“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” – Plato

Fear comes in all shapes, sizes and forms. Fear of failure is perhaps the biggest hurdle that stops you from growing. Most fears, as we know them, are largely unfounded but that doesn’t mean that they are not real. It is said that the greatest fear, even greater than the fear of death is the fear of Public Speaking.

Fear is a debilitating condition of the mind; it hampers progress and often leads us towards wrong-doings. The correct way to analyze your own actions is to weigh them against the root cause. If the root of your action is fear, then invariably, that act is wrong.

In the corporate world, we see the fear of competition. Being competitive is not wrong, but living in fear that your job will be at stake, and going through the drudgery of one-upmanship is tiresome and steals all the pleasure that you derive from a job well done. Some people are so consumed with fear and self-doubt that they never reach out for their best tomorrow. Fear of online bullying is a sad trend today. People publicly shame others because they don’t match their level of expectancy or their concept of right or wrong.

There are so many illnesses associated with fear like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), stuttering, acidity and depression. We also suffer from fear of loss. Losing a loved one is a very detrimental fear. We fail to enjoy the moments that we do have with our loved ones. Instead, we all the time think about how they could leave us and go away. In this process, we take away the joy of the present moment in fear of an imagined future calamity. Our mind is literally capable of making us sick with fear.

There is one manthra which is superbly effective in combating fear – it is the ‘Ashaum Parvara’ or the 23^rd attribute of Pak Dadar Ahura Mazda – the manthra of Protection. It is the preserver and protector of all things. If this name is chanted 101 times daily, for 40 days then it will create a protective field around you which will protect you against all fear. You gain protection from all enemies, all evil and from Angreh Mainyu himself.

However, we must remember that, above all manthra lies unshakable faith. If you have faith in Pak Dadar Ahura Mazda and in His boundless wisdom, then nothing can make you fearful. Feed your faith, not your fear!