A brilliant and insightful understanding on the causes of Fear and ways to combat and cure it. Annotated with self-reflective worksheets and explanations, the book presents the words of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, in an interactive style and facilitates experiential insights. The book has been beautifully and aesthetically created to take the reader into the knowledge, experience and practice of Self-discovery and Mastery. The book delves into different kinds of fear one experiences, including the deep-seated ones, such as, fear of Illness, fear of Death. It explores fear as a phenomenon of unconsciousness; one that exists at various levels of one's being. It presents several ways to overcome fear and to cure oneself of it. The book also offers insights into the relationship between Fear and Violence.

1. The
Interactive
Self-Discovery
Series
Fear: Its Cause and Cure
ABHAYA
Selections from the Works of
Sri Aurobindo and The Mother
Compiled with Introductions by
Ameeta Mehra

2. Selections from the Works of
Sri Aurobindo and The Mother
Compiled with Introductions by
Ameeta Mehra
The Gnostic Centre
New Delhi, 2012
ABHAYA
Fear – Its Cause and Cure

3. ii
The Interactive
Self-Discovery Series
ABHAYA
Fear – Its Cause and Cure
The Gnostic Centre
Published by
Publisher's Note
1. All the books in this series
have emerged from workshops
on these subjects by the compiler,
and therefore have been especially
designed with worksheets and
checklists, for theory and practice.
2. This compilation, mainly
consisting of extracts from the
published works of The Mother and
Sri Aurobindo, is intended to give
the reader a basic idea on the subject
chosen, which may inspire him to
make an in-depth study of their
complete works. Titles, captions,
introductions and worksheets are
given by the compiler. Sources
from which the passages have been
extracted are mentioned in the list
of references at the end of the book.
Copyright © Reserved
Ameeta Mehra
Compilation 1999
The copyright of the works
of Sri Aurobindo, The
Mother and the paintings
by Champaklal ji belongs to
the Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Trust, Pondicherry, India.

4. iii
Acknowledgment
I would like to mention a special word
of thanks to the following:
Dr. Nirodbaran who has guided my
study and practice on the path.
Ritika Goyal for her unfailing support
and legal and financial efforts for making
these compilations possible.
Anuradha for her painstaking and tireless
work in typing, formatting and production.
Kirti for her back-up support.
My family for their encouragement.
Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust for the
permission to use and quote from all their
publications, including the works of The
Mother and Sri Aurobindo.

5. iv
Fear and anxiety are perverse forms of
will. What thou fearest and ponderest
over, striking that note repeatedly in
thy mind, thou helpest to bring about;
for, if thy will above the surface of
waking repels it, it is yet what thy
mind underneath is all along willing,
and the subconscious mind is mightier,
wider, better equipped to fulfil than
thy waking force and intellect. But the
spirit is stronger than both together;
from fear and hope take refuge in the
grandiose calm and careless mastery
of the spirit.
Sri Aurobindo 1

6. Approach to the Book
Dear Reader,
Fear is a universal phenomenon that we
have to deal with in our life, whether it be
physical or mental fear. In fact, because we
as mortals do not know, either the future or
ourselves fully, there is always one or the other
kind of anxiety or fear that lodges itself in us.
But if we are to live masterfully, an
understanding of Fear, its cause and cure is,
perhaps, fundamental to our quest for delight
and poise.
This compilation has emerged from
interactive sessions on Fear held with both
students and professionals from different age
groups, so you will find that its approach is
participative and practical.
Ameeta Mehra
Note: A series of paintings by a mystic artist,
'Champaklal', has been included as a support to the
text, for meditation and contemplation, and can be
a source of strength and knowledge.
v

7. Contents
Approach to the book v
What is Fear? 1
Fear: a Creation of the Vital Plane 5
Mental, Vital and Physical Fear 6
Why One Feels Afraid? 9
Illness and Fear 13
Conquest of the Fear of Death 23
Curing Oneself of Fear: Many Ways 37
Ways to Remove Fear: Faith and Trust 39
Removing Fear: an Easy Remedy 43
Obstacles to Progress 47
Fear and Violence 51
Establishing Peace in the Mind 53
vi

8. vii
Getting Rid of Unwanted Thoughts 56
Fearlessness: Power of Right Attitude 59
Static Power 64
Worksheet 67
Faith and Trust (A True Story) 69
Abhaya: the Fearless Poise 73
Mr. Tiger (A True Story) 74
An Introspective Worksheet on Fear 78
References 80
Picture Credits 82
Suggested Reading 83
A Note on Sri Aurobindo & The Mother 84
On The Gnostic Centre 86
About the Compiler 88

9. viii

10. What is Fear?
Fear: A Phenomenon
of Unconsciousness
Fear is a phenomenon of unconsciousness. It is
a kind of anguish that comes from ignorance.
One does not know the nature of a certain
thing, does not know its effect or what will
happen, does not know the consequences of
one's acts, one does not know so many things;
and this ignorance brings fear. One fears what
one does not know. Take a child, if it is brought
before someone it does not know (I am not
speaking of a child with an awakened inner
consciousness, I am speaking of an ordinary
child), – you bring it before someone it does
not know, its first movement will always be
one of fear. Only very rare children – and they
have another consciousness – are very bold. It
may also be a mixture of apprehension, a kind
of instinct. When one instinctively feels that
something is dangerous and hasn't the means
to remedy it, when one does not know what to
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