Brian Johnson explores Yogananda's teaching 'do not be afraid of anything' and traces it through Gandhi's steadiness and the Bible's repeated 'be not afraid.' The episode suggests adopting mantras like 'I love storms' and 'Obstacles make me stronger' to build the confidence needed for your mission.
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Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another heroic plus one. In our last several plus ones, we've spent some time hanging out with Yogananda and wisdom from his great little book, Living Fearlessly. As you may recall, we took a pickaxe to our problems to mine them for power. Then we cultivated calm confidence on our path to self realization. And then we stopped bleeding like little sheep and started roaring like the courageous spiritual lions we are destined to be. Today we're going to wrap up our tour with one more powerful piece of practical yogic wisdom. Here it is. Yogananda tells us, and I quote, do not be afraid of anything. Even when tossing on a wave in a storm, you are still on the bosom of the ocean. Always hold on to the consciousness of God's underlying presence. Be of even mind and say, I am fearless. I am made of the substance of God. I am a spark of the fire of spirit. I am an atom of the cosmic flame. I am a cell of the vast universal body of the father. I and my father are one. End quote. Me exploding head emoji. You now. Lots to discuss. There again. First, the reference to being tossed on a wave in a storm makes me think of Gandhi, who, for the record, was trained by Yogananda in his Kriya yoga technique in 1935. Here's how Eknath Eswaran puts it in Strength in the Storm, I quote, few human beings are born with the skill to weather storms and stress with grace. Yet everyone can learn. We can't control the weather outside, but we can control how we respond. For it is in the mind that the storms of life really blow. What matters is not so much the turmoil outside of us as the weather within. To a person with an agitated mind, something as minor as a rude driver can cause enough stress to ruin a day. By contrast, I think of Mahatma Gandhi, who gave himself away when he confessed, I love storms. Gandhi began life as a timid child, but he learned to keep his mind so steady that he could face tremendous crises with courage, compassion, wisdom, and even a sense of humor. This steadiness of mind is one of the most practical skills. Without it, no one can face the challenges of life without breaking. And life today is challenging, to say the least. We live in the midst of conflicts within ourselves, at home, in the community, even nationally and internationally. This SRAM tells us, is an age of conflict, which makes it an age of anxiety as well. Nothing is more vital and than learning to face this turmoil with confidence and compassion. And do you know what the most often repeated phrase is in the Bible as we discuss in plus one number 714? Check it out. The most often repeated phrase in the Bible is be not afraid. I repeat, do not be afraid of anything. Perhaps we can create a new mantra to go with Bring it on and Obstacles make me stronger. Say it with me now. I love storms. Here's to activating our soul strength as we cultivate calm, antifragile confidence so we can fearlessly navigate the inevitable storms that give us the opportunity to practice our philosophies so we can emerge stronger and fulfill our missions. All in always. In always. Let's go hero.
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