From Fear Into Love

On this sad day of September 11th, as we remember those whose lives were taken in the horrific 9/11 attacks and the impact of fear that arose from this insane moment of time, I wish to share with you my personal experience of losing fear and coming into love.  The fear that was generated by this inhumane act moved many to abandon the hope that it is possible to ever live in total trust.  I am here to tell you, it is.\r\n\r\nIt has been some months since I was guided to write in this blog.  My husband, Doug, and I have been taking some time out from our hectic life in Hawaii with the dolphin work to live in Portland, Oregon from June through October.\r\n\r\nThis blessed time away from our spiritual work (although I have facilitated Shasta Retreats during this time) is a precious time for us to have quality time with our children and grandchildren on the West Coast and to delve deeply into our inner lives to find the deepest peace within the beautiful nature of the trees and rivers here in what I call God’s Country.\r\n\r\nMuch of the time so far has been involved in family interactions, not only with our children, but also with my siblings,  which has been monumental and transformative for all.  I come from a big Irish, Catholic family of seven children … a lot of love and also a lot of dysfunction.  In returning to the deeper issues of this family connection, I have realized something very powerful and enlightening.  I am at a place in my life in which I feel total trust and am FREE OF FEAR!\r\n\r\nThis is just huge for me!  When Doug and I jumped off the cliff almost eighteen years ago, after we actually moved to Hawaii to do the dolphin work, all my fear came to the surface.  I realized that I had fear about everything.  Not only how we would be able to pay our mortgage on our new home there, but just about all aspects of being here on this planet!\r\n\r\nEvery day, when I would swim with the dolphins, they would give me a gentle message, “Keep on going.  You are totally supported.”  Even in the face of losing all of our savings, going into debt and all that entails, this message and the energy of the dolphins helped me to slowly release the grip of the fear.\r\n\r\nIt has taken many years of dedication to following my inner guidance to find that place of deep trust that now resides within my heart.  This truth has seeped into my consciousness in this time here in Portland and it seems that suddenly I now really and truly believe it … I am FREE!!\r\n\r\nIf you had asked me even a year ago, I would have had to admit that many moments of my life were tempered, even if a little, with the remnants of fear.  But now, I can honestly say that I just trust.  It is an exhilarating feeling to finally be here, a place that seemed way out of reach for me for most of my life.\r\n\r\nI now really know the meaning of love being opposite of fear.  What dwells inside me now is just an all encompassing love for all that exists!  I am living in the moment in a way that is astounding for me, knowing my past history of fear-based thinking.  What I observe is that I really don’t care about anything (not that I do not honor and respect and have compassion) but nothing matters to me that I might have thought I had to “control” in the past.\r\n\r\nIt is hard to put into words, this feeling, really.  I am just sharing this because it may inspire you too that this is possible!  When fear is absent, one can feel the essence of LOVE in the most powerful, all-encompassing way.  And when love is embraced in this way, it permeates every moment, circumstance, feeling, connection and reality that presents itself.  It is really true what seers and masters have said for millennia … LOVE CONQUERS FEAR!