Fear vs. Divinity

“Hope and fear are both phantoms that arise from thinking of the self. When we don’t see the self as self, what do we have to fear?”  ~ Lao Tzu

The self (with a small ‘s’) indicates what is often called the little mind. When we forget our divinity and see only this human form and all it’s foibles, it’s easy to get lost in the stories of the ego. Fear is debilitating energy. It stops us in our tracks, blocks us from receiving love and tells us that we are not strong enough to overcome our challenges.

Lao Tzu is asking us to see ourselves as more than human, and to bring that knowledge of ‘moreness’ into our daily experiences. To function as awakened consciousness living an ordinary life is an expression of divinity. This is the pathway to discovery. When we live with care and kindness and strive to bring peacefulness into each and every interaction, all that we need to know will be revealed.

Problems are merely a product of an overactive mind. In order to break free of the cycle, we must have a desire to create peace in our experience. From there, the discipline must consistently extend to every aspect of our lives (including our own thoughts). At first, we may encounter resistance, both internal and external, but then the process becomes easier and the end result is the knowledge that we are safe, love, guided and supported each and every step of the way.