From The Daily Dialogue
From The Daily Dialogue
Broadcast of 3/30/98
Subject: [DailyDialogue #89] Vulnerability, Fear, Calm
"Realizing that my mind was getting me into severe trouble, and that my body, heavy with dread, was of little use to me as a defense, my self-confidence evaporated. Stunned by the fear, I sat motionless and tried not to breathe...Perhaps a full hour had passed when, as if I was wittnessing the scene from somewhere outside of myself, it occurred to me to get above it. I moved my awareness from my head into my heart ... and a new feeling welled up and wrapped itself around my fear... 'Whatever the monster looks like, I will hug it,' I decided." -- David Miln Smith Ph.D., Hug the Monster.
Most of us don't go into caves to spend the night alone or swim the Loch Ness to deliberately experience vulnerability and our accompanying fears. We experience quite enough fear in the viccissitudes of ordinary life.
When I was a small child, my neigbor Mr. Monett was a loud spoken Swede. One day he told me, "there are bees in the field and you better run for home." Wise beyond my years, I replied, "Aw, Mr. Monett, don't be scared, they won't hurt you if you don't 'cite 'em."
Sometimes I can reach that place of calm knowing and sometimes I just feel paralyzed with fear. The difference seems to be the extent to which I can quiet my busy mind and remain aware of a calm assuring thought like, "they won't hurt you if you don't 'cite 'em" or "whatever the monster looks like, I will hug it."
Exercise: With your partner, dialogue about your favorite calming thoughts.
Affirmation: I am experiencing calm in the presence of danger.
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