Fear is frequently weaponized to be unreasonable All opposites, like positivity and negativity, black and white, good and evil, are extremes. They’re not, as most would suggest, opposite sides of a coin. That’s because the space between them isn’t so thin as the edge of a coin, but far broader, making it more akin to a cylinder. Recognizing this is important because you and I live in a fear-based society. From the semi-harmless, like certain forms of advertising, to blatant falsehood and lies, like large swaths of politics and religion; fear is everywhere you turn. Fear is so deeply interwoven in society that it frequently goes unrecognized. Reason versus fear Fear is not necessarily bad. After all, without fear, human beings would never have survived to become the constructive, creative beings we are. Intangible fear is the main type of fear people experience today. It’s weaponized blatantly and subtly to direct and misdirect you. The only way to combat this sort of fear is not fearlessness, but reason. Reason is looking at the fear and asking if it will truly harm you. Mindfulness of fear Mindfulness has two district brands. Internal and external. Part of the nature of this fear-based society is to distract you. Thus, its focus tends to the external. Active conscious awareness is self-awareness. It’s the key to being aware of you, yourself, here and now. That then tells you who, what, where, how, and why you are. Choices and decisions You make choices and decisions every single day. Some are big and especially impactful. Most, however, are small, partially by rote or routine or habit, but still impactful. When you let fear do the driving, you will be swayed by outside forces. Conversely, when you let reason drive you, you’re practicing active conscious awareness. Ergo, you’re taking control. Reason in face the fear defeats fear. The more each individual practices reason, the more habitual it becomes. That, over time, as it gains traction from person to person, can turn this world from fear-based to reason-based. This week’s Applied Guidance for Mindfulness Tool: Is there something you’re afraid of? Specifically, an intangible such as success, failure, love, and so on. Write down what it is. What are you afraid of? Then, ask these questions: ·        What am I afraid of? ·        What do I think will happen if this comes to pass? ·        How do I think this will change the way I perceive myself? ·        How do I think this will change the way others perceive me? ·        What will the suffering be like if this comes to pass? After you’ve asked and answered these, can you apply reason to them? Not rationalization, reason. As in you look at them, detached, and ask if they might be as awful as you fear? See if this lessens the fear. Meditate on it if you meditate regularly.   Author Website Email Instagram Facebook LinkedIn TikTok Blogs: titaniumdon.com and mjblehart.medium.com Cover artist Fe Mahoney: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TaliasInspirations