zen in you is just that: an emergence. A flow. An opening in the wrapping of you. It’s an unwrapping of the soul. At the moment of this realization, this awareness, this emergence, you are ready to embark on a journey of immense proportions. Often by doing very little at all. Other times, the journey may be thousands of miles across the earth. Often, you may not even know in reason, why this journey is necessary. You just feel it.

Whatever way it manifests in your life, when you connect to your true self, through meditation, you will discover a deep knowing that allows you to abandon fear. You may not be ready. The choice is still yours. The choice to live in fear is actually quite comforting for many. But in ongoing awareness, the desire to leave it, to progress towards love and your true self, becomes stronger over time. As this strength builds, your ego eventually succumbs to your heart. The love you feel overpowers your fear. And you make decisions in your life accordingly. Then, and only then, can you truly accomplish great things. When you leave fear behind.

The other day I wrote to a friend:

“We are always pure but layered with misguided beliefs, learned dogmas and accepted falsehoods about ourselves as beings. That’s why we make ‘mistakes’ (judged outcomes as undesirable). In our heart centred existence, we never make ‘mistakes’. It’s just not possible. Anything our heart chooses is actually only for our growth and discovery. The ego mind is like a friend. We allow it to be with us everyday. An annoying, persistent, insecure friend.”

A meditation gently moves the ego aside, as if stating “you’re ok, but not necessary. Off you go”

Maybe, if you’re ready to leave some of your fears behind, you can start with the breath and a short meditation. Now. You can start now. Abandon fear.