Fear and Love

Last Friday, I participated in a webinar entitled Using the Truth We Know presented by Unity South Central Region and facilitated by Rev. Dr. Paul Hasselbeck. Rev. Hasselbeck is widely considered one of the leading authorities in Unity metaphysics. He authored the book, Heart Centered Metaphysics, which is currently used as the textbook for metaphysical studies at Unity Worldwide Spiritual Institute. He has also authored and co-authored several other books on the subject. I had the honor of learning from him while attending classes at Unity Institute. For more information on him, please visit his website.

During the webinar, he reminded me of some of the foundational metaphysical principles taught by Unity cofounders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore. I deeply appreciated the opportunity to learn from Rev. Hasselbeck once again. He is a clear voice for the importance of going deep into the life-affirming and life-changing principles of Unity.

He is also a longtime student of A Course in Miracles which proved to be valuable when during the webinar the discussion focused on fear, specifically as it relates to the pandemic. One of the ministers asked him how he would suggest we respond to eager congregants who assert that as Unity truth students we should not let fear prevent us from resuming in-person Sunday services.

He responded by sharing the following quote from A Course in Miracles (Chapter 12, Paragraph 9),

Fear and Love are the only emotions of which you are capable.

One is false for it is made out of denial; and denial depends on the belief in what is denied for its own existence.

Thankfully, he did not stop there. At first reading, I did not grasp the meaning. He adapted the above as follows:

Fear and Love are the only emotions of which you are capable.

Fear is false for fear is made out the denial of Love; therefore, Fear depends on the belief in Love for its own existence.

A Course in Miracles (Chapter 12, Paragraph 9) also states,

By interpreting Fear correctly as a positive affirmation for the underlying belief it masks, you are undermining fear’s perceived usefulness.

In other words,

By interpreting Fear correctly as a positive affirmation for the underlying Love it masks, you are undermining fear’s perceived usefulness.

This perspective on fear opened me to a new understanding. He was saying that fear is always revealing the Divine Idea of Love. We experience fear because we Love. When we believe that something we Love is being threatened, we feel fear. 

We fear the pandemic because it poses a threat to our physical well-being, as well as to that of those we love. We feel fear when we think that the current political tension will result in more disharmony and possibly violence because we love peace and goodwill. We feel fear when we think that the spiritual family and community we love is being threatened by not coming together in person on Sunday morning.

Fear is a simply a signal reminding us of what we love. When fear arises, ask yourself, “What do I love?” Then, focus on that. Focus on Wholeness. Focus on Harmony. Focus on Love and Connection. Allow your mind to be filled with the awareness of Love’s presence. Breathe deeply into your heart and invite the feeling of Love to well up within you. Hold to what you Love. Respond from Love in your thoughts, words, and actions.

It is vitally important that we do not allow fear to consume us. Fear feeds more fear. We have enough of that in the world today. As spiritually awakened beings, our opportunity is to keep our minds stayed on Love and our hearts open to Love.

As the lyrics say to one of the songs we sometimes sing at the close of service,

Let there be Love on Earth and let it begin with me.
Let there by Love on Earth, the Love that was meant to be.
With God as Creator, family all are we.
Let me walk with my family in perfect harmony.
Let Love begin with me, let this be the moment now.
With every breath I take, let this be my joyous vow.
To take each moment and live each moment in Love eternally.
Let there be Love on Earth and let it begin with me.

Love is the power that can truly transform the world. Let us do everything within our ability to stay focused on the awareness of Love and “undermine fear’s perceived usefulness.”