Thoughts on the Subject of Fear

[*MimiFearthegn]

An excerpt from a presentation given at the Civic Festhall by Factor Sasha Andor

The rabbit freezes when it spots a predator, and bolts for the underbrush in order to save its life. This is its natural reaction to the cat which stalks it. The rabbit fears the cat. No doubt if you asked the rabbit in that moment, it would say the cat was evil.

But the cat isn't evil, is it? It merely follows its nature. So does the rabbit. One is predator, the other is prey. 

Fear is a fascinating emotion. When it grows too great, it paralyzes the sufferer. But the right amount of fear sharpens the senses, and saves us from harm. It can be the dividing line between the survivor and the prey.

Fear is good. 

Unfortunately for us mortals, fear is all too often the dividing line between good and evil. We see a predator, and assume that because it threatens our lives, the predator is malicious. The wolf that steals the farmer's sheep is the enemy. The giant lizards which stalk Krigala are deserving of death. The woodland god who demands sacrifice is evil.

But the unexplained is not evil. The predator is not evil. It does not seek the destruction of all; it merely follows its nature to survive. 

Just like the poor little rabbit.

The proper place of fear is as a warning. An instinct to keep us safe. The little voice which keeps one alert in the face of the unknown. 

It should be studied. It should be understood. And it should be taken for what it is - an instinct.

There follows several suggestions for sensory stones to experience (public and private) to better understand the subject of fear; many of them are nature-themed and involve hunting.