— LIEUTENANT WORF. COMING OF AGE. 41416.2

The goal of spiritual growth is not to deny physical emotions, or somehow banish them from one’s life—even if that were possible. Fear, for example, is one of the most universal emotions among physical beings. And one of the most fortunate.

In the evolution of autonomous life forms, those forms which could “feel” fear had a decisive advantage over those who could not. Fear, after all, heightens the senses; it pumps energy into the system. Surprisingly, it can also galvanize community because fear seeks safety in numbers, and a communal response is usually the most thoughtful and effective over the long haul.

To completely lose one’s fear, therefore, means to cut oneself off from a valuable personal and communal resource. And if a “fool” is defined as an individual who acts without a genuine connection to self and community—what some people might call a “loose phaser”—then to act with no fear is indeed foolish.

Not that we should let our fears run rampant. Our Inner Voyage (or Spiritual Path) encourages us to acknowledge their existence, to honor them for the positive role they’ve played in bringing our species to this point. For only then can we enlist their energy in a higher service.

My fears are natural. But they do not control me. By facing themI will transform them. By accepting them, I can assign them a new role in my life.

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The above meditation is taken from Going Boldly on Your Inner Voyage © 1999-2004, IF Books.

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