Bliss, Providence, Serenity

I've been thinking a lot about fear, and how fear affects people's lives.

Fear motivates and also inhibits. Too much fear can leave a person stuck in survival mode.

I've been stuck in survival mode for a while. I'm stuck on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs lower levels. I have a lot of fears. *Sigh*

How does one do what Joseph Campbell suggested? Campbell said, "Follow your bliss."

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
"If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living." (source)

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I guess Joseph Campbell was saying what Johann Wolfgang Goethe said about committing yourself. Goethe said:

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
" . . . the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it." (source)

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I feel Campbell and Goethe were right. I believe spiritual serenity will happen for me when I follow my bliss. I just don't know how to do it . . . how to go past my fears. Maybe that's due to my mental illness? Or maybe I'm making up excuses for my behavior?

Any thoughts on this subject? Agree? Disagree? Don't know?

Have any other quotes to share? I'm reading . . . .

Oh, Jennie, Jennie....
What a great post! So relevant to me. Thank you for posting these thoughts and quotes. I am actually about to embark on this, I feel, after a couple of years of chaos.
Patty

"love casts out fear"... so I guess if you really commit yourself to something then you are "loving" it above all else...and can move ahead?

On another thought, what it is that causes (you) fear? For some it is the fear of failing (rather than try something.) For others it might be fear of a similar negative event recurring (from the past.)

IMO the only time fear motivates positively is when you are trained in whatever it is you end up doing, beforehand. Fear that is reactive rarely has logical thought connected, unless prior training was taken.

I agree with what you seem to show, that serenity is opposite of fear. Be at peace with your goals, and that helps establish them

Some people tend to think that fear may motivate us to take some important decisions and be positive in such a way. I am not sure this is a good motivation though. Is a decision taken through the fear may be a good one ? For some people it may be so. As for me, I usually try to listen to my inner voice while taking a decision - that always helps. If there is something that troubles me, a fear or something else, I will never take it as a motivation or a sign, I would prefer to analyse why I am feeling so to understand the real meaning of the given situation.

I read once that 80% of our fears never come true and as we all know - it is better to regret after having done something than to regret the fact that it was not done.

I have been thinking alot about these things too. How much is fear under the surface that we are not even aware of?. I know I have been stuck for awhile and question whether its the ilness or just not starting something. I know when I have dived into something and put my heart into it everything just flows and life opens up in so many ways. But how to maintain that everyday? Do I even recognise my bliss? Or do I feel quilty when I go after these qualities in my life? Feel selfish and greedy. Lots to think about.