From desire arises grief; from desire arises fear. There is no grief for one who is free from desire. Whence, then, can there come fear?

—The Dhammapada

At once, when...universal ideas are seen and to some extent realized, one loses all fears. Neither change nor death, nor things present or to come, can have any effect upon that one. He meets conditions as they come, does what he can, and lets other conditions succeed them.

—The Friendly Philosopher

To be ambitious for wealth, and yet always expecting to be poor, to be always doubting your ability to get what you long for, is like trying to reach east by traveling west....No matter how hard your work for success, if your thought is saturated with the fear of failure, it will kill your efforts, neutralize your endeavours and make success impossible.

—Charles Baudouin

Fear is a hydra-headed enemy of man. Sometimes, more people are killed by fright than by the actual originating circumstance. No textbook of psychiatry is complete without a large section on Fear (phobia), Anxiety (neurosis), etc.

There are various types of fears, divisible into "irrational" fears and those arising from probable circumstances. Of the first larger group a great number of "phobias"—being of the nature of morbid mental disturbances in need of psychiatric care—are beyond the competent management by laymen or non-professionals. Claustrophobia (fear of closed places), fear of mirror, knife, pins, needles, dirt, crowd, height, hypochondria, i.e., abnormal preoccupation with one's illness (imaginary or real), and fear of morbid, imaginary objects are covered in this category.

Many of the imaginary fears are often created in childhood traumas, or by an adult using fearful object or idea to control children by creating fright from ghosts, boogie-man, supernatural objects, etc. H.P.B. states in Isis Unveiled that sudden insanity may arise from fright in an adult who had similar experience during childhood.

Then, there are "anxieties," arising from fear of failure, anticipation, fear of the future, an imaginary threat from impending conditions such as old age, death, sickness, probable infection, etc. Most of these arise from ignorance such as could happen to a child afraid of an unfamiliar object, insect or a stranger. However, fears of these in children are inculcated by wrong fearful suggestions by adults.

The common fear of the future is a great demoralizing and unnerving obstacle to sane and creative living. A person's constant state of insecure feeling usually arises from the abnormal "instinct of self-preservation" or what the ancients called "trishna" or thirst from continuing one's vital existence. The animal instinct is proper in its place for it can effectually keep the animal out of danger. But in man, whenever his ego-sense is threatened by a real or imaginary factor, he blindly hastens to protect the little "self" in him. One may be excessively preoccupied with the self and its concerns and demands. Such a one easily succumbs to fear when threatened. The cure, therefore, lies in the knowledge of this state and also in not granting such pampered "self" its exaggerated self-image. The real value and usefulness of the personality depends upon the extent to which it is subservient to the will of the Inner Man and the divine purposes of one's existence.

On the other level, lack of adequate self-confidence may make us nervous, enfeebled and ineffective in our daily duty and challenges of life. The "dignity" and strength of the real Man, our true or higher Ego, are based on the purity of living and calmness of conscience, which go to make our moral stamina and character. Such a "man of character" has strong sinews that do not shake before fear or threat, and even in his fall or death he is unwardly victorious.

Also, when a man finds himself truly useful to his fellowmen he finds a satisfying meaning to his existence and is happily content with his fate. He cannot afford to give way to weakness arising from undue anxiety, fear, agitation, etc. He can endure afflictions or their fear with fortitude because he has resigned himself in faith to the justice of the divine Law which sustains the Universe and which is also mercifully retributive. As Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad-Gita, the faith in the least of aspirants is an expression of the Supreme in us, which is above events and which is also the author of the event. Our self-sufficiency then does not lean on outer advantages or personal abilities but on this faith and true dependence on just and merciful providence. Who is afraid when Krishna is his Charioteer!

"Fear eclipses reason and understanding." Later, when we have overcome it we may laugh at our folly! But we weaken ourselves, to a certain extent, by yielding to fears, doubts and cynicism. We put obstacles in our path by permitting the terror of the future—real or imaginary—to overtake us.

In war strategy, the enemy is fimly thwarted at the entrance, lest he can threaten to engulf the citadel. Fear must be recognized as such, and at once disarmed by taking stock of its strength and weapons, and then one can effectively neutralize it. In actual practice, it is better to face squarely a dangerous opponent than to be always in fear. Mr. Crosbie's advice is to sit down and mentally undergo (in imagination) the worst that can probably happen, and then devise ways and means (if they are in our power) to handle the future calamity. It is the strategy to neutralize the fear of the grim future and the anticipatory anxiety. However, we are not to dwell in morbid imagination.

"To cross the bridge before we have arrived at it," is illogical and lacking in judgement. A proverb says that he is a miserable one who feels it, but twice he who fears it before it comes! Another remedy against timidity and habitual nervousness is an ancient panacea against all ills: Altruism. "Charity endureth long and is kind," says St. Paul. This is the same as saying, "Love knows no fear" and "He that loveth not, abideth in fear" (John, iii, 14). People who desire to live for the sake of others (many mothers do every day) may sensibly guard themselves enough so as to remain truly useful for others, being also confident that so long as the Higher Self or the Master needs his/her services, he will be amply protected. Have not we heard of a mother who had gallantly and fiercely fought against a leopard or a dangerous predator to retrieve her child from its jaws or paws? Courage sometimes rises to an occasion unexpectedly, where love, loyalty or integrity is the motivating force. Sometimes, we are surprised by joy, awe or wonder at the astonishing human spirit, hitherto lying latent in an ordinary-looking man or woman. In this sense no one is truly "ordinary"—a poor "sinner," in need of priestly help!

Arjuna's despondency was based on fear of consequences—death and destruction of the familiar and traditional, which he thought to be a sinful act. Like him, many of us are placed at the crossroads of life, and may face such a "terror of change." This can only be overcome by the knowledge which Sanatan-Dharma brings. Even the terrifying and awe-inspiring vision of Viswarupa ("Universal form" of the Eleventh chapter of the Gita) created by Sri Krishna was a lesson for Arjuna—realization of his smallness in the scheme of things! The remedy is in the enlightened Faith and the will to conquer. Fearlessness (Virya) arises from dispassion (Viraga) and non-attachment to the results.

In a personal existence we are never truly safe and we are made perfect by suffering. There is no hero who has not felt fear knocking at his heart. But he alone knows how to answer the knock and face it.

Why know'st thou not the witness in thy heart?
Why slightest thou that Blessed Guide Within?
He who ignores and does not satisfy,
But disobeys, the One, auspicious, pure,
Perpetual "Inner Witness," the "One Self,"
The "Ancient Sage," all-knowing, who abides
In every heart, recording every act,
Him Yama doth award dire punishment.

—Mahabharata