Fear: The Iceberg
We have all heard of the HMS “Titanic”. It fateful rendezvous with a perilous iceberg in the North Atlantic. How dreadful a night it was for the passengers and crew of this infamous “unsinkable” ship. The iceberg, whose destructive power and size, was for the most part hidden under the surface of the water, ripped a hole into the side of the ship well beyond what any of its designers could imagine. The result of this ominous encounter- death and destruction to life and ship alike.
So the sad story goes. The hopes, the dreams, the love, the future regrettably lost because the Titanic did not navigate around the perilous iceberg. The rich, the poor, the young, the old, were all subjected to its icy cold stroke of death. The blow that ended the lives of oh so many.
Why did it happen? Could it have been avoided? All questions asked after the great tragedy. A few facts we do know. We do know that the ship was in a rush to break records, we know that they were warned of icebergs in the area, we know that they were loaded with a sense of invulnerability, and we know some leadership neglect all played apart in the tragedy.
The iceberg was the ship’s downfall.
Quite literally. The dreadful iceberg caused the life bearing vessel to plummet to its ocean grave, never to be heard from again. Buried under miles of deep dark silent ocean. The Titanic’s voice has been stilled. Her laughing lights have gone out. Her merry music silenced. The sun, wind, moon and the stars forever veiled from her delightful decks. There she rests in her coffin in the depths. No longer a nautical shuttle and safe haven of life. A pursuer of pleasant destinations. A floating hotel of joy and happiness. Only cold lifeless steel, barren and void resting in a quiet and still shroud of darkness.
There is a dreadful iceberg. It drifts with diabolical destructive power intersecting the path of our lives. If we are not watchful and careful in our navigation a similar icy catastrophe can occur. Not only can it tear and rip into our hearts but it also can be a dagger of death to those to others who approach too close. It will flood our hearts with its icy cold water of selfishness and hate. Its icy tentacles take up lodging in our very own hearts, freezing, flooding and sinking us to the very depths of reclusive despair and hence a dark ocean tomb.
That Icebergs is fear. Fear is an immeasurably large and powerful nemesis to the vessel of our souls. It lurks in icy waters waiting for the right time and place to make its deep and powerful penetration into the heart of our soul delegating us to cold waters of isolation and its grave.
We can be much like the crew of the Titanic as we rush through our lives with a sense of excitement and invulnerability. Excited about breaking records and caught up with our own sense of invulnerability we set ourselves on a collision course with this life threatening beast of the sea. Without the watchful eyes of discerning intelligence we can allow this floating monster of the ocean to send us to a paralyzed coffin in the dark.
The Night of Darkness
Here’s the deal. We go through life with hopes and expectations of happiness, joy, and a great future. And then “it” happens. The unexpected painful turn of events that we did not expect, plan for, or have the capabilities to handle. It might have happened when we were young or maybe in our later years. but happen it did. And its effect was devastating. It might have been a molestation, a betrayal, a rejection, an environment of crazy violence and abuse. Or perhaps just the absence of a peaceful and loving environment that every child needs. A mothers and fathers love and presence.
“A fathers presence is a warm blanket, without it the children shiver and shake”
These events dark as they are….change us. Unavoidably and inescapably we are changed. Deep in our natures we are altered. The fortunate ones are able to process these events. Put them in storage boxes and shelve them properly. But for most of us, with only a temporal and earthly perspective, it is extremely difficult. For a young child almost impossible. The resulting tragedy is FEAR. The result of not being able to apply effective antidotes to clean and bind the wounds is fear festers and grows. When answers fall short and remedies fail, when reasons are void and no healing prevails the bitter stinging shaft remains contaminating our soul. It causes fear to fester and spread. When we cannot process the painful and harmful events of life we can develop a countering fear.
Fear has everything to do with pain, harm, punishment, destruction. It’s focus is to avoid these at all cost. Regardless of collateral damage by god these will be avoided. I can’t take anymore of this it warns…I will explode, I will suffocate, I will die. All dialogues of fear. Fear is the lens through which a person looks at life. It is a lens that allows discernment of the negative possibilities ONLY and not the positive. It has clear vision of what will impact negatively and responds to these inputs alone with independent protective measure with only self interest is mind. That is fear.
Fear is often difficult to detect. If you look closely and honestly at the reasons behind your decisions you may catch a glimpse. What others say about you (especially those most intimate to you) can give you clues, but the obvious indicator is if and how you self protect in close relationships. Self protection is a big indicator of fear. You are controlled by fear when you spend your focus and energy to protect yourself from pain and suffering.
