There is no one in the world who wants to die but still death is the common destination that we all share. Because of the uncertainty surrounding it, the subject of death evokes fear, avoidance, superstition in people’s minds. In spite of scientific advances that have made life more comfortable in many ways, people still feel vulnerable, for anything can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Till date, no cure or formula has been found by the scientists to get over one’s fear.

So how does one get over it then? Simply by understanding a fact that ‘One only loses by giving in to fear’ as it is just false evidence appearing real. Hence one must understand that it is actually a malady of the soul and calls for a spiritual solution, rather than a scientific or medical one. First of all, it requires an attitudinal change, because when fear strikes, it paralyses the mind, rendering it incapable of doing what it can easily do otherwise. The behaviour of pigeons illustrates this well. Frozen with fear when they see a cat, pigeons just shut their eyes instead of flying away. The result? They get killed. Hence, by practising to take on any situation calmly and with courage, we will be able to change our tendency to get frightened by unexpected or adverse circumstances. Similarly, to overcome the fear of death, we just need to realise the basic truth that we are souls and not body, and the soul is immortal. It takes rebirth, casting off one body to take birth in a new one. So, what we call death is nothing but the departure of the soul from the body after its role in the present body is over. Doesn’t it sound simple?

While attitudinal change can help us overcome fear to some extent, complete freedom from it requires attention to our karma. YES! We need to understand that mostly we fear about the future, without realising that its roots lie in the past. It is the law of karma that we reap as we sow. So, in simple words, fear is punishment for our sins small and big. This is why some people are gripped by fear in a situation which others take lightly. The seemingly baseless and even peculiar fears or phobias that people suffer from, like fear of going out alone, fear of certain places etc. are all in some manner influenced by past karma and experiences. When we realise the serious implications of our karma for our and others' future, we understand how careful we should be in all our thoughts, words and actions, lest we do something wrong. So do not FEAR, just face it and it will pass away.

The writer is a spiritual educator and popular columnist for publications across India, Nepal and the UK, and has written more than 8,000 columns. He can be contacted at nikunjji@gmail.com / www.brahmakumaris.com