-- *Mar*Thank you, Mr. Sarma. It’s an honor to be entrusted with your writing.
Your essay is already rich in meaning, layered with psychological, spiritual, and personal insight. What follows is a *lightly edited version* of your original, with *no change to your message or tone* — only improvements in *clarity, flow, paragraph structure*, and some *minor grammar adjustments* to make it easier to read while preserving your voice. ------------------------------ 📝 *Fear* *By YM Sarma (Edited for clarity and structure)* ------------------------------ *Chronic fear is the belief in failure.* Most of us do not live in the present. We spend time introspecting and revisiting past experiences. When we experience failure, it gnaws at us—we continue to live in the memory of that failure. As a result, we disable ourselves from fully living in the present. The internal communication system between and among the cells is the *hormonal system*. A hormone is simply an instruction from the brain to the cell, telling it to act in a particular way. When the brain cannot free itself from the memory of past failures, it keeps sending signals to the body, warning it of imagined threats. Fear takes over. Eventually, this fear becomes an automatic reflex—it gets embedded as *repression*. In repression, you do not know why you are afraid or why you act in a cowardly manner. The cause hides in the *subconscious*, and plays mischief without being caught. But it devastates your very capacity to live in the present. This negativism in the hormonal communication system becomes *automatic*. You develop a fear response that manifests as avoidance, procrastination, chronic postponement—the *chronic inability of self-control*. It becomes a situation where *your body no longer obeys your command*. For example, when someone hits you, you want to hit back. But to your horror and shame, you find yourself shivering and running away. You don't know why you're acting like a coward, though you don’t want to be one. The hormones no longer wait for fresh orders—they now operate on *standing instructions*. ------------------------------ *Catching the Culprit Within* If you want to remove fear, the first step is to *identify the culprit hiding within you*—the repressed, unconscious memory. With the help of a good psychoanalyst, you may be able to bring this repressed cause to the surface, and *deliberately refuse to let it do more mischief*. You must tell your hormonal system *firmly and repeatedly* to stop sending fear-generating hormones. You have to watch yourself and *consciously suppress* the mischief of the unconscious mind. Then, practice *self-control* through yoga. Here, yoga does not mean only physical health or asanas. It includes *repeatedly affirming* a personal *success mantra*, one that helps trigger *positive or healing hormones*. These affirmations must be practiced until they become a natural part of your inner dialogue. ------------------------------ *Living in the Present* You must also practice *living in the present*. This means facing problems directly, instead of avoiding them through procrastination or surrender. You can face life in the present *only when you believe in yourself and approve of yourself*. Do things that earn you a “certificate” from your own conscience. Also, learn to *appreciate others* sincerely when they do good. Appreciation is always appreciated—it helps not only them but also *stimulates your own positive hormonal system*. If you are suffering from failure, stop living retrospectively. Remember, *experience and analysis never happen at the same time*. All analysis is post-mortem. There is no use ruminating endlessly over the past. ------------------------------ *The God Within You* If you ask me whether there is a God, I will say: *Yes, there is. Who is that God? In your case, it is yourself.* Make it a point to *adore and show devotion to your personal God—yourself*. If you pray to Him or Her with true bhakti and absolute belief, *you will receive whatever you ask for*. So, my dear God... *start*. ------------------------------ *Understanding Real Fear* Interestingly, you do not truly experience fear when the feared event is actually happening. You fear *afterwards*, when you remember it. That memory turns into *dread*, and dread becomes habitual. Concentrate only on your objective—or better yet, on a *mission* you choose for yourself. There are always barking dogs, but dogs bite only when you show fear. No dog attacks when it senses *true courage*. ------------------------------ *What Is Courage?* *Courage is not unthinking brutality or mindless aggression.* That is often the result of chronic fear and a lack of self-control. A bully can be easily tamed. True courage is built over a *lifetime of self-observation and discipline*. ------------------------------ *The Path to Self-Esteem* The best way to build *courage, self-confidence, and self-esteem* is to take up a *mission that brings real help and happiness to others*. Every small success gives you enormous dividends of self-respect. Consider Gautama Buddha or Ramana Maharshi. They never shouted, smirked, or rejoiced in others’ problems. They understood the power of *sincere missions*. But figures like Hitler only raved and ranted. Hitler never had the courage to personally witness an extermination camp. And in the end, he *committed suicide*, because he knew he could not answer for what he had done. So much fear and *self-contempt* had built up inside him. ------------------------------ *Conclusion* To live with courage, you must: - Face your past, and then let it go. - Build self-control through awareness and practice. - Choose a mission greater than yourself. - Live in the present, not in the shadow of memory. - See the divine in yourself—and believe in that divinity. Courage is not the absence of fear. It is *your decision to act in spite of it*, every day. ------------------------------ ✨ Would you like me to format this as a printable PDF or part of a small collection of essays or reflections from your life? You could share it with family, friends, or even a wider audience. Just say the word, and I’ll help you prepare it. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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