Exercise Eleven

March 30th, 2006

Refer to The Sedona Method, Hale Dwoskin; Happiness is Free, Hale Dwoskin and Lester Levenson; The Power of Letting Go by Patricia Carrington.

Releasing Fear

Whereas Exercise 9 focused on releasing in the field and letting go of the fear of fear, this week's exercise, is a tool releasing the particular. It is useful for actual situations and memories of fear filled situations.

Keep in mind that releasing emotions does not equate to being emotionally 'flat' or without affect. Most especially remember that love and joy is expressed naturally when we are without fear.

The state of peace, love and joy radiates out of us towards no particular person or thing when we are totally free of our blocks. We are like a sun shining.

This releasing fear exercise is a neutral tool. It has no ability in and of itself. It will work when you are determined to let go of the emotion. Just as we cannot remove a nail from a board by merely seeing there is a nail in the board, or by saying we should remove the nail or by telling others about the nail in the board, so too it is with unwanted feelings. We must first notice them and then we must want to be without them and then we apply what works in removing them.

EXERCISE

• 1. (a) Choose and think about a situation, or an issue which brings up the feeling of fear. On a scale of 0 to 10, (this is the Subjective Units of Disturbance scale (S.U.D.S.)), where '0' represents no fear and '10' represents the most fear you could ever imagine feeling, give this situation a number.
• 1. (b) Ask that you be aligned with the Highest Good. Our intention is to allow Divine Will to take the lead.
• 2. Decide and set an intention to be fear-less, decide to choose peace.
• 3. Hold your focus on the fearful situation or issue you have chosen. Allow yourself to feel the fear. You have developed some skill in watching your emotions, and in watching your thoughts. So, instead of pushing the feeling of fear down or re-directing it or projecting it, allow it to be expressed. Then ask the following three questions:
• i) Could I let this feeling go? Allow the answer to slowly rise up inside of you. It is not an intellectual process. Ask: Could I let these feeling go if I wanted to? Ask the question in a neutral manner. Allow your answer to rise within your awareness. Be honest; allow the truth to surface. Then ask more of yourself. Could I just allow this emotion, this feeling to be in my body? Could I welcome more of it? In this process, it is not the answer that is important, rather it is the question. You may never have thought to ask if you were able to let go of your fear. The expression of fear seemed such a part of the situation.
• ii) Next ask: Would I let this go? If I could, would I? Am I willing to let it go? Would I rather have this feeling or would I rather be free? This question really takes you out of the victim role and into the role of the chooser. If I say "no", I am choosing to feel and keep the fear. If I say "yes" I am choosing to allow the peace of mind to rise up. Either way, I have dropped the victim role. I choose.
• iii) When? (will I let it go) This question is an invitation or a reminder to let it go of the fear in the now. Be aware how you may want to guilt-trip yourself if you answer this question with a "not now" or a feeling of wanting to put off letting it go. Do remind yourself that the question is merely an invitation to bring you and your willingness into the now, into the present.
• These three simple questions are asked of yourself, are asked of your consciousness: Could I? Would I? When?
• 4. Next check your S.U.D.S.* Where are you now on the feeling fear scale? Has the fear lessened? Gone? Whatever is left of the feeling, just repeat the exercise. Once you have repeated it check your scale, is there feeling left? If so, again go through the questions, perhaps adding the thought that you are releasing what is left of the original fear.
• Your emotional goal is to release all fear, to be at zero fear.

Special Cases If the fear seems too big for you to believe you can let it go, (if it is a phobia or if you have rated the fear very high on S.U.D.S.*, then incorporate this next step.

• Map, or track the feeling as it is expressed in your body. By this I mean, notice where the emotion is felt and where it is not. For example, is the feeling it in your jaw, neck, back, diaphragm, or your stomach? Is it expressed as jittery arms or legs? Is the feeling in some of those or all of them?
• Next, pick one small area of tension, one small area in your body where you are feeling the fear and apply the three questions. Could I let this tiny bit of emotion go? Would I if I could? When would I?
• So you are asking yourself to let go of a small part of the emotion of fear that is expressed in your body, rather than the whole feeling of fear. Decreasing the amount of the feeling allows you to choose what you are confident you can release. Now notice your S.U.D.S.* It is likely much lower than when you began to release on this emotion.
• Now focus on another tiny piece of the fear as it is expressed in your body. Apply the three questions to that part of fear. Could you? Would you? When?
• Continue to find small portions of fear expressed in your body. Use the questions until the fear is gone.

It is your willingness to release that unravels the hold these feelings 'seem' to have on you. Practicing this method of releasing fear teaches you to drop feelings at will. You are no longer victimized by fear feelings.

Ensure you hold Holy Spirit in your mind to assist you in your willingness, and remember what is said to us in the Course of Miracles:

* S.U.D.S means subjective units of disturbance scale measured from 0 (no disturbance)- 10 (the most extreme you can imagine).