Think of yourself as housing two aspects of the same being: spirit and ego, or, higher and lower self. One is not superior to the other, and neither is the other “sinful” or shameful. We all are spiritual beings having a human experience, indicating the presence of both aspects of who we are. At this point in your development, you should easily recognize each aspect, having been living through your higher self in the course of these assignments. When we can distinguish between ego and spirit, we can then make conscious decision about which power we choose to follow. In turn, we’ll possess the ability to recognize self-will and ego-driven thoughts, and command them accordingly. One of these innate powers will control our attitudes and actions, and it’s within our power to choose which force will guide us through life. Whether you recognize it or not, and whether you believe it or not, you always choose the course of your life. As such, it’s far better to be aware and take control of your own subconscious. If you don’t, someone else will do it for you.

As we’ve discussed, anger is a natural response, and when you are in command of your emotions, anger can be a force for positive change. Likewise, fear is a normal, healthy response to immediate danger, granting us the biochemical reactions to fight or take flight. Though anxiety is an unhealthy manifestation of ego, it’s still merely a natural human experience. Anxiety isn’t your enemy, though it feels like one when we aren’t in control. Our reaction to anxiety and irrational fears is almost always the same in all people – to fight it with logic and self-reproach, attempting to force it out of our minds.

However, fear of any kind isn’t something you have to conquer or overcome or get rid of. Experiencing fear doesn’t make you any less spiritual or emotionally inferior, and you simply cannot eliminate fear, or any other emotion for that matter, with logic alone. As stated previously, you can become free of fear, but for now, don’t worry about conquering, over-coming, or getting rid of it.

The only way to fully integrate the various aspects of our personalities is to accept each of them as “intended assets,” see how we have perverted them through misuse, bring them into proper balance, and recognize them as vital parts of who we are. In other words, make friends with your uncomfortable emotions. Our first instinct is to fight fear, to try to banish it, and submit to self-reproach, which is merely a fear of failure or humiliation, and wallow either in self-pity or anger. Damming your fears, fearing your fears, or trying to talk yourself out of being afraid are all actions focused directly on fear which gives it even more negative energy to thrive on. The same applies to self-pity and anger as we attempt to avoid facing fear through blaming others or ourselves.

What then, is the solution? Sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk with your fear, like a parent to a child. And you’re the parent, by the way. Self-talk is very powerful, and it’s something we all do, so it’s absolutely essential that you never talk to yourself differently than you would a loved one. Don’t say things to yourself that you wouldn’t to your best friend. You first need to inventory the particular fear by writing down what you are afraid of losing or not receiving, how that fear is affecting your life, and what you think would happen if that fear came true. Does the fear have any real validity?

Sometimes fear, or anxiety, is warning us when we are getting into a situation similar to a painful experience in the past. In that case, we need to take a closer look at the two situations, past and present, determine the validity of that warning sign, and re-evaluate our decision to be a part of the current situation. While we cannot predict the future, and no two situations are identical, we are expected to use our good judgment in such matters, and hopefully choose to steer away from potential repeats of past mistakes. Know what your own red flags, or warning signs are, of destructive situations, and by all means, don’t ignore them or fool yourself into believing this time will be different.

In other instances, fear is manifestations of our low self-image, cringing at the thought of rejection or humiliation if we were to stand up for ourselves, make a necessary confrontation, or any other healthy action that’s foreign to our unhealthy, yet familiar patterns. It’s important to remember that ego fearfully resists change. Therefore character development and spiritual growth are often uncomfortable and may even feel wrong at first, simply because it’s different from how we’re accustomed to dealing with issues. This is when ego emerges with its two voices, as fear says, “You dare not do that,” and pride says, “You don’t have to, or need to.” After examining the fear, if you determine it’s a sense of anxiety over the future, rather than an actual fear of a real and present danger, you can then begin to handle it accordingly.

Secondly, acknowledge to your fear that you understand it is only trying to protect you, but that you have God to protect and guide you now. Deal with your fears gently, like a frightened child. After all, our anxious projections into the future are a part of the frightened child within us, born of ego and past experiences. Ego is the part of us that doesn’t know God or spirituality, and its job is to protect us through the use of our emotions. But when we learn to depend on God to protect and guide us, it becomes our higher, or spiritual self’s responsibility to take parental control, as it were, over our egos through gentle and understanding self-talk. Once we recognize fear as being the root of all uncomfortable emotions – sometimes masquerading as anger, pride, hatred, remorse, free-floating anxiety, or depression – it becomes much easier to go straight to the source of our troubles and resolve them more quickly. After inventorying our fears, the next and crucial action is to then turn your focus on helping someone else.

I’m sure you’re wondering how any of this is related to experiencing miracles in our lives, but it’s quite simple. Before we can reach the spiritual ability of bringing about every day miracles, we must be able to distinguish between our spiritual selves and our lower selves, or egos, the ability to choose our emotional investments, and the power to re-direct our fears into actions of faith.

IV. A CONTINUING WAY OF LIFE: Not an easy fix

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