Most of my fears don’t actualize, but some do – how can we be prepared without becoming fearful?

Answer Podcast

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
It is that most of our fears don’t actualize but some of them may. And how can we avoid at one level not getting obsessed with our fears but also not being caught unawares. So basically there are three modes of material nature, goodness, passion and ignorance.
And depending on which mode we are in, we respond to situations differently. Our response to fear is also determined by the mode we are in. So basically if you see, in every situation we have some control over things.
There is some part of the situation in our control and some part of it not in our control. So generally if our consciousness is in the mode of passion, we overestimate our capacity to control. And in the mode of ignorance, we underestimate our capacity to control.
So that means when we are in passion, we think, no problem, anything comes, I will just deal with it. And that is not really courage, that is foolhardiness. Because we are not prepared.
But in the mode of ignorance, we get overwhelmed by negativity thinking that, oh this may happen, that may happen, that may happen and we don’t think that we can do anything about it. Whereas in the mode of goodness, we are more, it’s like a more realistic estimation. We don’t overestimate our capacity to control nor underestimate but realistically estimate.
Okay, this is what I can do, this is what is not in my hands. So we don’t feel overconfident nor do we feel threatened. So generally when we have to prepare for the future or even learn from the past, it is best that we first situate ourselves in the mode of goodness.
Maybe do some prayer, maybe do some deep breathing or reading some scripture. And then when we look at, then if we look at the future or look at the past, then it is we who are in control of the mind, not the mind is in control of us. So that means, like I said, the mind can start showing us a horror movie.
So when the mind starts showing a horror movie, it’s like we are passive spectators watching the unfolding horror. But that’s in the mode of ignorance more or less. But in the mode of passion, if we consider the mind to be like a screen or a flashlight, the mind is a screen, we consciously take it ahead and look at the future or we consciously take it back and look at the past to learn from the past or to prepare for the future.
So that way we can definitely consider future dangers and prepare for them. But when we do it in the mode of goodness, then we don’t get swept away by the fears because we don’t, our mind is not controlling us. So definitely preparing for the future, learning from the past, considering dangers, it’s an important part of our life, part of a wise person’s life, an intelligent life.
But we need to do that in the mode of goodness and that’s why, if say we are running around, doing some work, driving or doing other activities, then more or less we will be in the mode of passion and sliding towards ignorance. At that time some fear comes, it’s best not to dwell on it in that time because we will not really be able to prepare based on that fear. So if some fear is troubling us and we need to address it, we can say, okay not now, maybe afterwards I will focus on this and think about it.
So it’s like we have to, in a sense you could say make room for the fear. We can’t wish the fear away, we can’t drive that fear away but nor can we let that fear take over our consciousness. We need to make room for it by thinking about it when we are in the mode of goodness.