Fear: Understanding and Accepting the Insecurities of Life

by Osho

Overview

One of the greatest spiritual teachers of the twentieth century invites you on a journey through what makes human beings afraid—and how confronting fears strengthens us.

In Fear: Understanding and Accepting the Insecurities of Life, Osho takes the reader step by step over the range of what makes human beings afraid—from the reflexive “fight or flight” response to physical danger to the rational and irrational fears of the mind and its psychology. Only by bringing the light of understanding into fear’s dark corners, he says, airing out closets and opening windows, and looking under the bed to see if a monster is really living there, can we begin to venture outside the boundaries of our comfort zone and learn to live with, and even enjoy, the fundamental insecurity of being alive.

Fear features a series of meditation experiments designed to help readers experience a new relationship with fear and to begin to see fears not as stumbling blocks, but as stepping stones to greater self-awareness and trust.

Osho challenges readers to examine and break free of the conditioned belief systems and prejudices that limit their capacity to enjoy life in all its richness. He has been described by the Sunday Times of London as one of the “1000 Makers of the 20th Century” and by Sunday Mid-Day (India) as one of the ten people—along with Gandhi, Nehru, and Buddha—who have changed the destiny of India. Since his death in 1990, the influence of his teachings continues to expand, reaching seekers of all ages in virtually every country of the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250256256
Publisher:	St. Martin's Press
Publication date:	05/29/2019
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Osho is one of the most provocative and inspiring spiritual teachers of the twentieth century. Known for his revolutionary contribution to the science of inner transformation, the influence of his teachings continues to grow, reaching seekers of all ages in virtually every country of the world. He is the author of many books, including Love, Freedom, Aloneness; The Book of Secrets; Innocence, Knowledge, and Wonder; and Autobiography of a Spiritually Incorrect Mystic.

Table of Contents

1 Understanding Fear Itself 3

Where Does Fear Come From? Where Does It Go? 9

Buried Alive 13

So Much to Do, So Little Time 20

Understanding Is the Key 26

Divine Insecurity 31

2 Scared to Death-Exploring the Roots of Fear 33

Realities East and West 49

Psychological vs. Physical 62

Known vs. Unknown 73

Afraid of Life 82

3 Uncertain and Unknown-The Mystery of Trust 87

From Knowledge to Innocence 90

Trusting the Inner Voice 92

Move the Way Love Makes You Move 98

Drowning in Nothingness 106

The Prison of "I" 112

4 Make Love, Not Fear-Trusting Oneself and Others 121

The Fear of Intimacy 125

Afraid of Yourself 130

The Other Side of Love 134

5 Finding a Way to Fearlessness-Insights and Meditations 143

No escape 147

Self-conscious or self-aware? 148

Afraid to be silent 149

Whatever frightens you, go into it 151

Beware of the two extremes 153

Don't be in a hurry 154

Don't make fearlessness a goal 155

Afraid to exhale 158

If fear is there, accept it 161

Nothing to lose 164

Joy is the antidote 166

Osho International Meditation Resort 169

About Osho 173

For More Information 175

Editorial Reviews

An internationally renowned and controversial spiritual leader writes on the physical and spiritual components of fear, but the book suffers from a particularly narrow definition of the term. "Life arises only in risk, in danger," writes Osho (1931–1990) toward the end of this short book. Given that legitimate risk and danger trigger a physiological response honed throughout the existence of the human race, it seems to follow that fear can be, at times, a healthy and life-preserving response. Osho disagrees; he spends much of the book positioning himself in opposition to other thought around the nature of fear and how it is addressed. There is value in his admonitions, insofar as it is possible to fall into a pattern of fear that lacks a rational basis for support. Where the book falls short is in the dogmatic stance to which Osho repeatedly returns. He suggests that he, his followers and his Osho-certified therapists are enlightened, while psychology, human struggle and the notion that "fear" can have positive connotations are rejected as the absurd posturings of children in a sandbox. Instructions to be present-centered and to experiment with meditation are useful, but when Osho suggests that something like a broken leg is not a problem--that the problem lies in the imagination--it does little to inspire confidence that his theories will be particularly applicable to the struggles of everyday life. He repeats this blameful approach throughout the text. Given the author's prolific output, there is bound to be some overlap in material, but it's disheartening to find such repetition within one work.

Kirkus Reviews