Maria Duval on Fear

Maria Duval writes that the emotion of fear is useful, and also indispensable. It allows you to be on your guard, catapults your senses and intensifies your awareness. She suggests to treat fear as your friend who may act as a radar for you that picks up on everything and guides you on your journey through life.

It is the basic instinct of human survival, on the physical, mental and spiritual level. It is vital to have a very acute sense of what can constitute a threat to your well-being. Sensitive, well-adjusted antenna indicate any form of danger, enabling you to identify the threats as they occur and to deal with them.

But the danger signals emitted by fear are suffocated if you have developed a form of behaviour designed to deny or suppress this emotion. By not paying attention to these particular signals of fear, this energy is dispersed and transformed into a general paranoia, a sort of ever present "chronic mistrust".

This is the reason Maria Duval says why people are subconsciously transfixed by fear. They are as it was afraid of fear, which prevents them transforming it into positive energy.

Suddenly, there fear is everywhere. Like fear of retrenchment, fear of losing loved ones, fear of death. Some people even fear of success, being too happy, fear of the truth, and all kinds of mind boggling phobias you can imagine of.

Have you ever noticed how unexpressed fear grips you at the throat, neck, lower back, shoulders, stiffen your jaws, furrows the brow and locks the knees?

Maria Duval says various parts of the body bear the mark of fear. But we are so used to it that we are not paying attention the messages that have been conveyed. This blinds our vital energy and affects our positive emotions.

There is no need to be fearful. Instead give your inherent fears the attention they deserve and allow them to express themselves as and when they occur. In this way, Maria Duval believes energy can be released in a right manner.

Overcoming Fears

We all have fears. They are dead weights inside us and we have to learn to overcome them if we want to get on with life. For example, many people are fearful over taking heavy responsibilities or fearful of meeting people. There are also all kinds of fears that may trigger a person into a fearful convulsion at any time.

If any life situation arouse any feelings of anxiety, stress or fears, take a moment to reflect what might be causing this mental discomfort or preying on your mind.

Maria Duval explains that there are three main origins of fear:

• An unpleasant experience you have been through;


• An unpleasant experience someone else has been through;


• An unpleasant experience you fear is going to happen to you.

Here are Maria's simple steps that may help to overcome such fears:

• 1. Sit yourself down comfortably, close your eyes, take three deep breaths and visualise some pleasant scenes.


• 2. Imagine you are in your basement, or in a dark cupboard and you are sweeping. Visualise the rubbish. Visualise it labelled with the fear you have just identified. See other rubbish labelled as other more general fears. Sweep the whole area.


• 3. When you have finished, admire the result. How good you feel to be rid of all the dead weight!


• 4. Translate our positive feelings into words and pronounce the following in your head: "I am now less and less afraid. Every day I am more and more capable of facing any situation with serenity and courage. I have total confidence in myself. May this be so."


• 5. Open your eyes and feel wide awake. Feel that you have less fear and that you are surer of yourself.

Life is now more beautiful and peaceful; you feel more clear-headed than you have ever felt. Maria Duval says try to practise this ritual whenever you feel the need, so you can gradually flush out your various fears!