The fear we feel comes from within. It appears in the form of people and things, in the perceptions we create in our minds. Fear seems very real when we believe in it. Left unchecked, fear rules us. It will have us do and say things that we would not otherwise. The experience of fear is not something anyone enjoys yet we seem to accept it as if it is inevitable, an inescapable fact of life.
Can you remember a time when you were not afraid? Has there been a moment when you were free of fear? Most likely you have had at least some time when you have not been afraid. At those times, what did you experience in place of fear? Perhaps it was happiness, maybe peace, maybe even joy. It really doesn’t matter what it was. What is important is that you experienced life without fear, that you recognized that fear is optional.
Events occur every day that we believe are fearful. When we so this, we increase and validate our own fear. We fortify our tendency to interpret circumstances as dangerous and act accordingly. When we make this choice, tragedies occur like the death of Trayvon Martin.
Like you, I have been reading about the case and the trial for quite some time. I have not spent a lot of time on it, but I know the basic facts alleged and of course, the many opinions of people on the guilt or innocence of Mr. Zimmerman. Now that a verdict has been reached, the volume and intensity of the opinions have reached a fever pitch. Even President Obama felt obligated to weigh in. What is important here are not the opinions but understanding that the word “opinion” is another word for judgment. And these judgments are based on the idea that there is certainty, that there is a right way that this tragic case should unfold. But there isn’t.
There is no right way for any of this to turn out well, to serve the highest good of all concerned. And if there is, it would lie in the realization that the judgments flying around right now are no different than the judgments Mr. Zimmerman and Mr. Martin made on that fateful night. The only thing more insane than judging is judging another judgment.
Judgment itself is neither wrong nor right, for to decide so is also judgment. What is important about judgment is to recognize its source, its origin in our own fear. The judgments that Mr. Zimmerman made were based on fear. In fact, the whole idea of patrolling and guarding people and property is rooted in fear. When we operate from a protective position, we have already concluded that something or someone threatens us. Consequently, we look for threats and with that filter over our experience, we see threats in the circumstances around us. Thus, most everything and everyone is threatening in some way. The only variable is the particular color and shape of the filter we choose to apply.
Fear operates unconsciously so that it applies filters and makes choices of which we are unaware. Therefore, being unconscious has consequences that are always unpleasant and sometimes tragic. The espousing of our judgments does nothing to bring about justice. In fact, it does just the opposite. Justice can only exist in a space of truth. Truth is not based on judgment; it is based in love. Loving our neighbor as ourself requires accepting and understanding ourselves first. This cannot happen while we are judging ourselves or others. Since fear is the antithesis of love, justice will never manifest from fear. Only more fear and more injustice can result. And I am sure this is not the outcome anyone wants.
The real culprit here then is fear. It is fear that gave rise to Florida laws that allow people to carry weapons and to use them when they feel threatened. Fear drives most of the laws that we make. Somehow, we think that we can force people to behave as we wish by enacting laws. Somehow, the laws will lessen our fear, will ensure our safety and security. But as we have seen for many years now, attempting to control behavior through force does not work. It fills prisons and kills people, but fails to protect the earth or ourselves. In fact, the imposition of force strengthens our perception of fear, validates our judgments and gives us the illusion that we are safe. As this and many other events show us on a daily basis, fear based “solutions” do not work.
We need heart based solutions, solutions based on compassion, anchored in love. Many great teachers have told us this over the centuries, but we have not listened. If we had, we would not believe in a fear full world. And if we had, a fear full world would not exist. Now would be a good time to let go of the fear. Now would be a good time to suspend judgment. Now would be a good time for love, for acceptance and peace. For in fact, there is nothing else but now.