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Everyone seems to be affected by fear in some way or another, but looking at fear and its causes isn’t intended to create more fear, but to show that it need not be harmful. Fear is self imposed but so intimately entwined in the individual that it seems as if it were as much a part of the individual as a body part. But let me assure you that you do have a choice with respect to fear.
Lissa Rankin states, “that even more than smoking and alcohol or eating fried food or being a couch potato, fear is bad for your health. But we experience fear for a reason. It’s meant to protect us, so that when we’re in a dangerous situation, our fear response triggers the body’s fight or flight mode and we’re better able to overcome what is challenging us.”
I experienced first hand how fear creates a fight or flight response when I was at a conference. The conference leader gave each of us a thermometer to hold between thumb and forefinger and asked each of us to take an initial body temperature reading. He then asked us to think of the most horrible and fearful thing that had ever happened to each of us. After a few moments he asked us to look at the thermometer again to see how our thoughts had affected the thermometer reading. When I looked at the thermometer, the temperature reading had lowered by 5 degrees, indicating that circulation in my hands had lessened and that most of the blood was surrounding my heart. My body was ready to respond to the thing I was afraid of.
But fear is important to the health of the body only in that by being aware that fear affects the body both mentally and physically, a person is able to work beyond fear, which brings inspiration on how to solve the fearful situation. When fear is allowed free rein, the body is under stress (fear is definitely stressful), and the body cannot repair itself. Maintaining a state of calm through thoughts of love, faith, and pleasure allows the body to repair itself.
The concept of being in control of and caring for your health through mind/body practices of prayer and meditation is not a new idea. During the last century, noted writer on health and spirituality, Mary Baker Eddy, wrote in her seminal work, Science and Health, “As human thought changes from one stage to another –from fear to hope and from faith to understanding, the visible manifestation will at last be man governed by [spirituality], not by material sense.” According to Deepak Chopra, MD, one of the main themes of alternative medicines is to return the power of healing to the patient. Self-treatment is providing healing, which releases the patient from stress, tension, and the unknown – all which are intimately tied to fear.
Fear governs the health of the body when spirituality isn’t present. Taking control of my own health needs by going beyond fearful thoughts through prayer and meditation, I have prevented and corrected health problems. I’ve found thoughts of goodness and harmony begin to dissipate fearful emotions. Continuing to perform this exercise helps to create a healthy experience that changes attitude as well as improves health.
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This is such an essential concept of which to be reminded. Several years ago, I went through a period of being gripped by intense, irrational fear. I worried constantly about the health and safety of myself and my loved ones, and I didn’t like leaving the house. Through prayer, I realized that ALL fear is irrational because whatever I need to know comes from God, and God would not communicate with me that way. His message is loving. I was able to leave the fear behind and rediscover my joy.
Thank you for these useful illustrations and reminders…especially the experiment at the conference you referred to.
Thanks Don for that reminder. I once heard that fear is one of the devil’s tools. But I know the devil has no power because God has all power. In the Bible we read, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” And when I remember that I am no longer fearful of anything.
For the general public who may be reading these daily blogs, I would add the word “wholesome” before the word “pleasure.” Many individuals sometimes, or daily turn to what could be considered destructive, poisonous or mind-altering substances or behavior as ‘pleasure.’ Recently, I have been looking deeply into the spiritual aspects of The Beatitudes as given by Christ Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount. Words such as compassion, meekness, peacemaker and even fulfillment have come to me to be all about tenderness as we care for ourselves and others in ways that bring God’s light of Christly love to each moment and motive.
Thanks for this Don! I love the concept! Mary Baker Eddy tell us in Science and Health “Christian Science practice begins with Christ’s keynote of harmony, “Be not afraid!” (P. 412:29-30). I love that we can change our thought and choose not to become fearful, and find the freedom from fear which brings health! Your experience reminds me of an old song my Grandma use to sing to me “The object of my affection can change my completion from white to Rosey red!” even so, fear can change our perception of a situation to make us believe somethings wrong! But a change in thought corrects the problem! Thank you for reminding us all of this today!
Such a great, basic message that the public really needs to hear. We have a culture of fear that is used against us to sell us things we don’t need, from news stories to makeup to pharmaceuticals, because people who are afraid are more easily manipulated. We need to stop being so afraid of sickness and really begin to live our lives as though we are loved truly and unconditionally by God. I just recently had a healing where I was informed that something I had to go through was going to cause me a lot of pain, and that the pain was inevitable. I called a practioner and we worked through that fear together – a short time later, the pain was completely gone and people were astonished. “But you were supposed to be in pain,” they said, as if pain is ever a natural state of being. I’m so grateful that Christian Science offers a fresh perspective on how we NEVER have to expect or experience bad side effects or pain. Ever. Thanks for a wonderful article, Don!