Than To Live With Fear in Your Heart

Last updated on: December 27, 2009 at 3:33 pm by John Beckett

Than To Live With Fear in Your Heart 2009-12-27T15:33:00-06:00 John Beckett

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

In the Denton CUUPS Yule ritual, Dolores (who was coordinating) included a Charge of the God that ended with this line: “Keep this ever full in your mind, it is better to fall upon my sword than to live with fear in your heart.” Though I’m familiar with this line, it struck me as inappropriate for a Yule circle. I started to ask her to use something else, then I decided that if Dolores (who is one of the strongest intuitives I know) put it there, it was probably there for a good reason.

It was. It was there for me.

In his 1949 Book of Shadows, Wicca founder Gerald Gardner included this challenge at the beginning of the First Degree initiation: “O thou who standeth on the threshold between the pleasant world of men and the domains of the Dread Lords of the Outer Spaces, hast thou the courage to make the Assay? For I tell thee verily, it were better to rush on my weapon and perish miserably than to make the attempt with fear in thy heart.”

Novelist Katherine Kurtz phrases it better in her excellent 1983 historical fiction Lammas Night: “O thou who wouldst cross the boundary between the worlds, hast thou the courage to face the tests which will be required of thee? For I tell thee, it were better to throw thyself upon this sacred blade and perish now than to essay the trials with fearing in thy heart.”

A challenge is rather common in initiation rituals. The Entered Apprentice (i.e. – first) Degree of Freemasonry includes a challenge at sword point, but at least in the versions I can find online, it does not include the warning against entering with fear in your heart. Gardner was writing at a time when witchcraft was still illegal in Britain, and he was writing something he would pass off as having been handed down from the burning times. Clearly, he wanted to make the point that you could not be an effective witch if you were afraid either of the authorities or of whatever you might encounter in the world of the gods and the dead.

It can also be argued that Gardner was simply being overdramatic, but if so he’s far from the only religious leader to do so. In any case, his point is valid – living in fear is no way to live.

The work-related stress I’ve been suffering from has its roots in fear: fear of unpleasant confrontations, fear of continued long hours, fear of loss of prestige, and ultimately, fear of losing my job and income. These fears, while at times overblown, are not ungrounded.

But the goal of spiritual development – in any religious tradition – is not to make life easy. As the Buddhists say, before enlightenment, you chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, you chop wood and carry water. The goal of spiritual development is to learn to transcend life’s sorrows and difficulties.

Throughout my life I have repeatedly shown that when faced with real challenges I always find some way through them. Most of us do. We work a little harder, or a little longer. We get out of our comfort zones and do what we have to do. We recognize our limitations and ask for help. We recognize a lost cause and try something new. We re-evaluate our priorities and refocus on what’s really important.

I’ll get through this stressful time at work – I always have. And if my worst fears come true and this job goes away, I’ll find another one. I’ve done it three times before, and if I have to I can do it again. But this isn’t the real challenge in this situation.

The real challenge is to overcome the day-to-day, hour-to-hour fear that is the true source of my stress. It is the fear – not the long hours, not the difficult work, not the demanding co-workers – that is distracting me from my daily practice, that is keeping me from being a good exemplar of Druidry, and that ultimately is a roadblock to my spiritual growth and development. I like to talk about preparing for “something big” that’s coming somewhere down the road, but this is about as big as it gets. This is here and now.

Hast thou the courage? While Gardner’s challenge is rather dramatic, the real challenge isn’t to enter the circle with no fear. The challenge is to have the courage to enter in spite of your fears. Have perfect trust in the perfect love of the Goddess and God and move forward boldly.

The first test comes tomorrow at 7:30 AM.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

December 26, 2009

Before the Dawn

Next Post

December 30, 2009 The Case For God

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Books Community CUUPS Druidry Foundations and Context Gods and Goddesses Magic Myth Nature Ritual Spiritual Practice Theology Travel Uncategorized Videos

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How long, Lord, must I call for help and you do not listen? Why do you make me look at injustice? This prophet questioned God's justice. Who am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Jeremiah Asaph Job Habakkuk