What am I frightened of?
- Make a list
- Be specific
- Name the specific circumstance or event feared
- With each, ask ‘why’?
- The answer is the event lying behind
- For instance, behind losing a job is:
- Loss of positive self-image
- Reprimand of a parent
- Time spent finding a new job
- Uncertainty during process
- Uncertainty about new employer
- Etc.
- There might be chains of these
- With each, write one line for how to deal with it using the programme
- This is the corrective measure, e.g.
- My value is unchanged by an external event
- What they think is their business not mine
- It’s God’s time not mine: do not begrudge it
- Effort always results in success
- God will help me face any problem arising
- Etc.
Apply further reason
- How likely is it that the event will occur?
- Is there any mitigating action I can take to prevent it?
- If so, take the action
- Is there any preparation I can reasonably make?
- If so, prepare
- Once all action has been taken, adopt this attitude:
- If it happens
- God will show me what to do each moment
- God will give me whatever resources are necessary
- This applies both externally and internally
Standing back to let go absolutely
- I have given my life to God
- This means that God is the guarantor of:
- Me having intrinsic value
- My life having intrinsic value
- My life having intrinsic purpose
- My only job is to ask God for
- Comprehensive daily actions to take
- A few advance, preparatory actions to take
- The external and internal resources for these
- If I fulfil my side of the bargain, God will fulfil His
- What matters is not my material circumstances or life events
- But my attitude towards these
- Since this is what generates my experience of them
- No circumstance or event has the power to make me feel anything
- If I value service of God plus character building …
- … I cannot be confounded or fail, because:
- I can always serve God
- I can always build character
- Remember that I am spirit housed in a human form
- I am playing roles in the world
- Circumstances and events happen to the role, not the actor
- The actor’s experience is governed by his interior state
- I am entirely free of external influence and always have been
- This situation is no exception
Blocking the re-entry of fear
- Engage in hearty, dedicated action
- If fear thoughts arise, repel them
- Do this with:
- Affirmative statement of God’s protection and providence
- Uplifting music
- Singing hymns out loud
- Saying prayers out loud
- More hearty, dedicated action
- Under no circumstances mentally treat the situation
- Instead use the above to keep the mind set on higher things
Rereading the following passages from the Big Book to reinforce the above
I was to test my thinking by the new God-consciousness within. Common sense would thus become uncommon sense. I was to sit quietly when in doubt, asking only for direction and strength to meet my problems as He would have me. (Chapter 1)
This is the how and why of it. First of all, we had to quit playing God. It didn’t work. Next, we decided that hereafter in this drama of life, God was going to be our Director. He is the Principal; we are His agents. He is the Father, and we are His children. Most good ideas are simple, and this concept was the keystone of the new and triumphant arch through which we passed to freedom. When we sincerely took such a position, all sorts of remarkable things followed. We had a new Employer. Being all powerful, He provided what we needed, if we kept close to Him and performed His work well. Established on such a footing we became less and less interested in ourselves, our little plans and designs. More and more we became interested in seeing what we could contribute to life. As we felt new power flow in, as we enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered we could face life successfully, as we became conscious of His presence, we began to lose our fear of today, tomorrow or the hereafter. We were reborn. (Chapter 5)
Notice that the word “fear” is bracketed alongside the difficulties with Mr. Brown, Mrs. Jones, the employer, and the wife. This short word somehow touches about every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through with it. It set in motion trains of circumstances which brought us misfortune we felt we didn’t deserve. But did not we, ourselves, set the ball rolling? Sometimes we think fear ought to be classed with stealing. It seems to cause more trouble. We reviewed our fears thoroughly. We put them on paper, even though we had no resentment in connection with them. We asked ourselves why we had them. Wasn’t it because self-reliance failed us? Self-reliance was good as far as it went, but it didn’t go far enough. Some of us once had great self-confidence, but it didn’t fully solve the fear problem, or any other. When it made us cocky, it was worse. Perhaps there is a better way—we think so. For we are now on a different basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. We are in the world to play the role He assigns. Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity. We never apologize to anyone for depending upon our Creator. We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it is the way of strength. The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust their God. We never apologize for God. Instead we let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do. We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be. At once, we commence to outgrow fear. (Ibid.)
Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. … Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. (Chapter 6)
As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action. We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day “Thy will be done.” We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions (Ibid.)
Those of us who have spent much time in the world of spiritual make-believe have eventually seen the childishness of it. This dream world has been replaced by a great sense of purpose, accompanied by a growing consciousness of the power of God in our lives. We have come to believe He would like us to keep our heads in the clouds with Him, but that our feet ought to be firmly planted on earth. That is where our fellow travellers are, and that is where our work must be done. These are the realities for us. We have found nothing incompatible between a powerful spiritual experience and a life of sane and happy usefulness. (Chapter 9)
But we aren’t a glum lot. If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn’t want it. We absolutely insist on enjoying life. We try not to indulge in cynicism over the state of the nations, nor do we carry the world’s troubles on our shoulders. (Ibid.)
We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free. We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us. But it is clear that we made our own misery. God didn’t do it. Avoid then, the deliberate manufacture of misery, but if trouble comes, cheerfully capitalize it as an opportunity to demonstrate His omnipotence. (Ibid.)
Being wrecked in the same vessel, being restored and united under one God, with hearts and minds attuned to the welfare of others, the things which matter so much to some people no longer signify much to them. How could they? (Chapter 11)