fearlessness and fear

What is fear and from whence does it come? The dictio-nater says fear is "a feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger." When danger is present or near at hand, we feel agitated and anxious. This is the way we are built. Seems like a survival mechanism to me.

Can a person be fearless? Some say no; the best a person can do is to feel fear and act anyway. I say yes - two yesses. Yes, you can feel fear and act anyway. Yes, you can be fearless.

This question was addressed about five thousand years ago by the seers and sages, the divine-ers, of the Upanishads. This passage I am about to quote first speaks of fearlessness and then the cause, the root cause of fear.

"Truly, when a person discovers a foundation of fearlessness in the Self, in that which is invisible, formless, unlimited, and self-sufficient, then has he found true fearlessness. If, however, he makes in this unity even the smallest gap, then fear is born." (Taittiriya Upanishad)

The Self of course is our Source, the Wellspring -- "invisible, formless, unlimited, self-sufficient."

Fear comes when we make even the smallest gap between ourselves and The-One-Who-Breathes-Us. Our spiritual alarm goes off.

Fearlessness comes when we move in harmony with our Source.

So there you have it.
Out of harmony with our Source -- fear.
In harmony with our Source -- no fear.

Spiritual aikido, me buckos!