Fear of change

Fear of change, a form of psychological fear that sometimes manages to engulf both the physical and mental level of a person, also manifests in other forms: fear of the unknown, fear of risk, fear of losing things, and even fear of outcomes.

It has been said many times that man is a “creature of habit” and there is truth to that. Man has many “masters” who ensure that he is taught certain habits that give him a sense of security within the group. These same “masters” also ensure the development of a fear of losing those same habits, at least as long as it suits the intentions of the aforementioned “teachers”.

We grow up in a society shaped by different motivations: some of them are natural and inherent to historical needs, while others are completely artificial, driven by interests and trends that dictate the movements of large masses over a certain period of time.

It is precisely these artificial needs or those colored with unnaturalness that most hinder people and prevent change in any sense. Let us explain this In the following example: to love and feel loved is a natural need of every human being. However, fashionable societal demands attach a whole set of conditions to love that make it artificial and almost impossible to live. In addition to feelings, one needs to possess material goods and an influential position, which closes the doors to genuine shared life.

People observe what others do and by repeating these actions, they achieve a certain psychological peace that allows them to fit in within the community. They struggle to acquire things that are deemed essential, and once they have obtained them, they must not neglect them as it would result in losing their own stability, which unfortunately relies on external foundations.

In the same way, trends impose certain styles of behavior, expression, human relationships, thoughts, and beliefs that ensure “normalcy”, at least for a while. One must stay up to date in order to follow these imposed currents and adapt to them, so as not to deviate even a step away from the herd.

Hence the fear arises. of change. Every change, if genuine, implies separating oneself, whether in a positive or negative sense, abandoning widely accepted norms, risking being different and losing some of the cherished values established precisely by that unnaturalness.

It is also possible for false fondness from those who loved us little or not at all to disappear, as well as fleeting admiration achieved by associating with passing fads.

For those who strive to become philosophers, who love wisdom, the first and fundamental change they must initiate is awakening consciousness. As soon as it emerges from the amorphous mass of their own needs and physical, psychological, and mental desires, it simultaneously sets in motion a whole series of changes.

While living blindly, adopting this or that form of behavior and solidifying oneself in it means little, but active consciousness obliges a reexamination of many aspects of life that previously had no importance.

A philosopher, above all, gets used to asking deep questions about life, about oneself, about the dbini… His mind increasingly turns to exploration and is guided by questioning his own way of life, pointing him towards new paths of constant improvement.

The changes that the philosopher chooses do not correspond to fashion or commonly accepted attitudes. On the contrary, these are upward changes in which each step is a step higher on the path of transcendence. More than changes, we should be talking about unique and genuine elements of human being, beyond the reach of material changes, beyond the reach of life and death, passion and opinions.

So why then are we afraid of changes when we are aware that these particular changes will only bring us good and lead us to greater spiritual development? Because they must be achieved by our own efforts, face to face with ourselves, without the significance of approval, praise, or criticism from others. Because these changes obviously imply some losses, but these are the losses that will open the way to new, stable, and harmonious values. Every change carries risks. We don’t know of any hero who hasn’t faced risky trials and overcome them to achieve victory. And as we said in the beginning – because there are also those who are afraid of success, who know that when it happens, they will have to maintain that level of success. They cannot allow themselves to fall or become depressed because that internal success sets firm and decisive demands on their own consciousness.

But is it worth the attempt?

The destiny of a person is to reach the most perfect state of being human and, as esoteric traditions of all times state, to grow in every sense beyond human conditioning until they prove themselves worthy of being a student of the gods, not just mentioned as “teachers of men”. Sooner or later, we all have to reach such destiny, with more or less suffering. Change is an obligatory condition. So why not start this very moment? Why not rid ourselves of fear, which in itself is not something positive? Why not cultivate bravery? What about someone who knows what they want and fights for it?

The choice is ours: either the trivial fear of change that is inevitably happening and leaving us powerless, or the determined courage for a definitive change that transforms us into strong individuals, secure in ourselves, who walk through life with a face turned towards Destiny.