"The root of fear is a feeling of separateness within oneself. Once that
the feeling of separation exists, then you process everything from either
inside or outside of that model.
The transformative process of spiritual work is reawakening to the innocence of going behind that model of separation that cuts you off,
which made you a tiny little fragile somebody. A lot of the power comes from a freeing of our own fragility.
When you look at social structures, you see how much is based upon the feeling of fragility within the human condition. Based on fear.
You say, 'I’m afraid of that person,' but you mean you are afraid of being socially shamed by that person. When you are socially shamed, it hurts, but then here we still are. You’re afraid of violence, and then if violence happens, sure, it’s scary and painful and then behind it,
here we are.
I think that fear often feeds upon itself and we’re most afraid of the fear, which then gives it greater power… But ultimately we are afraid
because we feel vulnerable."
- Ram Dass -