Primal Fear

[The Hammer]

It's been a rainy dark day here. And now the wind is picking up pretty heavily.

So, I went out to let the dog do his business, rain be damned. Leash in one hand, cell phone flashlight in the other, as it's well past sunset.

I begin walking along the path through the trees, just out of the range of my phone's bright glow, something rustles in the wind, low to the ground. I see it out of the corner of my eye, amidst the inky blackness, and I feel the familiar hollow pang of fear hit my stomach.

As I take another step forward, it's visage clears, it is a blackberry vine.

Fear is a primal instinct. That we do not get away from wholely. No matter how civilized and advanced we get. The forest dark will always haunt the imagination.

 

[VoidCat]

I'm terrified of going out at night cuz Im afraid of being attack by folk. But also cuz I can't see well and my mind has a vivid imagination and who knows there might be something there. I'd rather not want to ever walk the woods alone in the dark for that reason.

 

[Brickjectivity]

My fear began when I was small, fear of darkness; but I had to sleep alone in darkness. This fear eventually went away but would return sometimes.

I remember the times that I broke through the fear, and I remember the times I remained frozen. There is something about it that is interesting, thinking of the ways to break through fear and force it down into the nothing that it usually is. I suspect the key is moral outrage. That is because fear has a hypnotic hold, and its known that hypnotism cannot force a person to act against our morals.

My thinking is that if you are afraid and if you realize that the fear is unjustified, try feeling angry about it. It is after all unreasonable, and you are being wronged by the fear. That may release you in the moment. Its worth a try.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

"I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."

 

[Nakosis]

It's been a rainy dark day here. And now the wind is picking up pretty heavily.

So, I went out to let the dog do his business, rain be damned. Leash in one hand, cell phone flashlight in the other, as it's well past sunset.

I begin walking along the path through the trees, just out of the range of my phone's bright glow, something rustles in the wind, low to the ground. I see it out of the corner of my eye, amidst the inky blackness, and I feel the familiar hollow pang of fear hit my stomach.

As I take another step forward, it's visage clears, it is a blackberry vine.

Fear is a primal instinct. That we do not get away from wholely. No matter how civilized and advanced we get. The forest dark will always haunt the imagination.

It's helped us to survive. Adrenaline starts flowing. Blood get pumped to the muscles getting ready for flight or fight. We sense potential danger. It's generally a good thing. Occasionally subconsciously we misread the situation, a bit of lag while the conscious part of our mind evaluates.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

It's been a rainy dark day here. And now the wind is picking up pretty heavily.

So, I went out to let the dog do his business, rain be damned. Leash in one hand, cell phone flashlight in the other, as it's well past sunset.

I begin walking along the path through the trees, just out of the range of my phone's bright glow, something rustles in the wind, low to the ground. I see it out of the corner of my eye, amidst the inky blackness, and I feel the familiar hollow pang of fear hit my stomach.

As I take another step forward, it's visage clears, it is a blackberry vine.

Fear is a primal instinct. That we do not get away from wholely. No matter how civilized and advanced we get. The forest dark will always haunt the imagination.

Did your dog react to it?

 

[The Hammer]

Did your dog react to it?

Nope, which is why I only got a small pit in my stomach and kept moving forward as opposed to stopping and fully evaluating .

He is a good warning system.

 

[The Hammer]

It's helped us to survive. Adrenaline starts flowing. Blood get pumped to the muscles getting ready for flight or fight. We sense potential danger. It's generally a good thing. Occasionally subconsciously we misread the situation, a bit of lag while the conscious part of our mind evaluates.

It absolutely has helped us survive for eons. We need those instincts to keep us safe. And yeah, it subconsciously reacts faster then the conscious mind can process. It's an interesting phenomenon, to lose conscious control and go purely on instinct for a few seconds.

 

[The Hammer]

My fear began when I was small, fear of darkness; but I had to sleep alone in darkness. This fear eventually went away but would return sometimes.

