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Understanding Fear Through the Three Principles


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Fear is a universal human experience. It can creep in as a subtle feeling of discomfort or completely overwhelm us, holding us back from living the life we desire. But what if fear isn’t something we have to fight or avoid? What if fear, like any other feeling, is simply part of the human experience, created by our own thoughts?


This is where the understanding of the Three Principles, as discovered by Sydney Banks, offers a profound insight.



The Nature of Fear


Fear, at its core, is a thought-generated experience. According to the Three Principles—Mind, Consciousness, and Thought—our feelings are always a reflection of our thoughts in the moment. Fear, then, is not something external to us; it’s not caused by circumstances, events, or even the unknown future. It’s created in the mind through thought, moment by moment.


When we understand that fear is just a transient thought, it begins to lose its grip on us.



The Role of Thought


The power of Thought is the source of every feeling we experience, including fear. Often, we treat our thoughts as if they are real, concrete things that define our reality. When we believe that the fearful thoughts in our head are reflective of something outside of us, we start to feel trapped by them.


But when we see that fear is only a creation of thought—fleeting, temporary, and changeable—we no longer need to engage or wrestle with it. Just as clouds drift across the sky without changing the vastness of the sky itself, our thoughts about fear can pass without altering the peace and wisdom we have within.



Presence Dissolves Fear


Fear thrives when we lose sight of the present moment. It usually arises when we are projecting into an imagined future or ruminating over the past. The more we allow ourselves to drift into these mental realms, the more we feed fear.

Sydney Banks' insight shows us that when we come back to the present moment, the place where life is actually happening, fear loses its power. In the present, without the layers of thought that create anxious futures or painful pasts, there is no fear—just clarity, calm, and peace. The more we connect to this present-moment awareness, the more we realize that fear is not a fixed or permanent state.



The Power of Mind


The Principle of Mind refers to the deeper intelligence behind life, a formless energy that guides everything in the universe, including us. When we see fear through the lens of Mind, we understand that it is not an enemy, nor is it something that defines us. It is simply a momentary experience created by our thinking.


By trusting in the wisdom of Mind, we realize we are always okay, even when fear arises. This deeper knowing allows us to move through life with more ease and grace, rather than being consumed by our fearful thoughts.



What Happens When We Stop Fighting Fear?


When we stop treating fear as something to be managed, controlled, or feared, we give ourselves the space to see it for what it truly is: thought in motion. Fear, like all thoughts, will come and go. It is part of the human experience, but it does not define us.


Through the understanding of the Three Principles, we learn that we don’t need to push fear away or conquer it. Instead, we can observe it, allow it to pass, and return to the present moment, where peace and wisdom naturally reside.



Conclusion


Fear may always arise, but its impact on our lives can change. The Three Principles—Mind, Consciousness, and Thought—show us that fear is nothing more than the product of transient thought. When we remember this, we can live more freely, embracing life without letting fear dictate our actions. As Sydney Banks taught, there is nothing to fear in our thoughts, for they are always passing, while our true nature remains untouched by them.


If you’re ready to explore this deeper understanding of fear and experience a more peaceful, grounded life, explore our resources on the Three Principles and how they can transform your relationship with fear.



Suggested Products

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 Insecurity & Imagination Audio by Dr. George Pransky for Fear Blog

Uncertainty & Change Audio by Dr. George Pransky for Fear Blog

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Pransky & Associates

In 1976, George and Linda Pransky stumbled on a new way of helping people that was radically different from the traditional counseling methods they had been using in their work. The new principles they were learning had a huge impact on their personal lives, their relationship, and the way they worked with their clients. They began to teach these principles to their clients and became pioneers in a new field of psychology that profoundly changed people in a short amount of time.

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