Fear plagues many people. It’s an unfriendly companion that stifles life. There is rational fear – that is fear that occurs when a body is physically endangered. This fear brings us to fight the threat or flee from it. It’s a mechanism that protects the body temple from harm. There are also psychological fears – many of them seemingly from nowhere. These deeply ingrained fears can paralyze us. Fear blocks creativity and kills curiosity. It keeps us stuck in one place and causes needless anxiety.

Love overcomes fear. Love is a powerful energy. When we open up and tap into it, it can move mountains of fear and turn them to dust. Being in the presence of a powerfully loving person can help us to understand. Amma, the hugging saint, or Sai Baba, have both had the ability of emanating waves of unconditional Love. I’ve also experienced this kind of Love from my grandmother. Love at this level transforms and helps us to connect with the Love that we are naturally.

For me there have been steps to this process of transforming from fearful to loving. The first is becoming aware of the fears lurking inside and working to identify what they are. The second step requires facing those fears. Often when standing in front of the worst fears and shedding the light of love on them, they literally melt away and dissolve into thin air. Some of the most prevalent human fears are fear of ridicule, fear of being hurt, fear of humiliation, and fear of not being accepted. Consider how liberating it will be to let go of these!

Like most spiritual practices, combating fear requires work. But putting in the effort to do the work to face and eliminate fears will make you feel lighter, happier and more vibrant. Take heart and have the courage to go inside to examine your fears today. Allow the wisdom of Love to shake up the fears and wash them away. Begin the effort; help and support will be on the way.

Bio: Debra Moffitt is author of Awake in the World: 108 Practices to Live a Divinely Inspired Life. A visionary and teacher, she’s devoted to nurturing the spiritual in everyday life. She leads workshops on spiritual practices at the Sophia Institute and other venues in the U.S. and Europe. Her mind/body/spirit articles, essays and stories appear in publications around the globe and were broadcast by BBC World Services Radio. She has spent over fifteen years practicing meditation, working with dreams and doing spiritual practices. Visit her online at http://www.awakeintheworld.com.