PANIC.
Panic is a anxiety response to excess negative emotion. Currently the entire world is experiencing a major panic attack experienced in the financial markets and the ceasing of the availability of credit for capitalism to run smoothly. We have heard endless reasons for the panic and everyone knows it is happening. What is important is not that we understand the “why” for the panic, but rather we need to understand the methods for dealing with this panic.
When a human has a panic attack, it is recommended that they breathe into a paper bag. This slows down the excess of emotion that has flooded the brain. The purpose for this is simple. When emotions flood our mind we go into an overload of negative emotion and fear, and cannot gain a clear sense of what is important and what is not important. By breathing into a paper bag, you learn that breathing is the primary function needed to survive. So by breathing into the bag, you take your mind off the excess emotion, and get down to basics. That without the next breath you will die. This is similar to the method of getting air out of a bottle. You place water into the bottle, thus empting it of the air. The air is forced out by the water. So fear can be forced out by remembering to breathe, and realizing that breathing is far more important than the fears we have racing through our thinking.
Panic attacks can be managed by meditation as well. This simply places your mind in a position that causes you to watch your breath or count numbers rather than have a contant stream of thoughts that have you overwhelmed. Meditation is a clear method for inner peace. It can when practiced regularly stop the mind from excess fear and panic.
Humans tend to follow each other. We are like herd animals. We are societies of humans and when panic occurs, we need to stop the fear and settle down lest it spread around further. That is what F. D. Roosevelt said “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. FEAR is the issue. Fear is the problem. Fear and panic are the same emotion.
What is occurring is we are currently letting go of the old system that no longer works. The old ways that no longer serve the majority of people. We are entering into a time of massive changes and there is every reason for hope as we let go of the old and grab onto the new. But all transitions are emotionally disruptive, and thus the currrent panic. It is similar to birthing. Before the baby arrives, it has to struggle through the birth canal. It is that struggle we are currently experiencing worldwide. We are being birthed into something none of us can imagine or predict. This inability to predict the future has created panic and fear. What we need to do is trust the birthing process, and allow the new infant to arrive.
The solution is to let go of the fear and embrace the new changes that are coming. Keep your focus upon the good that is coming and let go of the old that is no longer serving the human race. With our focus upon the new that will clean out the old, we shall all be better off after the change has arrived.
Fear and panic are human emotions that can be managed once we comprehend them. Fear is a useless emotions from days of yore that primarily serve as a dress rehearsal for disaster so that the mind could conceived what is coming. All fear is the mind preparing itself for the worst case senario. But how do you know the worst is going to happen? What evidence do you have that this panic is based upon principles of social destruction? I would argue the panic gains momentum as everyone joins into the panic. As we individually embrace the changes that are coming, and welcome the new, the panic will cease to consume us.
The oposite of fear is love. It has been argued that there are only two emotions and that all emotions can be gathered into these two categories. One category is fear. That is negative, destructive, self defeating, narrow minded and intolerable. The opposite emotion is love. That is positive, giving sharing, consideration, helpful, humble and generous. So we get to choose love or fear. Fear paralyses us, while love opens us up. That is why the Beatles sang, “all you need is love”.
Roosevelt said it best of all: “THE ONLY THING WE NEED TO FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF”.
