subject: Stress And Fear Of Namasmaran [print this page] STRESS is caused by several factors and if mismanaged; manifests in several different unpleasant symptoms. Basically there is a vicious cycle. STRESS distorts our cognition, affect and conation in the form of confusion, emotional disturbances and inappropriate actions, responses or behavior; respectively; and these in turn aggravate our STRESS.
One of the symptoms of mismanaged STRESS is fear. But the nature of fear also varies. In as much as there is fear of death, disease, dejection, debility etc; there is a strange fear of depersonalization!
What is this fear of depersonalization?
Depersonalization means living without a particular identity.
Let us understand and appreciate; that we live with some identity such as lawyer, artist, scientist, and farmer and so on.
Every identity has some capability, some skills, some influence. During STRESS the power becomes less, and the drawbacks and liabilities of the identity start mounting. Thus; a lawyer ma lose his/her practice, artist may not lose his/her popularity, scientist may fail in his/her experiments and the farmer may suffer loss due to drought.
The reason we suffer and build up our STRESS; is not merely because of the financial loss; but due to the unbearable burden of the liability of our identity! Our identity is a part of our ego. Since the identity becomes a liability; our ego is hurt, which produces unbearable STRESS!
The solution to this problem is to retrieve the strength from the deepest core that is beyond our ego and identity.
Naturally most of the traditional and rational stress management experts advise the practice of NAMASMARAN. NAMASMARAN helps us disperse the clouds of our identity and ego (akin to depersonalization); which is essential and inevitable for reaching our core; the source of light and power!
But since we are habituated or addicted to live with our identities; egos or personalities; we find it dreadful and insecure to live without them.
This is especially because; NAMASMARAN is devoid of any tangible assurance or support! NAMASMARAN does not provide any sensory pleasure. It is neither pleasant to look at nor melodious to ears! Neither it has haunting smell nor does it have gustatory charm. Neither it is a matter of sexual excitement nor is it a matter of melodrama. Neither does it satisfy intellectual urge nor does it produce any humor! Neither does it bloat our ego nor does it provide any emotional solace.
When we begin the practice of NAMASMARAN; we are afraid of this life without any identity, ego; and without any concrete security and support! This appears like death!
We have to appreciate that; even as this peculiarity of NAMASMARAN makes it dreadful; this very peculiarity that makes us capable and empowered to live without any support! It is this peculiarity that makes it the most cherished treasure by seekers of truth; through millennia and through out the world.
Let us understand that this supportless living; without the clouds of identity and ego; empowers us to be support ourselves! This life is not the same as; (in fact quite different from) debilitating depersonalization when one becomes oblivious to ones personality due to dementia.
In this state of being the support ourselves we do not think that we need support, or we provide support as we feel when we are caged in identities, egos and personalities. In this state of empowerment we have outgrown them. There is no kick of doing; but in stead; there is ecstasy of being harmony; with nature.
