Banishing Stage Fright
A young lady was invited to an audition. She had been looking forward to the interview. However, on three previous occasions, she had failed miserably due to stage fright. She possessed a very good voice, but she was certain that when the time came for her to sing, she would be seized with state fright. The subconscious mind takes your fears as a request, proceeds to manifest them and then brings them into your experience. On three previous auditions she sang wrong notes, and she finally broke down and cried. The cause, as previously outlined, was an involuntary autosuggestion, i.e. a silent fear thought emotionalized and subjectified.
She overcame it by the following technique: Three times a day she isolated herself in a room. She sat down comfortably in an armchair, relaxed her body and closed her eyes. She stilled her mind and body to the best of her ability. Physical inertia favors passivity and renders the mind more receptive to suggestion. She counteracted the fear suggestion by saying to herself, “I sing beautifully, I am poised, serene, confident and calm.”
She repeated this statement slowly, quietly and with feeling from five to ten times at each sitting. She had three such “sittings” every day and one immediately prior to sleep. At the end of a week she was completely poised and confident, and gave an outstanding audition. Carry out the above procedure, and the death of fear is certain.
Fear Of Failure
Occasionally young men from the local university come to see me, as well as school teachers, who often seem to suffer from suggestive amnesia at examinations. The complaint is always the same: “I know the answers after the examination is over, but I can't remember the answers during the examination.”
The idea which realizes itself, is the one to which we invariably give concentrated attention. I find that each one is obsessed with the idea of failure. Fear is behind the temporary amnesia, and it is the cause of the whole experience.
One young medical student was the most brilliant person in his class, yet he found himself failing to answer simple questions at the time of written or oral examinations. I explained to him that the reason was he had been worrying and was fearful for several days previous to the examination. These negative thoughts became charged with fear.
Thoughts enveloped in the powerful emotion of fear are realized in the subconscious mind. In other words, this young man was requesting his subconscious mind to see to it that he failed, and that is exactly what it did. On the day of the examination he found himself stricken with what is called, in psychological circles, suggestive amnesia.
How to Overcome Fear
He learned that his subconscious mind was the storehouse of memory, and that it had a perfect record of all he had heard and read during his medical training. Moreover, he learned the the subconscious mind was responsive and reciprocal. The way to be en rapport with it was to be relaxed, peaceful and confident.
Every night and morning he began to imagine his mother congratulating him on his wonderful record. He would hold an imaginary letter from her in his hand. As he began to contemplate the happy result, he called forth a corresponding or reciprocal response or reaction in himself. The all-wise and omnipotent power of the subconscious took over, dictated, and directed his conscious mind accordingly. He imagined the end, thereby willing the means to the realization of the end. Following this procedure, he had no trouble passing subsequent examinations. In other words, the subjective wisdom took over, compelling him to give an excellent account of himself.
Fear Of Water, Mountains, Closed Places Etc.
There are many people who are afraid to go into an elevator, climb mountains, or even swim in the water. It may well be that the individual had unpleasant experiences in the water in his youth, such as having been thrown forcibly into the water without being able to swim. He might have been forcibly detained in an elevator which failed to function properly, causing resultant fear of closed places.
I had an experience when I as about ten years of age. I accidentally fell into a pool and went down three times. I can still remember the dark water engulfing my heard, and my gasping for air until another boy pulled me out at the last moment. This experience sank into my subconscious mind and for years I feared the water.
An elderly psychologist said to me, “Go down to the swimming pool, look at the water, and say out loud in strong tones, 'I am going to master you, I can dominate you.' Then go into the water, take lessons and overcome it.” This I did, and I mastered the water. Do not permit water to master you. Remember you are the master of the water.
When I assumed a new attitude of mind, the omnipotent power of the subconscious responded, giving me strength, faith and confidence and enabling me to overcome my fear.
Master Technique For Overcoming Any Particular Fear
The following is a process and technique for overcoming fear which I teach from the platform. It works like a charm. Try it!
Suppose you are afraid of the water, a mountain, an interview, an audition, or you fear closed places. If you are afraid of swimming, begin now to sit still for five or ten minutes three or four times a day, and imagine you are swimming. Actually, you are swimming in your mind. It is a subjective experience. Mentally you have projected yourself into the water. You feel the chill of the water and the moment of your arms and legs. It is all real, vivid and a joyous activity of the mind. It is not idle daydreaming, for you know that what you are experiencing in your imagination will be developed in your subconscious mind. Then you will be compelled to express the image and likeness of the picture you impressed on your deeper mind. This is the law of the subconscious.
You could apply the same technique if you are afraid of mountains or high places. Imagine you are climbing the mountain, feel the reality of it all, enjoy the scenery, knowing that as you continue to do this mentally, you will do it physically with ease and comfort.
He Blessed The Elevator
I knew an executive of a large corporation who was terrified to ride in an elevator. He would walk up five flights of stairs to his office every morning. He said that he began to bless the elevator every night and several times a day. He finally overcame his fear. This was how he blessed the elevator: “The elevator in our building is a wonderful idea. It came out of the universal mind. It is a boon and a blessing to all our employees. It gives wonderful service. It operates in divine order. I ride in it in peace and joy. I remain silent now while the currents of life, love and understanding flow through the patterns of my thought. In my imagination I am now in the elevator, and I step out into my office. The elevator is full of our employees. I talk to them and they are friendly, joyous and free. It is a wonderful experience of freedom, faith and confidence. I give thanks.”
He continued this prayer for about ten days, and on the eleventh day, he walked into the elevator with other members of the organization and felt completely free.
Normal & Abnormal Fear
Man is born with two fears, the fear of falling and the fear of noise. These are a sort of alarm system given you by nature as a means of self preservation. Normal fear is good. You hear an automobile coming down the road, and you step aside to survive. The momentary fear of being run over is overcome by your action. All other fears were given to you by parents, relatives, teachers and all those who influenced your early years.
Abnormal Fear
Abnormal fear takes place when man lets his imagination run riot. I knew a woman who was invited to go on a trip around the world by plane. She began to cut out of the newspapers all reports of airplane catastrophes. She pictured herself