This document discusses how to overcome anxiety, stress, and fear through applying spiritual principles from the Bhagavad-gita. It recommends three steps: 1) Stop ingesting stress through one's diet and consumption, 2) Work to understand the underlying motivations and modes of nature that drive one's actions, and 3) Learn to accept what one can and can't control and understand that Krishna is the ultimate controller. Performing selfless service to Krishna can help transcend the modes of material nature and relieve anxiety. Surrendering to Krishna and developing love and worship for Him provides purpose, strength, and the wisdom to reduce stress.

1. Overcoming Anxiety,
Stress and Fear
Applied Spirituality from the Bhagavad-gita As It Is
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder/Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

2. There are legitimate reasons for
stress . . .

5. Three Steps to an Anxiety-free Life
• 1. Stop Stress Ingestion
• 2. Work Out at the “Why?”
• 3. Patrol ‘Control’

6. 1. Stop Stress Ingestion
• Men fed upon carnage, and drinking
strong drinks, have all an impoisoned and
arid blood which drives them mad in a
hundred different ways.
Voltaire (1694-1778)

7. What’s in That Happy Meal?
• Fear Hormones
• Antibiotics
• Dead Flesh

8. Does Eating Meat Affect You?
• Studies made of domestic farm animals (cattle,
pigs and poultry), and of laboratory animals
(dogs and rats) show in all cases elevated levels
of steroid hormones, generally associated with
adrenocortical secretions. Primary substances
include adrenalin, cortisone-like secretions, and
steroids which stimulate fear pheromone
production. All of these are known to result in
poor health and poor vitality. This study confirms
this link in food consumed by humans.
• Irwin H. Putzkoff, PhD, MD

9. What’s In an Anxiety-Free Diet?
• Foods dear to those in the mode of
goodness increase the duration of life,
purify one's existence and give strength,
health, happiness and satisfaction. Such
foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and
pleasing to the heart.
• Bhagavad-gita 7.19

10. 2. Work Out at the “Why”

11. Why Do You Do What You Do?
Maslow’s
Hierarchy of Needs

12. The Results of What You Do:
• The result of pious action is pure and is
said to be in the mode of goodness. But
action done in the mode of passion results
in misery, and action performed in the
mode of ignorance results in foolishness.
Bhagavad-gita
14.16

13. Action in the mode of passion…

14. Three Types of Action
• Ignorance (for gross bodily demands)
– Temporarily obscures stress. Animalistic.
• Passion (for material gain and recognition)
– Increases stress. Egoistic.
• Goodness (for understanding and love)
– Leads to stress reduction. Wise.

15. Which Mode Best Describes You?
Goodness?
Passion?
Ignorance?

16. Is Passion Ever Appropriate?
Yes! Take immediate action for:
(They get worse by neglect!)
Fire,
debt, and disease.

17. To Rise To Goodness:
Eat Vegetarian
Avoid Intoxicants
Spend Time In Nature
Look for
Like-minded Friends
Sleep Early and Rise
Early
Think About Your Life
Meditate

18. Gita 3/28
“One who is in knowledge of the Absolute
Truth, does not engage himself in the
senses and sense gratification, knowing
well the differences between work in
devotion and work for fruitive results.”
• 8,400,000 life forms
• Class C, B, & A in prison house

19. 3. Patrol ‘Control’
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I
cannot change; courage to change the things I
can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”
To relieve anxiety and fear, consider what you can
and can’t control. There are stressful situations
we can’t control …

20. Gita 7/37
Gita 13/21
“I am the controller, and I am the enjoyer.”
Purusha sukha dukhanam
Bhoktrve hetuh ucyate
The living entity is the cause of the various
sufferings & enjoyment in this world.”

22. … and there are stress-causing situations I
cause for myself.

23. Who Is In Control?
• The spirit soul bewildered by the influence
of false ego thinks himself the doer of
activities that are in actuality carried out by
the three modes of material nature.
• Bhagavad-gita, 3.27

24. You can control your position in the
modes of nature.
One who engages in full devotional service,
unfailing in all circumstances, at once
transcends the modes of material nature
and thus comes to the level of Brahman.
Bhagavad-gita 14.26

25. Why service to Krishna?
• Serving your Creator has no self-centered
motivation at all. Thus such action is
above ignorance, passion and even
goodness.

26. Search for Purpose
• Wrong starting point
• What do I want. What will make me
happy?
• My goals, my dreams, my ambitions.
• Self help no help, self sacrifice

27. Two options
• Speculation or Revelation
• Hugh Morehead
• Creator & Owners Manual
• Krishna planned your life without your
input
• Don’t get to choose your purpose
• Couldn’t be anything you want.

28. Gita 8/28
• A person who accept the path of
devotional service is not bereft of the
results derived from studying the Vedas,
performing austere sacrifices, giving
charity or pursuing philosophical and
fruitive activities. At the end, he reaches
the supreme abode.

29. How to serve Lord Krishna?

30. • Dear Krishna, You know the losses, the hurts and the
pains I've experienced in my life. I recognize these
have caused me undue anxiety because of putting
myself in the center and not you. I’ve tried to fulfill my
selfish purpose and not yours. Today, I want to take
steps of trust. I want to learn to know and love You, to
worship You. I want to start fulfilling the first purpose
of my life by getting to know You. And trust You as the
Supreme Controller. I need Your wisdom and strength
so I can sleep at night. I surrender my future completely
to You. I want to trust You, Krishna with every area of
my life.

31. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama
Rama Rama, Hare Hare