“I’m standing up, I’mma face my demons
I’m manning up, I’mma hold my ground
I’ve had enough, now I’m so fed up
Time to put my life back together right now” – Eminem
Have you ever been crippled with fear or felt stifled by your mind ? May be you had a big career decision to make, then over thought about it and as a result couldn’t decide upon anything. If you have experienced any of it , don’t worry you are not alone as I have been in those shoes as well. In this post, we’ll talk about Swami Vivekananda’s way to overcome fear and anxiety instantly. We will also discuss how you can apply this method in your daily life. Through this post, Vivekananda’s powerful words will come down and strike down your fear and anxiety as a thunder bolt.
Arjuna’s struggles with fear and anxiety
One of the world’s richest spiritual texts, i.e: Bhagavad Gita starts with Arjuna, the great warrior being over powered with anxiety and depression. In Bhagavad Gita, after looking at the two armies which constituted of his family members and dear ones, the great warrior Arjuna said to Lord Krishna :
“My whole body shudders; my hair is standing on end. My bow, the Gāṇḍīv, is slipping from my hand, and my skin is burning all over. My mind is in quandary and whirling in confusion; I am unable to hold myself steady any longer. O Krishna, I only see omens of misfortune. I do not foresee how any good can come from killing my own kinsmen in this battle.” [1.29-1.31]
In a later verse we find Arjuna unable to control his anxiety, is over powered with depression and casts aside his bow and arrows as he sinks into the seat of his chariot, with his mind in distress and overwhelmed with grief.
Vivekananda’s tale on how he learnt to overcome fear and anxiety
If a great warrior such as Arjuna couldn’t control his anxiety and depression, then chances are that at some point in our lives fear and anxiety may prey on our mental peace as well. Thankfully for us, more than a century ago Swami Vivekananda laid down the secret to overcome fear and anxiety instantly.
He starts by narrating a personal encounter he had, while living as a wondering monk in Varanasi, India. He says, “Once when I was in Varanasi, I was passing through a place where there was a large tank of water on one side and a high wall on the other. It was in the grounds where there were many monkeys. The monkeys of Varanasi are huge brutes and are sometimes surly. They now took it into their heads not to allow me to pass through their street, so they howled and shrieked and clutched at my feet as I passed. As they pressed closer, I began to run, but the faster I ran, the faster came the monkeys and they began to bite at me. It seemed impossible to escape, but just then I met a stranger who called out to me, “Face the brutes.” I turned and faced the monkeys, and they fell back and finally fled.
While reflecting on the incident, Swami Vivekananda further elaborates and reveals to us the key to overcome fear and anxiety. He continues ,“That is a lesson for all life — face the terrible, face it boldly. Like the monkeys, the hardships of life fall back when we cease to flee before them. If we are ever to gain freedom, it must be by conquering nature, never by running away. Cowards never win victories. We have to fight fear and troubles and ignorance if we expect them to flee before us. “
Applying Swami Vivekananda’s wisdom in our daily lives
Fear and anxiety is caused by worrying about occurrences of the future, In fact they are not real but only happen in our imagination. Whether you are fretting over approaching your crush, or you are facing constant fear and anxiety due to the tumultuous job market, the way to overcome fear and anxiety is to keep your chin up and take a step forward, no matter how small.
So, if you are feeling anxious for approaching your crush, you should still go and say ‘hi’ to her, no matter how ill prepared you may be feeling. May be she likes you too! Even if she doesn’t reciprocate your feelings, be prepared to face your fears boldly, i.e: Tell yourself, “No matter her response, I will still be okay.”
If you are feeling anxious about the job market, rather than living in fear of being unemployed, ‘face the brutes’, by working on upgrading your skills and improving your resume. Tell your self, ‘I am not afraid of the present conditions of the job market. I have trust in myself, will work hard and reach the top eventually.’
Therefore, whenever you feel crippled with fear and anxiety, firstly remind yourself that it’s okay to feel anxious and fearful. If the great warrior Arjuna, could feel distressed ,then it’s okay if you and me feel this way as well. Thereafter, repeat to yourself Swami Vivekananda’s words, “Face The Brutes!”. Once you start facing those damn brutes, the dark clouds of anxiety, fear and indecision will start to disappear, and the sun will start beaming at you, once again.
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