Fear seizes control. Too much pain has occurred and this pain is unprocessed or unhealed pain. It remains. The sting, the bite, the sharp pain remains. As a result the bearer feel the emergency obligation to take total control of the ship and steer it clear of any more “potential” threats-even if these perceived threats bear no malice or might even be bearers of the antidote for their very own healing. They are too afraid to take the leap of faith and to trust those who might be there to help. They will take out their microscope and examine with utmost care and scrutiny any and all those humans for defects in order to push then to a safe distance to far for their hearts to be allowed to offer their medicinal love and care. FEAR SEIZES CONTROL AND CHOOSES NOT TO TRUST.
Faith is a Creative Force
Faith is just the opposite. It is a creative force as opposed to fears destructive force. Faith has the power to build and to create positive substance in the lives of others. Literally it can make a lame man walk and a blind man see. And unfortunately many people are blind and lame emotionally and spiritually. They need to come in contact with hearts of restorative faith. Otherwise, these can destructive icebergs of fear that will lead to their ultimate ruin and hapless destruction.
Faith’s focus is not on pain, harm, punishment, or destruction, instead it is on its creative influence upon others. It knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that it will have to experience pain along the way. Faith is not naive or stupid or blind. But instead, it looks towards a better end. It looks for positive beneficial results. That is its focus. The end product it desires is success. It looks past potential pain it might have to endure along the way and focuses on positive end results.
Love does not self protect. Its focus is in the protection of others. In regards to itself it relies on a much higher power for its ultimate protection and well being. Because the moment we move to self protect… we lose the ability to freely love. No one can do both. You can not protect and guard yourself and freely give yourself in love.
Fear is a common lens in which to view life. Why endure any pain at all if this is the case. But the second you step into the picture that life is more than about YOU and your own peace and security, you step into the realm of love and faith. When life becomes others focused you are climbing the ladder of wholeness, and when you have given your life completely for the benefit of everyone in your influence, not picking and choosing because of fear of pain, but giving and enduring for everyone then you will have an inheritance of rich reward. Not only in this age but in the one to come.
How to avoid cold catastrophic calamities
Always travel in the warm water. Easy enough. Iceberg are found in the cold climates. Climates void of warmth. The warmth of love. The colder climate the more danger and the less conducive to life itself. Keep yourself traveling in warm waters. If you have to test the water for a temperature conducive to life.
When you feel the cold temperatures arising in your heart. Stop the engines. turn a different direction you are bearing towards the bergs. Something is wrong. Disaster is looming and impending based on your current heading. Change course. Turn towards the sacrificial nature of love. In warmth and affection for one another. Avoid the cold water.
These icy monsters inhabit the cold northern seas. The Seas of Pride, Control, Self will, Selfishness, Self Protection in the frigid cold climates of the north are the waters in which The Monster of Fear lurks. Far from the warm tropical beaches of Humility, Self Sacrifice, and Love.
Intuitive Sonar and Radar
Use your intuitive sonar and radar. Your instrument of detection that travels far beyond natural sight and perception. Test your motives. Ask yourself is fear present in my life? Is fear determining my choices and dictating my actions towards someone who is close? Do I close my heart as a result of the fear of more pain? Or do I let my love and nurture flow out with reckless abandon to my husband, children, parents, friends. Even though they may be the author of pain and suffering in my life.
Let the balm of heavenly love take care of your pain. But do not for any reason give into fear and close your heart. Never a good solution to allow cold water of fear into your heart. If so stop all forward engines! Full throttle into reverse. Do not give into fear. Do not let it penetrate into you heart. All hands on deck Full reverse throttle catastrophe is near.
Hire on Faith
Hire on faith as a navigator. Faith can not only act as a professional navigator around fear and away from fear. But he also is a member of the hull reinforcement team. He can coat your hull with the kevlar of faith making it impenetrable to fear. But you need to pay him well. You need to feed him and keep him strong. Faith and fear are opposites, Where fear can penetrate and crush a vessel faith strengthens and reinforces the vessel. Picture an ocean liner with a solid hull made of kevlar. Would cause the liner to literally bounce off the berg if the gerg was large and strong enough. A deep reinforcement of the hull far beyond our ability to understand. But this is the effect faith can have on our soul. It repels fear like light to darkness.
Allow faith to direct your course. Faith in the awesome splendor and power of Love. A Love that is self sacrificing. That does not seek her own good but that of those around her. Particularly her husband and children.
Fear never produces the love that is self sacrificing only the love that is self embellishing which has nothing to do with real love. It is a nasty deceptive substitute in love’s clothing. It can appear as a protective mother who pours out her time and energies on her kids. But it can have motives that are self rewarding not self-sacrificing. It motives can be twisted. Like a kid on the beach building her own castle to say hey everyone look at this. Look what I have and look at my splendor.
is it scraping on my side making a gashing influence. Remember a large portion of the berg lies below the surface totally unseen. You need radar and sonar. detection equipment to test its presence. it on the radar screen. If so avoid it.
