**
Fear comes daily and often in our lives in the form of stress, worry,
anxiety and in a variety of other wasteful and negative forms. Let us look
at some of the types of fear human beings suffer from:
* The unknown - for example, death or a new situation.
* Loneliness - sometimes people fear loneliness to the extent that they
cannot bear their own company, preferring to lose themselves in superficial
(artificial) relationships and activities.
* The future - as the problems of the world increase, whether political,
economic, environmental or social, this creates, or adds to, personal and
collective fear of the future.
* Illness - sometimes because of fear of disease, people make their sickness
worse than it is, or live in fear of inflicting (getting) something
horrible.
* Other people - usually this is the greatest fear of all: fear of others'
anger, rejection, judgement and violence.
** Failure - some people avoid doing something, or choose not to act,
because their fear of failure weakens initiative and confidence.*
** Authority - this can be fear of a parent, of a boss, even of God. Because
authority has often been misused, in order to control and suppress people,
it is a normal result that fear, in the form of suspicion and mistrust, has
become such a negative force, both personally and collectively, in society.
*
*There are many reasons for these types of fear, but the main ones include:*
** Past experiences, which brought disappointment, insecurity, or wariness
(caution).*
** Lack of faith in one's self and in others.*
** The need for approval, to belong, or to be accepted.*
** The habit of seeing things negatively.*
Gurbani Says-
ਜਿਨਾ ਰਾਸਿ ਨ ਸਚੁ ਹੈ ਕਿਉ ਤਿਨਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
जिना रासि न सचु है किउ तिना सुखु होइ ॥
Jinā rās na sacẖ hai ki▫o ṯinā sukẖ ho▫e.
Those who do not have the Assets of Truth-how can they find peace?
ਖੋਟੈ ਵਣਜਿ ਵਣੰਜਿਐ ਮਨੁ ਤਨੁ ਖੋਟਾ ਹੋਇ ॥
खोटै वणजि वणंजिऐ मनु तनु खोटा होइ ॥
Kẖotai vaṇaj vaṇanji▫ai man ṯan kẖotā ho▫e.
By dealing their deals of falsehood, their minds and bodies become false.
ਫਾਹੀ ਫਾਥੇ ਮਿਰਗ ਜਿਉ ਦੂਖੁ ਘਣੋ ਨਿਤ ਰੋਇ ॥੨॥
फाही फाथे मिरग जिउ दूखु घणो नित रोइ ॥२॥
Fāhī fāthe mirag ji▫o ḏūkẖ gẖaṇo niṯ ro▫e. ||2||
Like the deer caught in the trap, they suffer in terrible agony; they continually cry out in pain. ||2||
ਖੋਟੇ ਪੋਤੈ ਨਾ ਪਵਹਿ ਤਿਨ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਰ ਦਰਸੁ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥
खोटे पोतै ना पवहि तिन हरि गुर दरसु न होइ ॥
Kẖote poṯai nā pavėh ṯin har gur ḏaras na ho▫e.
The counterfeit coins are not put into the Treasury; they do not obtain the Blessed Vision of the Lord-Guru.
ਖੋਟੇ ਜਾਤਿ ਨ ਪਤਿ ਹੈ ਖੋਟਿ ਨ ਸੀਝਸਿ ਕੋਇ ॥
खोटे जाति न पति है खोटि न सीझसि कोइ ॥
Kẖote jāṯ na paṯ hai kẖot na sījẖas ko▫e.
The false ones have no social status or honor. No one succeeds through falsehood.
ਖੋਟੇ ਖੋਟੁ ਕਮਾਵਣਾ ਆਇ ਗਇਆ ਪਤਿ ਖੋਇ ॥੩॥
खोटे खोटु कमावणा आइ गइआ पति खोइ ॥३॥
Kẖote kẖot kamāvaṇā ā▫e ga▫i▫ā paṯ kẖo▫e. ||3||
Practicing falsehood again and again, people come and go in reincarnation, and forfeit their honor. ||3||
ਨਾਨਕ ਮਨੁ ਸਮਝਾਈਐ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਸਾਲਾਹ ॥
नानक मनु समझाईऐ गुर कै सबदि सालाह ॥
Nānak man samjā▫ī▫ai gur kai sabaḏ sālāh.
O Nanak, instruct your mind through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and praise the Lord.
ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਰੰਗਿ ਰਤਿਆ ਭਾਰੁ ਨ ਭਰਮੁ ਤਿਨਾਹ ॥
राम नाम रंगि रतिआ भारु न भरमु तिनाह ॥
Rām nām rang raṯi▫ā bẖār na bẖaram ṯināh.
Those who are imbued with the love of the Name of the Lord are not loaded down by doubt.
ਹਰਿ ਜਪਿ ਲਾਹਾ ਅਗਲਾ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਹਰਿ ਮਨ ਮਾਹ ॥੪॥੨੩॥
हरि जपि लाहा अगला निरभउ हरि मन माह ॥४॥२३॥
Har jap lāhā aglā nirbẖa▫o har man māh. ||4||23||
Those who chant the Name of the Lord earn great profits; the Fearless Lord abides within their minds. ||4||23||
Shri Guru Granth Saheb page no 21 (Shri Guru Nanak dev ji)
