The antidote of fear

 

Bees, from the Aberdeen Bestiary, England, ca. 1200 (Rabih A. tweet)

  

Sharon Salzburg (in an Insight Meditation talk) says that, traditionally, lovingkindness is the antidote of fear.  She says in Buddhist psychology, fear is a form of doubt... and there's a range of doubts that include cynicism.  Lovingkindness is an appreciation of simplicity and subtlety.  rather than intense pleasure or pain.  She refers to one LKM practice of imagining there's a circle of people around you, historical and real, sending you lovingkindness; maybe she calls it "lovingkindness circle."   She says there are technical aspects to attention: right aim and modulation.  Both are important.  Why would one want to do any of this?  She says you "get more creative and alive."

She says that generosity comes from an inner abdundance... feeling like we have enough.  It's impossible to be generous if we don't.  Same with caretaking.  If you are overwhelmed, it that's one's own reality, then you really can't take care.  You need to replenish, renew, become resiliant.