Fear is an Iceberg
- Its power and destructive force lies largely unseen. (under the surface no one can see it.
- When it contacts others it can rip the surface of their ship wide open and cause destruction
- Extremely hard and cold( i.e. ice-berg)
- It is self sufficient and self guided.
- Does not exist in warm climates, it can’t last in them.
Oh how sad it is when people hearts become icebergs!
Fear is a destructive force. It is the opposite of faith and trust. As a matter of fact they both can’t co-exist. In the same way light and darkness can not co exist so it goes with trust and fear. Fear causes reactions in the same way faith causes reactions. Fear leads to repulsion and hate. Trust leads to embracing and love. You just can’t have them both in your heart. One will be your ultimate guide or compass and the other won’t exist.
Hardwired Fear
First let me explain what I mean by hard wired fear. It is not a one time scary feeling that you get when you feel threatened. Nor a reactionary impulse to fight or flight when danger or risk presents itself. Although it does includes feelings of terror and impulses to fight or run away. When fear is hardwired it is not based on rational deductions. Rather it is produced by deeper triggers or stimuli that have been wired or embedded in the subconscious. This embedding of triggers is not an original part of the conscious. We were not born with hardwired fear.
The Rewiring of our Subconscious
Instead this rewiring occurs at a young age. When our psyche, needing to be sheltered and protected, comes face to face with stimuli beyond its capability to effectively process a rewiring can occur. When a young child’s delicate psyche is placed into traumatic situations it can become altered. Encounters beyond their ability to process that cause great fear..have the effect of hardwiring fear into them. Because of their inability to put it in context or see a big picture these events can melt their trust wiring and cause it to be overlaid with fear wiring.
This fear becomes “hard wired” into their subconscious. It remains, it does not vanish with time. Along with the situations or images or personalities that brought it on. Trust is blown to pieces. The pictures, the events, are forever etched into their minds with warning signs and bells that say: “watch out, beware, avoid at all cost.”
For instance, if a young girl is abused by a relative on a hot day in July, at a barbeque, and he was wearing a blue shirt, and jazz music was playing in the background. Later in life she may not trust male relatives, not like people in blue, never go to barbecues, wish it was January and cold and avoid jazz music. And not even know why. These are all triggers that set off feelings of terror and make her want to run away or put up defenses.
Irrational Fear
No rational reason exists to avoid or disdain these triggers. But because of hardwired fear they exist. Completely unknown to the beholder of this fear. They do not relate to rational deductions, but instead to certain triggered stimuli or images surrounding the traumatic event.
A Father displays outburst of uncontrolled anger and wrath towards a mother in front of his small daughter. These events produce traumatic fear that rewires her delicate conscious to forever distrust male authority. And on and on it goes. It is so prevalent now. In has epidemic proportions. Triggers that cause a complete society to distrust masculine authority solely because of the failure of male role models.
Fear is a Slave Master
To be whole they have to conquer this deep sense of mistrust or they will be slaves to a master of fear. This bondage will keep them from emotional health and happiness. As well becoming a constricting and choking grip on their feminine nature. Freedom from this psychological slavery is possible and it takes patience, honesty, humility, courage and faith.
The wild horses who roam the government rangelands of the west display this very same trait. These mustangs run wild and free with their own hierarchy and codes of behavior within their herd. To ever “tame” one of these independent creatures you need to be aware of their internal makeup. Inside their psyche resides hardwired fear. They look at you, no matter how nice and gentle you are as someone who wants to kill them and eat them. And if you don’t proceed with caution they are willing to return the favor..or at least the first part. They do so out of self protection.
Fear a Lens to View Life
Fear grips the psyche of these Mustangs. They have learned it surviving in the wild. By nurture or nature this is now the “lens” through which they view life. This lens causes them to not trust any creature outside their herd. They will either attack or run from it if it gets too close. Just the law of the wild.
To earn the trust of one of these wild fearful creatures is not easy. It takes a master who possesses patience, skill and the ability to delicately rewire the resident fear into that of trust and dependence.
The Hidden Resident of Fear
This hardwired fear secretly resides in many people today. This non genetic trait is learned through their environment. Causing reactions of fear and distrust to the presence of strong male leadership. Anything that emits a strong masculine influence is not good to health and safety, as a result, when they perceive this threat they will either run or attack i.e. put up defensive walls.
First strong leadership and authority is not in and of itself bad. Any successful company usually has this. Sports teams that are successful have it. It is a necessary component to strength and success. But place this into a man and it is scary? why? What is the deal.
Here is the sad result: enough people have experienced the sad effects of this anger/wrath without the ability to heal or process effectively, perhaps it was introduced at a very young impressionable age and it actually “hard-wired” into the psyche a fear response. Whenever a man looks strong and authoritative He is to be feared and either fought against or ran from.