Sunday 15 April 2012

Friday, April 13th, 2012

Fear Not

Toronto, ON

"We can pick you up and bring you to the Bhakti Lounge program," expressed Aarti generously.
"Thanks but no thanks, I'll walk," I said insisting on doing it the sadhu-way (the way of the monk). I indicated to Aarti that I will not need to get a ride to a venue only 2 kilometres away.

Surely it's Friday the 13th but let's have no fear. I'm not a superstitious believer.
At the venue Aarti's apartment on Carlton was an enthusiastic group of young spirited seekers chanting away when I arrived. I was asked by Aarti to speak on the topic of "fear".

One of the attendees offered to say that he heard an acronym for fear is false evaluation appearing real.

The group and I referenced the Bhagavad-gita. We looked at two primary verses.
2.40 and 18.66.

They read as follows:
"In this spiritual endeavour there is not loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear."(2.40)

"Abandon all varieties of duties and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear." (18.66)

We, as a group, identified in our discussion some common "fears". At the top of the list was the fear of death. Death is for sure but we are unsure of death. We are uneasy with it and that especially holds true when we identify the body as the self.

8Km

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