Reverse image of Statute at the Ming Tombs
~ Original photo courtesy of Steve Byrne
The first enemy of a man of knowledge is Fear. A terrible enemy -- treacherous, and difficult to overcome. It remains concealed at every turn of the way, prowling, waiting. And if the man, terrified in its presence, runs away, his enemy will have put an end to his quest. Once a man has vanquished fear, he is free from it for the rest of his life because, instead of fear, he has acquired clarity of mind which erases fear."
~ (Carlos Castenada; The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge;p. 82-87)

The Little Death

As we learn to confront fear in the dream world we add to our "confrontability skills" in daily life. Everyone is aware of those events in life that create anxiety and fear. Even happy events such as a new job or a marriage can create a load of uncertainties and stress. When we acknowledge that fear usually accompanies the unknown in our lives, we more readily spot the potential problem areas on a conscious basis. Yet we all have hidden anxieties and fears which, for one reason or another, we fail to acknowledge consciously. These form clusters of negative affect within the unconscious mind. This content is usually some of the first material to surface on the shoreline of consciousness when dreamwork is initiated.

The unconscious is much like a small child whose level of fear is a learned response. So it becomes our job on a conscious level to query the child about its fears, and to set about the job of decontamination, replacing fear with trust and courage. Once the unconscious knows it has an interested and participatory partner in dealing with the issues of life, it responds with a wealth of information. Developing this partnership between the conscious and the unconscious mind is the first step in communicating with the "higher" more universal aspects of self.

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."
(Frank Herbert; Dune; p. 8)

Anyone who pursues dreamwork is dealing with aspects of the psyche and it's powers that cross the boundary into the 'unknown'. The dreamworker from time to time is bound to come upon experiences that are difficult to qualify or comprehend, and which may cause some confusion or fear.

The following articles apply to psi experiences and related fears and are linked with the kind permission of Charles T. Tart:

Acknowledging And Dealing With The Fear Of Psi

Psychics' Fears Of Psychic Powers

Help With Strange Experiences