The Enemy Within
Issue 24
The foremost issue in my heart and mind today is fear. More specifically, it’s the normalization of fear — the idea that fear is a given in life, something to live with, something to manage, a condition. When viewed through a conscious lens, however, fear is a thought. That’s the first thing people I work with learn about fear. The second is not to make decisions while experiencing fear, ever. (The third, for another day, is to eliminate fear altogether.)
Some mechanics:
“Fear is a thought” because there is no source of it other than the mind. When we call it “false evidence appearing real,” we nail it. Let’s say we fear something bad will happen. The “false evidence” is the thought or belief itself: something bad will happen. (See also: “The only thing we have to fear…”) It feels true; we believe it. But, in actuality, it’s about the future so it is inherently unknown. We have chosen, then, to believe something that may or may not be true yet we behave as though it is. (Not good conscious practice.)
Everything is energy. Fear vibrates at a relatively low frequency of energy compared to love, for example, which vibrates at a relatively high frequency. Like energy attracts like energy so when we are in fear the only choices available to us are choices that resonate in the neighborhood of fear. Good conscious practice is to move out of the fear, then make the decision.
To be ultra-super clear, we humans have every right to any and all fears we have. That is not the point. The point is what, as conscious humans, do we do when we realize we are in fear? And because this is The Conscious Politics Sunday Newsletter, what do we do when members of Congress make fear-based decisions that affect us all?
It’s tempting to think well, shit, what can the average conscious politics practitioner do about that? But the answer is plenty.
In a sea of soul-crushing activity on our political landscape right now, what concerns me most is sitting members of Congress making decisions while experiencing fear. I posit that this renders them unable to uphold their oaths to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”* Why? Well in last week’s case of Impeachment 2 in the House of Representatives, for example, it’s because they are afraid of “domestic enemies.”
To wit, a smattering:
“The Capitol Hill mob wanted to intimidate Congress. It’s working. After receiving death threats, Republicans say they’re afraid to vote to impeach.” - vox.com
"I had a lot of conversations with my Republican colleagues. ... A couple of them broke down in tears ... saying that they are afraid for their lives if they vote for this impeachment.” - Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO)
“Crow is right. Numerous House Rs have received death threats in the past week, and I know for a fact several members *want* to impeach but fear casting that vote could get them or their families murdered.” - Tim Alberta, Chief Political Correspondent, Politico
“I can confirm this. I spoke with a GOP member moments ago, asking if it is true that there are House Republicans who favor impeachment but fear for their lives/physical safety if they follow through with that vote.” - Guy Benson, Political Editor, TownHall.com; Fox News Contributor
So, are we the people doomed to representation in Congress by people who cannot possibly uphold their oaths because they are afraid? No.
“To answer your question, that did not factor into my decision. I think you have to set that aside. I don’t believe in giving an assassin’s veto, an insurrectionist’s veto, a heckler’s veto…if we let that guide decisions then you’re cowering to the mob. I mean, that’s the definition of terrorism — trying to achieve a political end using violence…our expectation is that someone may try to kill us.” - Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI)
“We will not be intimidated by these acts of white supremacy and domestic terrorism. We must act with the urgency this crisis demands. Our democracy depends on it.” - Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA).
This isn’t about Impeachment 2 or any other specific issue. It certainly isn’t about where you or I stand on it. It’s not about Democrats or Republicans or Independents or Democratic Socialists. It’s about how we have 535 American humans making decisions in Congress for 330 million of us and how we can ill afford for any of them to make decisions while experiencing fear. It’s about how fear — the enemy within — has been normalized to the extent that it is smothering who we are as Americans. What was the true vote in the House last week? What trajectory are we now on as a result of that tainted vote? How often does this happen? This is about knowing that truth, integrity, and authenticity cannot ever emanate from fear.
It’s tempting to think well, shit, what can the average conscious politics practitioner do about that? But the answer is plenty. The world is a reflection of us and we are all connected. If we have a government — a collection of human beings who function as our government — that appears to be fearful, we fix it “out there” by fixing it “in here.” That means if you experience fear in any kind of a chronic way, please be about the businesses of breaking that habit. I know for certain how utterly doable it is (and what a perfect issue it is to bring to Spiritual Workout, just sayin’). I know for certain how tremendously gratifying it is to watch someone move through a process of eliminating fear from their lives and to witness the everlasting satisfaction and joy engendered in them when they do.
Fear is not a given.
*Congressional oath of office: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”
NOTE: You are cordially invited and strongly encouraged to attend the next Spiritual Workout for Politics & Current Events on Tuesday, January 19, Inauguration Eve, from 5-6:30pm PST / 8-9:30pm EST. It’s an opportunity to discuss any and all of the issues presented in this newsletter and, more importantly, the issues ruminating in your own heart and mind.
CLICK HERE to sign up now and forget it til Tuesday. As a subscriber to this newsletter, please attend as my guest by using coupon code “SWPJAN.”
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Yet another eye opening, conscious way of looking at the political landscape. This is great. I love the quotes, too, and find them encouraging and discouraging, respectively. Thank you for your perspective and this weekly awakening.
Love this. Dan and I were really struggling on how to parent Alleyah and Alaza since none of the things that worked with Maeda and Clare seemed to work with them. We attended a workshop by Bryan Post postinstitute.com. His premise was that all behavior came from one of two places - love or fear. To understand and change behavior you had to figure out and address the underlying fear. That concept has been life changing for me in the way I relate to the kids, Dan, friends, family and myself.