Sikhs Should Be Afraid of Nothing!

Annie ji, are you finding any of your fears in particular difficult to manage, hence your post, or are you just curious about the topic?
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/general-discussion/36674-sikhs-should-be-afraid-of-nothing.html

I like your observation about fear of death being fear of the unknown. I think people fear the process of death, and the prospect of nothingness after death. I can't imagine what people who have no faith feel about death. I hope our atheist friends here can expand on that idea, please.
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Bhenji's,

having spent 10 years in the atheist camp, although I would toy with the idea that even an atheist needs a god not to believe in.

I would doubt any atheist on his deathbed is 100% sure that he is about to be nothing, in fact, looking back, my atheism was more a hatred of god than a denial of god.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36674

However as an atheist, death did not scare me, it only allowed me to prove the point that all there was afterwards was dust, death is a release from living, I find living in some ways more scary than death!

After my last heart attack, lying in the room just before the op room, I could hear my mother loudly praying from the room further up, I stubbornly refused to speak to god, or acknowledge god in any way shape or form, but it was in a childish manner, I was talking to god, but I was telling god that I would not be asking for any help,
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36674

Atheists are in some ways better than us believers, they act in the same way, are good and kind, but do it on moral and personal grounds rather than following a god given code of conduct, I know when I was atheist, and indeed my first thread here, was atheism is the ultimate sikhi, as I firmly believed that in the absence of trying to please god, and just doing, you were a better person, and to some extent, I still believe that, but I have reconciled that by adopting humility, which kind of makes all things equal

However, fear is a funny word, I feared more as an atheist and as an egoist, I fear less now, as I feel I am attempting to place myself in the trust of the creator

but then you know what they say, what we have to fear is fear itself

Ishna ji,

That's a really good question. Both, really. I'm intrigued by the idea that Sikhs could be fearless. It means that I could possibly learn to be fearless too.

Which of my fears is unmanageable? That's hard to put into words. It's sort of a general uneasiness and nervousness. A friend of mine put it well when she said I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop - meaning I always have a fear in the back of my mind that something bad could happen at any time. I was not this way when I was younger. I became this way over the course of a five year long abusive relationship. That relationship ended seven years ago, and although I learned and grew a lot, healing from it has been incredibly, frustratingly slow. I can't blame it all on him any more because there comes a point when I have to take responsibility for myself and stop thinking like a victim.

Whew, I guess old Annie is cra-zee too.

Bhenji, I'm sorry to hear about your abusive relationship. motherlylove It's really good you're free of it now.

I can only speculate as I don't have much experience with these issues, sorry!

Background anxiety... I can relate to that, I'm a very anxious person myself but that's just the way I'm made. I do find I get more anxious when I'm hormonal - maybe you can get your hormone levels checked out? It's good to make sure you've got a clean bill of health, as vitamin deficiencies can also contribute to a feeling of malaise, or so I've read.

I get so anxious at times I don't know what to do with myself! I've also had a couple of panic attacks.

Over the recent past few months, when I'm feeling anxious, I try to take a step back in my mind and say to myself "ok, so I'm feeling anxious, I accept that, but it doesn't have to define me. I am not what I'm feeling." And I find that helps. I have to keep reminding myself though, to take that step back and see a difference between "me" and "my feelings". See if you can try this?

I think I might have an idea of the "waiting for the other shoe to drop" sensation. A "too-good-to-be-true", nothing good can happen without something bad... I think this is a "control" problem. I imagine abusive relationships would take away your sense of control, the world is dictated by the other person. You might have been living on eggshells, wondering if a step to the left would incite your partner's wrath, so you over-analyse every single thought and every action because whatever you say or do brings with it the (very real in that relationship) threat of a negative reaction from your partner.

Perhaps you're still waiting for the negative reaction?

I think the best way to get around this kind of anxiety is to learn more about the Sikh concept of Hukam. You have no control. When you think you do, and it's proven to you that you don't, you suffer. You need to realise that whatever will happpen, will happen. Do your best and leave the rest to Hukam. Accept what the hukam brings you, and work with it.

http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gur...0&L=10&id=2830 You might like this Shabad.

This one is also good, soothing anxiety and putting it into the context of releasing the reins to Waheguru:

<table cellspacing="5"><tbody><tr><td>ਮਾਝ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
माझ महला ५ ॥
Mājẖ mėhlā 5.
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:

</td></tr> <tr><td> ਤੂੰ ਮੇਰਾ ਪਿਤਾ ਤੂੰਹੈ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਾਤਾ ॥
तूं मेरा पिता तूंहै मेरा माता ॥
Ŧūʼn merā piṯā ṯūʼnhai merā māṯā.
You are my Father, and You are my Mother.

</td></tr> <tr><td> ਤੂੰ ਮੇਰਾ ਬੰਧਪੁ ਤੂੰ ਮੇਰਾ ਭ੍ਰਾਤਾ ॥
तूं मेरा बंधपु तूं मेरा भ्राता ॥
Ŧūʼn merā banḏẖap ṯūʼn merā bẖarāṯā.
You are my Relative, and You are my Brother.

</td></tr> <tr><td> ਤੂੰ ਮੇਰਾ ਰਾਖਾ ਸਭਨੀ ਥਾਈ ਤਾ ਭਉ ਕੇਹਾ ਕਾੜਾ ਜੀਉ ॥੧॥
तूं मेरा राखा सभनी थाई ता भउ केहा काड़ा जीउ ॥१॥
Ŧūʼn merā rākẖā sabẖnī thā▫ī ṯā bẖa▫o kehā kāṛā jī▫o. ||1||
You are my Protector everywhere; why should I feel any fear or anxiety? ||1||

</td></tr> <tr><td> ਤੁਮਰੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਤੇ ਤੁਧੁ ਪਛਾਣਾ ॥
तुमरी क्रिपा ते तुधु पछाणा ॥
Ŧumrī kirpā ṯe ṯuḏẖ pacẖẖāṇā.
By Your Grace, I recognize You.

