When I Overcome My Fear

As the exam of my daughter is right around the corner, hair-raising sensation seems to pester my emotions.  I know she is studious but somewhere down the line, I feel myself falling maliciously under stress.  And at the same time, my work pressure was also taking my toll.    One day, I saw myself in the mirror it was an image of a distraught embroiled women whose face displayed fiddled women, distracted from life.

I wondered what I have been doing all these years, only living in fear and driving to meet the needs of the house? Millions of people all over the world are facing one or the other kind of fear, sometimes the loss of the fear of career, fear of child’ failure in exam,  fear of fall from the heights. This Fear resulted in pounding heart, trembling, and muscular tenseness, exaggerated startle, dryness and even feeling of nausea. Issac  M. Marks in Fear  & Phobia reports, “Many lamentable effects this fear causeth in men, as to be red, pale, tremble and sweat; it makes sudden cold and heat to come all over the body, palpitation of the heart, syncope… Many men are so amazed and astonished with fear, they know not where they are and what they do; and it tortures them, many days before, with continual affrights and suspicion.”

Some times fear has some positive impact as it induces us for some positive action. 50 percent of the men during areal combat reported that mild fear had a beneficial effect, and 37 % thought that they had performed their duties better whey they fear. No doubt, excessive fear is disruptive but the lesser amount can be useful.

However how you can overcome your fear depends on many factors like your capacity to handle the situations, positive attitude, social circumstances and the number of physical activities that you intend to undertake.

For me, the change came due to the efforts of my friend who insisted me to join Yoga School. I hesitantly joined it, feeling yet again fear, what this class would be like? Will the teachers be good?  And worst of all will I be able to do yoga asanas and what would be its repercussions?

But as soon I joined yoga stream and from the first week itself and shuffling between those strange breathing moves, the layers of fears that had covered me began to peel away. There was a sudden change in me and I began to feel more energetic, confident and strong. I then realized how much energy I had wasted in fear and those un-surmounted worries. Those yoga sessions freed my blocked mind and instilled in me energy to perform my tasks with complete audacity and flair.  I no longer fear now how my daughter would flair in her exams, as I become quite confident and more trustworthy with her hard work and dedication.

Besides the yoga asanas, I also learned 

•    Kapal Bhati Pranayama

•    Bhastrika Pranayama

•    Nadi Shodhan Pranayama

•    Bhramari Pranayama

If you also want to learn these techniques, you can do so through the web.  But, the amazing thing that happened in my life as I had freed my mind from the unnecessary clusters which were building my anxiety and fear.  I followed a simple Mantra, gave five to ten minutes every day to practice deep breathing?

 In the morning, I would enter my room, shut all the doors to prevent noise, sit straight on the mat and close my eyes. I would also allow my mind to float through the beaches, mountains or in green valleys. I would feel listing the rhythmic waves of the ocean, chirping of the birds, fluttering flowers and clouds covering me.  Each time I am done with my breathing exercise, I feel I had enjoyed my long vacation, completely relieved from the exigencies of life, more proficient and active.