Master Key Week 3: Fear and “Ghosting”

I am a movie buff.

I enjoy the immersing myself in a hero’s journey being played out on screen. The sights and sounds of the motion picture make it all seem so real that I am able to suspend my disbelief and experience the emotions the hero is feeling all along the journey. I relish finding the subtle inspirations that the writers, director and actors have woven into the tale. As you know from last week’s blog post, leaving the subconscious mind unguarded can effect your future thoughts and actions. Therefore, I am careful to choose films which I believe are closely matched to my goals and beliefs plus I still keep the guard on active duty.

The reason I bring this up is that I just watched the movie After Earth. 

It is a Sci-Fi movie in which a father and his teenage son, Kitai crash land on planet Earth 1000 years after it was abandoned. The Father has two broken legs and their rescue beacon is damaged. It is now Kitai’s responsibility to locate the backup rescue beacon 100 Kilometers away. Earth is now covered with wild animals and other dangers. To make matters worse, the destroyed spacecraft was carrying an Ursa: A large, blind, multi-limbed creature which hunts humans by actually “smelling” their fear (pheromones). Kitai starts his journey knowing it is his duty while also encumbered with fearful thoughts from the past, the present and the future.

As his journey progresses, Kitai is able to keep in contact with his father through a remote monitoring and communications device built into his uniform. The first night after starting his trek, he asks his father to share with him the process he used to defeat the Ursa. His father relates how “Fear is not real. The only place that fear can exist is in our thoughts of the future. It is a product of our imagination, causing us to fear things that do not at present and may not ever exist. That is near insanity. Do not misunderstand me danger is very real but fear is a choice. We are all telling ourselves a story”. This technique for overcoming fear is known as “Ghosting” in film: One can become invisible to the Ursa when fear is no longer active in one’s thoughts and feelings. This involves rooting oneself the present moment.

Fear is the enemy.

The movie’s subplot of conquering fear really hit home with me as this week’s Master Keys reading discusses overcoming fear as well:

”15.  [Fear] is this personal devil which makes [people] fear the past, the present and the future; fear themselves, their friends and their enemies; fear everything and everybody. When fear is effectually and completely destroyed, your light will shine, the clouds will disperse an you will have found the source of power, energy and life.”    ~Part 3 in the Master Key System~  by Charles F. Haanel

This week, I am learning from both Kitai and Haanel how fear is present in my life. Through introspection and observation, I have found that fear sometimes affects the choices I make and the actions I take. The exercises we are performing for the MKMMA (Master Keys Mastermind Alliance) are providing me the tools I need to focus on what I want instead of being distracted or sidetracked by my fears. I am finding fear starting to melt away and my light is shining brighter.These crazy exercises may actually be starting to produce results.