When we consider things mentally we are living in the past. Merely living in the past, in all actuality, is not truly living. Past structures past recognitions, past images and patterns are restructured and re-manipulated. This re-manipulation may seem new, but if the components of it are of images and memories of the past — which they usually are — then what seems somewhat fresh is, for the most part, merely a restructuring of the same old stuff.
In psychoanalysis, looking into the past to get at the source of one’s fears usually isn’t treading new waters whatsoever. It also is a continuation of the past. This past is never truly liberating, for it is an extension of the remains of the stale, the old, and the accumulated. Bringing up old accumulations doesn’t — in any profound way — produce anything liberating and fresh for the mind. The mind that probes into its past is that past; and what it perceives with is dictated by (and actually is) the very past that it is desiring to look into. In actuality, it is very much like a dog chasing its own tail.
Instead of trying to find out about the source of the fears that one thinks one has, it may be much more prudent to perceive that one is not psychologically separate from what fear is as it occurs. Being in right relationship with fear doesn’t take time. Probing into one’s past and psychoanalysis take time. Time is not profoundly liberating in this… because like a dog that chases its own tail, it is a waste of energy. Looking at the past with the past is, for the most part, often a waste of time.
Trying to analyse fears takes time. Trying to control fear takes time. (And trying to control fear presupposes a segment of the mind that is separate from fear and that is capable of manipulating it.) Trying to suppress fear takes time. Escaping from fear, though various forms of entertainment, for example, takes time. Being in an intelligent relationship with fear (as it occurs) does not take time; there is no separation (i.e., no conflict) in that intelligence.
Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog 
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Thanks! 🙂
“Bringing up old accumulations doesn’t — in any profound way — produce anything liberating and fresh for the mind.” If only more people understood this truth – I am not saying that one should bury wounds – this won’t help, but beyond moving into relationship with one’s past which will help us to deal with it – we need to move on. Being in a present relationship with fear can help us deal with it. Good post Tom!
Thanks Sara, and watch out for those alien spy bots! 😁
Interesting post Tom, love the photo of Curculio glandium as well 👍
Thanks, Andy! (You mean that that’s not an alien spy bot?!) 😃
Ok Tom, so I am sitting here reading your post about trying to analyze and work through our fears when all of a sudden I scroll down to find an Alien Spy Bot? What the???? Only you would search for the most unusual critters I’ve ever seen to take a picture of! 😲📷😱🦗😬
Well, Kym, one didn’t have to search far; this insect was in my backyard. And they are a pest regarding acorn trees! 🙄🙂
Fascinating read. Fear often mingles with other slippery manipulators …
Thanks much, Jazz! 🙂 Yes, fear is always based on time and sequential mental images (which are time). When time is all we know and exist as, fear is bound to happen.
Thought provoking as always, Tom. Thank you for this 🙂
Much appreciated, Astrid! 😁
Well Tom – I have fears of multi-legged things as you know, especially arachnids. I have become a real weather worrier due to the effects of climate change. The erratic weather is troubling to me, but others say “why worry about the weather – nothing you can do about it.” At first glance, I would say this is a scorpion perhaps as a fellow blogger is traveling across the U.S. and posted pics of a scorpion the other day, but since this is macro photography I’m going to guess it is a dust mite on steroids but impersonating an alien spy bot as a side job.
Linda, it’s an Acorn Weevil, and they are actually pests, harming Oak Trees.
People say, “Why worry about the weather – nothing you can do about it.” On the contrary, there is plenty we can do about it. Go green, use cleaner fuels or alternative energy, recycle, heat our homes with Geothermal or Solar, and not fly around in polluting jets for mere entertainment (like so many do). Being concerned about the environment is intelligent and is not just crude fear. 🙂
Reblogging it on Sarkari Focus
Thank you very much for the reblog! Much appreciated! 😃