Our Deepest Fear Is Not That We Are Inadequate…

Our Deepest Fear

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.”

“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

 

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually who are we not to be? You are a child of God.” 

“Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.”

“It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear,our presence automatically liberates others.”

~ From the book “Return To Love” by Marianne Williamson 

 

  

Who is Marianne Williamson?:

  

• Born July 8, 1952 in Houston, Texas
• Father was a lawyer and her mother took care of the home
• Did A Course in Miracles lectures in LA in the 80’s
• Has called A Course in Miracles “a self study program of spiritual psychotherapy”
• Authored 9 books and some of which were very poplular, including one promoted by Oprah Winfrey called A Return to Love, which contains “Our Deepest Fear” passage in it
• “Our Deepest Fear” passage used in 2005 film Coach Carter
• Friends and co-lectured with Deepak Chopra
• Founded the Centers for Living, providing help for people with life-threatening diseases
• Founder of the American Renaissance Alliance, promoting political activism through spiritual and political pursuits
• Founder of the Peace Alliance, striving to promote a US Department of Peace
• Found of Project Angel Food, serving food to people living with AIDS that are homebound
• New Thought Minister for the Unity Church in Warren, Michigan

 

Books by Marianne:

 

• Return to Love:Reflections on the Principles of A Course In Miracles
• Imagine What America Could Be in The 21st Century: Visions of a better future from leading American thinkers
• Emma and Mommy Talk to God
• Healing the Soul of America: Reclaiming Our Voices as Spiritual Citizens
• A Woman’s Worth
• Enchanted Love: The Mystical Power of Intimate Relationships
• Everyday Grace: Having Hope, Finding Forgiveness, and Making Miracles
• Illuminata: A Return to Prayer
• The Gift of Change: Spiritual Guidance for a Radically New Life\

 

Official Websites:

 

http://www.marianne.com/

Under Construction: http://www.churchoftoday.com/

 

What does this mean? Here are some thoughts…

 

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure”

 

Some of us find comfort in believing that we are limited by circumstances, because it gives us an excuse not to try. If we tried and succeeded then we would have to live up to that success.

 The tabloids love to show famous people failing, perhaps because there are a lot of people who are jealous of those who succeed and seem happy, or rich or famous or whatever. But we all know, that to be rich or famous is not necessarily to be happy.

 What if happiness was to live our life fully and according to our truth, which means to let ourselves shine?

 “It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.”

 

We fear being noticed, because then we have to be responsible for that. When Gandhi became a leader for the people of his country, he realized that if he were going to sincerely lead them he had to live like them. He got rid of most of his things and started making his own clothing and wearing his creations. He came from a wealthy family and he was a lawyer who wore three piece suits. He felt that he had to match his actions with his words.

 How difficult would it be for us to match our actions with our words? We are afraid of our light because it means we have to really look at all of our actions and our words and take responsibility for them and fix them.

 “We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?  Actually who are we not to be? You are a child of God.”

 

This line reminds me of low self-esteem. Is it not easier to assume we are too flawed to try to become the best we can with what we have? I think it can be an easy excuse.

 

 “Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.”

 

 I really like this line because it says a lot about why we are afraid to try. We are afraid of how people will respond to us. Many leaders have been attacked by those who are afraid of the truth or their ability to lead people into change. More importantly, letting our light shine may, in fact, be an act of change, which is extremely uncomfortable for most people.

 

 “It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And when we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

 

Is it not true that by being around someone who shines with integrity we feel a desire to do the same? I think it is very contagious. President Obama has that effect.Just look at how he commands the room, and he has taken a lot of criticism, but he doesn’t let it control him.

This speech is well done...

What would you do if you thought you could not fail at it?

 

Sources:

http://mariannewilliamson.wwwhubs.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianne_Williamson

Read Full Post »