by Gary Zukav: Many people are speaking now and frequently about fear
– of the political situation, unstable markets and weather, and now, a virus. Concern about the virus is now surpassing the other fears that frightened parts of our personalities put on inner display daily for us, if we are willing to look at (experience) them instead of distracting ourselves with food, work, sex, obsessions, and addictions. As we take these inner displays seriously and begin to explore them, a surprising discovery becomes observable, then noticeable, then unavoidable – the most invasive virus that we can experience today is fear. It is contagious, spreads quickly, and dangerous. It puts our ability to give the gifts that we were born to give at risk, and a life without giving them is a life of emotional pain, psychological pain, physical pain, every kind of pain.
There is no vaccine against fear, but there is a way to be healthy again if you become infected: Create authentic power. Frightened parts of your personality generate pain (you are infected when this happens) and loving parts of your personality relieve you of it when you cultivate them repeatedly (you become healthy again when this happens).
Think on this. Take precautions that you would take in any potentially dangerous circumstance, for example, handling very sharp knives in the kitchen, driving on the freeway, or trying to prove your self-worth by impressing others (pursuing external power). In the case of the virus, wash your hands often for at least twenty seconds (sing the alphabet song twice). Use your elbows or knuckles to avoid touching things with your hands, and keep your hands away from your face (viruses enter through mucus membranes including around your eyes). Bump elbows to greet one another instead of hugging. Use alcohol wipes (on the plane use them to clean arm rests, head rests, and trays).
Most important, do what is necessary to insure that you do not become infected with the truly dangerous virus of fear. If you allow it to grow in you, you will experience the very painful phenomenon of imploding under the fear of the collective. The physical virus is given to you to show you what is necessary to be physically healthy. This is symbolic, as is every experience in the Earth school. The destructive virus of fear is given to you to awaken you to what is necessary to move beyond fear permanently. This is far superior to what any vaccine can produce.
You can begin this process by enjoying yourself. That is a well-known and time-tested antidote to fear. Said another way, love is the only effective (and it is always effective) remedy to a life of fear.
