Prep for Week 2

It was so encouraging to be together two days ago. I want you to have a little advance understanding about the topic, “Where we go when we are afraid?” In Brene Brown’s latest book, Atlas of the Heart, she elaborates on four dozen emotions. She singles out their key features and how they impact us physiologically. As we mentioned on Wednesday, it is important to approach our self understanding by being careful to name an emotion with precision and accuracy. Our WISE HEART class can help with that process. We can help one another give things their proper name. When we do this hard work our journaling and processing will go deeper. We will see traction in our spiritual growth.

FEAR: With the emotion of fear we will be talking about the idea found in the Simic poem. The BIG IDEA is this: Fear is one of the most contagious emotions. One leaf passes its shudder to another leaf. Fear is also very tied to language. It is true that we make vows and establish new beliefs when we are going through loss… but with anxiety, we can ruminate about our fear triggers repeatedly throughout the day. Our body activates automatically to prepare for the incoming threat. When anxiety is constant our health suffers.

To prepare for Wed. (Sept. 28th). Read the following three writings about fear and anxiety. If you can, journal your response to this question: As a child what was a setting or belief in my nuclear family that primed me to be afraid as an adult?

Fear

Fear passes from man to man

Unknowing,

As one leaf passes its shudder

To another.

All at once the whole tree is trembling

And there is no sign of the

wind

Charles Simic

From Big Magic by Liz Gilbert

Dearest Fear: Creativity and I are about to go on a road trip together. I understand you’ll be joining us, because you always do. I acknowledge that you believe you have an important job to do in my life, and that you take your job seriously. Apparently your job is to induce complete panic whenever I’m about to do anything interesting – and, May I say, you are superb at your job.

So by all means, keep doing your job, if you feel you must. But I will also be doing my job on this road trip, which is to work hard and stay focused. And Creativity will be doing its job, which is to remain stimulating and inspiring. There’s plenty of room in this vehicle for all of us, so make yourself at home, but understand this: Creativity and I are only ones who will be making any decisions along the way. I recognize and respect that you are part of this family, and so I will never exclude you from our activities, but still – your suggestions will never be followed. You’re allowed to have a seat, you’re allowed to have a voice, but you are not allowed to have a vote. You’re not allowed to touch the road maps, you’re not allowed to suggest detours; you’re not allowed to fiddle with the temperature. Dude, you’re not even allowed to touch the radio. But above all else, my dear old familiar friend, you are absolutely forbidden to drive.”

---

Anxiety 

Standing still, feet planted 

Body frozen, mind racing 

Fear takes over 

Like another entity 

That controls all.

It pleasures in knowing 

No advancement has taken place 

Nothing has been overcome just stillness 

It delights in knowing 

How much power it has 

Over that insecure body —

Manipulation will be easy 

Soon anxiety sets in 

Causing the body to tremble 

The more intense the trembling becomes 

The more the certainty declines 

As the body gets sucked down 

The path of anxiety 

Fear becomes overjoyed 

Its job is done 

That little seedling it planted 

Developed and blossomed 

And is taking over 

The body 

As the body realizes the fear 

Needs to be expelled 

The body doesn’t know how to 

Get rid of it 

So the insecure body 

Succumbs to the fear inside 

Fear is overjoyed it did little 

The body did the rest 

Kaitlin Schmidt