How to Transition From Fear to Love?
© Darius Bashar
When people ask me what I do, I occasionally answer, ‘I study consciousness’. It intrigues me how people respond. In the past, I used to get a strange look in return, and that would be the end of the conversation. But increasingly, people show curiosity and want to know more.
Why talk about Consciousness?
You may ask yourself how consciousness is relevant, when talking about transitioning from fear to love.
Consciousness is the total field in which thoughts, functions and relationships exist. When we allow ourselves to broaden our awareness of consciousness, we invite new experiences into our lives.
It took me some study to come to understand that there are, for sake of simplicity, two fundamental stages of consciousness that dictate our lives.
“Fear can stop you loving,
Love can stop your fear”
~ Morcheeba
What Morcheeba sang on the album Big Calm in 1998 carries a message of significance. Fear appears to be a subject we like to avoid yet it is ever so present in our lives.
It is during our troubled times – when in fear – we have the greatest opportunity to face what we need to face in order to integrate and transcend in the name of self-growth and inner freedom.
Levels of Consciousness
According to the Barrett Model, there are seven stages of consciousness. But as mentioned above and to avoid over-intellectualising and instead keep it simple, let’s stick with the thesis of only two levels for now.
We can all relate to the concepts of fear and love, and perhaps this pointer may help to discover the truth for yourself. Only a direct experience, a direct knowledge, can lead to lasting change in you and for yourself. As with all spiritual concepts, words are limited.
When we can deeply feel the emotion and yet remain present, we grow in consciousness.
David R. Hawkins is a widely known authority within the field of consciousness research and spirituality. Hawkins argues that fear is a state many people get used to. Fear can become an emotional habit. It is not unusual for people to constantly live in fear without even being aware of. Some don’t even know that they live in fear, or why that is so. They have merged with or have become the fear. Only through tapping into a heightened consciousness can we free ourselves from fear.
Know how you feel
Hawkins created a ‘Map of Consciousness’ according to our emotional state of how we feel. He applied kinesiology and muscle testing on tens of thousands of participants and measured every thought, every living moment, and their resulting levels of consciousness for decades.
At the lowest level, life is not in flow at all, though here we are usually not even aware of it.
Emotions are overwhelming, especially when we deal with a major life event: i.e.: trauma or grief can trigger deep shame, and so on.
In this contracted state of consciousness, we remain on the lower scale, as if we have no choice to feel otherwise.
At any Moment in Time, we have a Choice
But even if we linger in victim consciousness “the poor me syndrome”, we can learn to become aware of our feelings and empower ourselves to consciously change how we feel.
The whole process of raising consciousness is a slow process, but over time people increasingly become aware of how they feel and take it upon themselves to change.
It may help to see the way you feel as an attitudinal muscle. You go to the gym to train your muscles; it is the same with your feelings. The more you practice becoming aware of how you feel and develop a personal prompt to shift your thoughts and therefore your feelings, you are studying – or let’s say actively practicing – consciousnesses.
Have you ever wondered how you can find out your level of consciousness? Simply ask yourself ‘how do I feel right now?’
Where are you really right now? Be honest!
We may say to ourselves, ‘Oh, my job is not that bad, really; at least I can work from home’. Or, ‘My partner doesn’t mean to be so rude to me; s/he/they is just going through a tough time’. And yet, we continue to feel frustrated, angry and/or stressed. Watch out for how your ego is tricking you into believing all is good, just as it is. We need to discern when we are in fear rather than in love with how things are. That is the driver.
Lower Consciousness or Lover Consciousness?
Every day we see evidence how the world is changing. It means that you, I, and most everyone else is changing too. In your ‘own life’, how have you evolved from where you were at only two years ago, or six months ago, or even a few weeks? Have you allowed changes into your life? Have you even welcomed them? Perhaps created them?
Often, chaos creates instability and instability creates fear, and we’ve seen much of this over the last few years. People fear the future, fear getting sick, fear getting old, poor, or even fear being fearful. Many fear fear itself. This will not bring about the solution.
But it is also true that when we face our deepest fears, we start to open ourselves to love and joy.
We all have fears if we are honest enough to admit it. This collective and mainly unconscious energetic pattern is deeply engrained in humanity. We only need to look at today’s media and online conversation to see that we relish in fear mongering. But as mentioned, we can observe, and we can shift out of these conversations.
Many of us awaken with the help of what Eckhart Tolle refers to as our ‘pain body’. The pain body is normally the result of a pattern, a belief we took on in our formative years and which continues to impact our lives, often unconsciously. The formation was usually completed around age six and it will take persistence to understand how it keeps affecting us. Often the fear of what we may discover and the anxiety it evokes keeps us in fear. But what we resist persists.
Higher (Lover) Consciousness
A connection to Source is the connection to the energy of Divine Love. In this state, a feeling of being guided and reassured is present, as is a deep sense of knowing that all is fine, just the way it is. This is not because we fear change, but because we trust and surrender.
There are many textbooks and seminars on this topic, but nothing beats your own inner voice and your conviction to follow it. The science of it all may be alluded to here and there but only you can give yourself permission to claim that you are an important member of ‘the awakening tribe’.
Despite the darkness, there is a gift in all of this. And this is where I choose to focus my consciousness – on love, rather fear. An awakening of sorts is happening.
What can you do to Awaken to a Life of Love
Once committed to getting to know yourself and to take charge of your energetic vibration, here is what you can do further:
- Everything starts with you. Your focus is to overcome your limiting patterns and fears. Commit to being honest with yourself. Perhaps you realise that you want to keep some old patterns for now, and that is fine, too. Remember, asserting choice consciously is an act of empowerment.
- Remember that you are not doing what you do for anybody else. You are acting and becoming, first and foremost, for your own consciousness. Most likely, others will also eventually benefit from your progress. But results are not the point. Rather, it is about a new state of being which is to become your new norm. Remember this is an on-going process, and yes, it’s ok to have good and bad days.
- If you have made the commitment to overcome your limiting patterns – only you know what they are -, understand that you are worthy and you have the strength to walk the path all the way. Know you have awakened to a different life, a life of love.
- Finally, on the more practical side, give yourself permission to take time for the inner work. Yes, sometimes it is helpful to be with yourself, and it’s important to take time for this inner work.
- Ask yourself, how am I experiencing this very moment? Am I in love with or in fear of life? If you are in fear, shift your energy. If nothing seems to work, just smile! Even a forced smile will shift how you feel.
In the next issue I will share more on how to live a life of love.
Until then, with Love,
Claudia
P.S. Claudia’s contemplation about life can be sent directly into your inbox. If you wish to receive monthly Soul Snippets, send a message HERE.
P.S.S. I am also fostering an ‘awakened tribe’ community. We meet every Tuesday and Thursday. We breathe together and we meditate together. Feel free to join us. Find out more HERE.
About Claudia:
While on a business trip to India and 3 questions later by a total stranger, I found myself questioning life. I eventually left a high-profile global career. Being nobody was painful. I fell into darkness and yet emotional pain awakened me to the calling of my soul. My life transformed and Soul Luxury was born. I support people on their path of awakening. Find out more HERE.
Sources:
https://www.barrettacademy.com/consciousness-landing
https://www.artofwellbeing.com/2016/11/08/mapofconsciousness