I remember the times that I broke through the fear, and I remember the times I remained frozen. There is something about it that is interesting, thinking of the ways to break through fear and force it down into the nothing that it usually is. I suspect the key is moral outrage. That is because fear has a hypnotic hold, and its known that hypnotism cannot force a person to act against our morals.

My thinking is that if you are afraid and if you realize that the fear is unjustified, try feeling angry about it. It is after all unreasonable, and you are being wronged by the fear. That may release you in the moment. Its worth a try.

I think we all have a small fear of the dark, that starts when we are young. It's a healthy to fear when one cannot see well, that is prime time.for predators.

But I think feeling the emotion straight through, is better then reacting, such as getting angry you felt scared, even if the fear is unjustified. It's a way to stop take stock and realize your instincts are still sharp and functioning. I wouldn't want to suppress that fear (or any emotion) but feel it and choose how I react to it.

 

[`mud]

Worst type of fear, ` what will happen ` compared to ` what could happen `.
Which is the worst ?

It's almost like the fear of dyeing, or nothingness,
without the pain or with.

 

[Brickjectivity]

It's helped us to survive. Adrenaline starts flowing. Blood get pumped to the muscles getting ready for flight or fight. We sense potential danger. It's generally a good thing. Occasionally subconsciously we misread the situation, a bit of lag while the conscious part of our mind evaluates.

Its probably helped a percentage of us to survive. Perhaps some of us froze in fear to slow down the bear while the others got away.

 

[Mock Turtle]

If one has any fear of the dark, try caving and switching one's lamp off when a decent way in. Pitch black. And where one tends to rely on any equipment doing its job. In older times one often used acetylene lamps, and whilst descending a wet pitch via a ladder (falling water all around one), a simple drop might extinguish said lamp. Most amusing.

 

[pearl]

The forest dark will always haunt the imagination.

Do you really think your dog would have been passive if there was something there? Mine would not have been,

 

[The Hammer]

Do you really think your dog would have been passive if there was something there? Mine would not have been,

Nope, which is why I'm another comment I mentioned he was the reason I didn't panic, lol. And that our subconscious acts faster than our consciousness

 

[`mud]

It's amazing what can and does happen in one's imagination,

anyone, everyway, any how, what's interesting is the focus on the details here !

The stories themselves, are of importance, the mind wanders in the telling.

Intentions were transmitted and some were modified to fit someone's format.

I would guess ?

 

[Aštra’el]

Do you really think your dog would have been passive if there was something there? Mine would not have been,

 

[pearl]

Saw them, loved them.

 

[oldbadger]

It's been a rainy dark day here. And now the wind is picking up pretty heavily.

So, I went out to let the dog do his business, rain be damned. Leash in one hand, cell phone flashlight in the other, as it's well past sunset.

I begin walking along the path through the trees, just out of the range of my phone's bright glow, something rustles in the wind, low to the ground. I see it out of the corner of my eye, amidst the inky blackness, and I feel the familiar hollow pang of fear hit my stomach.

As I take another step forward, it's visage clears, it is a blackberry vine.

Fear is a primal instinct. That we do not get away from wholely. No matter how civilized and advanced we get. The forest dark will always haunt the imagination.

Fear is very valuable, it prepares us to flee or defend or freeze more quickly than intellect can manage.
Fear can be most healthy.

 

[Brickjectivity]

If one has any fear of the dark, try caving and switching one's lamp off when a decent way in. Pitch black. And where one tends to rely on any equipment doing its job. In older times one often used acetylene lamps, and whilst descending a wet pitch via a ladder (falling water all around one), a simple drop might extinguish said lamp. Most amusing.

I might completely forget my fear of the dark, because it would be overshadowed by fear of never getting out.

 

[Mock Turtle]

I might completely forget my fear of the dark, because it would be overshadowed by fear of never getting out.

Very commendable too. A ball of string often helps.