"Fear manifests itself in the thousands of little worries and anxieties of any given day. Worrying about our family, our jobs, the loss of youth, or contracting a disease. Perhaps we fear opposition or disapproval. We may feel inadequate, stay awake at night, or develop phobias of animals and insects, Sri Easwaran said. 'When fear is extreme, it can even paralyze the body. But I can show a person how to use the fear itself to deepen meditation.'
"Just as anger contains a great deal of power, fear also contains a great deal of power, he said. Fear is a brake on the mind. Any force that can paralyze physical and mental action requires a lot of power. Fear weakens judgment, thwarts constructive activity, and injures relationships. It can lead to serious illness. For the great mystics of all religions, the love of God drives out all fear, Sri Easwaran told us. 'Where there is fear, there is very little love.' He often suggested reading the works of the great mystics who had driven out fear through love, and he told us we would find courage in the company and support of other people practicing spiritual disciplines."
