When we are afraid of something, we push our energy out. Therefore, we are not able to allow the energy of the experience in- so we can understand what is really going on. We make assumptions about what is going on. These assumptions are contrived. We make up stories about how things are or how they are going to be and tell them to ourselves. One somewhat overused acronym calls FEAR- False Evidence Appearing Real.

On the contrary, when we allow the energy of the experience in- all of our resources are available to us. We can feel what is going on. Our instincts,  intuition, and experience become available to us. I call these things our “resource pool”.

So when you feel fear, breathe into it. When you are afraid, you stop breathing. By breathing into the experience, you embrace it.  You are open and receptive to it. You believe in your survivability enough to risk. I visualize it as breathing in while embracing with outstretched arms and moving toward.

Embracing the fear allows the energy of the experience in. Instantaneously, all of your resources all available to you. You understand what is going on. You see things as they are. You do not have to make assumptions about them. Solutions come out of nowhere. You see your fears to be the illusions that they really are.

The symbolism of dream interpretation illustrates this extremely well. A common dream has a monster (your fear) chasing you around. You turn and embrace it and it runs into a harmless or even beautiful thing. Embracing it “takes the teeth out” of your fear.

I recommend breathing into and embracing as a practice for approaching any experience. Access your resources. And if you feel yourself not breathing or scared… breathe into it. The monster in front of you is not real.