The Beauty of Fear

In some mythic tales, we know dragons to be guardians of treasure. Heaps of gold or raw gems often lie hidden underneath where the dragon sleeps. Typically, the “hero” must overcome the fearsome protector in order to access the treasure.

Fear is like the dragon. While it’s protecting the gifts to avoid theft or abuse, fear is not the problem. It’s not there to block us from our gifts, rather it’s inviting us to acknowledge the resources we may have otherwise missed. In this way, fear can serve as an indicator to where treasure lies, giving us direction where to search if we dare to follow the path. It can be a healthy response to awaken and enliven our spirit so we can mature and consciously use the gifts that are there.

The invitation of fear is to see through the deeper purpose of it. What you fear on the outside, you can often find inside. Fear has a lot to do with being honest with oneself. It takes courage to turn one’s gaze gently inwards to see where we stand, to identify illusions or false perceptions, and what no longer serves. It takes self-compassion and self-love to move through unresolved pain. By meeting our fears, what we once perceived as weaknesses become strengths and forces that can work with us rather than against us.

Our gifts that lie beneath fear are of raw material. There is a creativity and potentiality that comes with the raw quality…