What do you do when you encounter fear within yourself? Most probably, the first thing you do is try to look brave; start humming, or acting strong, which means you do not accept this emotion. As if fear is something to be ashamed of!
Fear activates specific areas of the brain, and the activation of these areas is associated with an increased blood flow, trembling of the limbs, tightening of muscles exciting the nervous system. Sometimes during meditation, hidden emotions like fear spring up.
It so happened that a meditator discovered much fear buried inside him: fear of anger, fear of women, fear of people bigger than him and fear of risk-taking. He came to Osho quite shaken at this revelation. Osho advised him meditation that can be useful to everyone. You can try it with a habit you want to change.
“Sit in your chair or on the floor in a comfortable posture, keep your right hand underneath the left hand. The right hand is joined with the left side of the brain, and fear always comes from there. The left hand is joined with the right side of the brain, and courage comes from the right side. Then relax, close your eyes, and let your lower jaw be relaxed just a little and start breathing through the mouth.
When you don’t breathe through the nose the old pattern of the mind does not function any more. The breath will not go to the brain, it will directly go to the chest. This will be a new thing, and in a new breathing system a new habit can be formed more easily. This will create a very silent, non-dual, new state of relaxation.”
Amrit Sadhana is in the management team of Osho International Meditation Resort, Pune.