</td></tr> <tr><td> ਤੂੰ ਮੇਰੀ ਓਟ ਤੂੰਹੈ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਾਣਾ ॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36674
तूं मेरी ओट तूंहै मेरा माणा ॥
Ŧūʼn merī ot ṯūʼnhai merā māṇā.
You are my Shelter, and You are my Honor.

</td></tr> <tr><td> ਤੁਝ ਬਿਨੁ ਦੂਜਾ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਸਭੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਖੇਲੁ ਅਖਾੜਾ ਜੀਉ ॥੨॥
तुझ बिनु दूजा अवरु न कोई सभु तेरा खेलु अखाड़ा जीउ ॥२॥
Ŧujẖ bin ḏūjā avar na ko▫ī sabẖ ṯerā kẖel akẖāṛā jī▫o. ||2||
Without You, there is no other; the entire Universe is the Arena of Your Play. ||2||

</td></tr> <tr><td> ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਸਭਿ ਤੁਧੁ ਉਪਾਏ ॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36674
जीअ जंत सभि तुधु उपाए ॥
Jī▫a janṯ sabẖ ṯuḏẖ upā▫e.
You have created all beings and creatures.

</td></tr> <tr><td> ਜਿਤੁ ਜਿਤੁ ਭਾਣਾ ਤਿਤੁ ਤਿਤੁ ਲਾਏ ॥
जितु जितु भाणा तितु तितु लाए ॥
Jiṯ jiṯ bẖāṇā ṯiṯ ṯiṯ lā▫e.
As it pleases You, You assign tasks to one and all.

</td></tr> <tr><td> ਸਭ ਕਿਛੁ ਕੀਤਾ ਤੇਰਾ ਹੋਵੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕਿਛੁ ਅਸਾੜਾ ਜੀਉ ॥੩॥
सभ किछु कीता तेरा होवै नाही किछु असाड़ा जीउ ॥३॥
Sabẖ kicẖẖ kīṯā ṯerā hovai nāhī kicẖẖ asāṛā jī▫o. ||3||
All things are Your Doing; we can do nothing ourselves. ||3||

</td></tr> <tr><td> ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇ ਮਹਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
नामु धिआइ महा सुखु पाइआ ॥
Nām ḏẖi▫ā▫e mahā sukẖ pā▫i▫ā.
Meditating on the Naam, I have found great peace.

</td></tr> <tr><td> ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਇ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਨੁ ਸੀਤਲਾਇਆ ॥
हरि गुण गाइ मेरा मनु सीतलाइआ ॥
Har guṇ gā▫e merā man sīṯlā▫i▫ā.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, my mind is cooled and soothed.

</td></tr> <tr><td> ਗੁਰਿ ਪੂਰੈ ਵਜੀ ਵਾਧਾਈ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਤਾ ਬਿਖਾੜਾ ਜੀਉ ॥੪॥੨੪॥੩੧॥
गुरि पूरै वजी वाधाई नानक जिता बिखाड़ा जीउ ॥४॥२४॥३१॥
Gur pūrai vajī vāḏẖā▫ī Nānak jiṯā bikẖāṛā jī▫o. ||4||24||31||
Through the Perfect Guru, congratulations are pouring in-Nanak is victorious on the arduous battlefield of life! ||4||24||31|| </td></tr></tbody></table>
When we talk about Sikhs not being fearless, I think a lot of that comes from when Sikhs were in battle with Guruji, against real enemies. You have to be fearless when you're 40 men against hundreds.

I can't speak about it because I'm ignorant, I'm not a soldier.

But I can imagine, if you get yourself to a state of mind where you realise everything is the creative soup and whether you live or die you're still in the soup, it may take away some degree of fear.

I'll try to remember that when I'm paralised outside by a lightning storm... hahaha! So much easier said than done, those Sikhs fighting with Guruji must have been so inspired!

Thank you, Ishna ji. You're very wise.

Hukam. Yes, I definitely believe there is hukam, but I can't help thinking that we are meant to consciously do our part too. Otherwise we would be like those pathetic people we see every once in a while, who gave up on themselves and life. Waheguru gently (and sometimes not so gently) teaches us lessons so we can evolve.

I have moved the thread to General Discussion and out of New to Sikhism. New to Sikhism should be a place where basics/fundamentals of Sikhi are presented to those who are exploring Sikhi at an early stage. This discussion, while interesting, focuses more on the personal experiences and emotional reactions of a variety of individuals, including some Sikhs. The content is not particularly grounded in SGGG or rehat maryada. A shabad has been quoted and hukam has been mentioned, but the question of fear hasn't been cast in the context of the shabad.

Sorry Spnadmin ji, I'm probably not the best when it comes to staying on topic, and I do tend to throw shabads around on impulse probably without understanding them.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36674

Annie ji, too true what you've said about some people just giving up on life. That's why I said we can do our best and leave the rest to hukam. It's no good to be anxious over what we actually don't have control over, and this realisation can bring peace, I think.

Thank you, Spnadmin ji. I thought I posted this in the right section but I guess I was wrong.

No worries. Sometimes members who see themselves as "new" to Sikhism post in New to Sikhism, and there is an intuitive logic to that choice. It is not a big deal to move a thread for me once I can see which way it is headed. Most of the time anyone, even if you are new, can post in any of the subforums.