Litany Against Fear

I first came across the _Dune_ books, by Frank Herbert, in the early '70s. Immediately, I was drawn to the Bene Gesserit and the Litany Against Fear.

"I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain."

I understand this to mean:

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer."
-Indeed, fear is a paralyzing agent that has the ability to immobilize the mind. It is the impetus for 'fight or flight', so that we either stand our ground in calm resolve, or flee to reconsider the original stance.

"Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration."
-The moment of indecision brought about by fear is an opportunity for death to rush in. Cowardess is never rewarded - the names and deeds of fearless folk are remembered long after their body has expired, so that their memory of boldness remains to fortify those who take heed.

"I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and throughme."
-This is my favorite verse because I can feel it. Instead of running from fear or merely turning our back on it, we face it. Then, "permit" it to "pass over" and "through". When we are able to accomplish this, then fear has lost its grip upon us. Our body has experienced fear, its reaction to this experience, and has mastered the ability to welcome fear, allowing it to enter in and pass through. That is personal power.

"And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path."
-Beyond the strength to allow fear's entrance and passage through our being, is the will to "turn" and watch its leaving. A warrior's experience says never turn your back on an enemy, even when they come to the peace-table. This sentence says something more. Beyond simply not-trusting fear and our reaction to fear, we have literally taken a different position in our relationship to fear.

"Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."
-Fear has "gone" through us, our being, leaving nothing behind. No 'lingering doubts', no 'residual apprehension', but the calm abiding of Nothingness. As such, "only I .. remain".