The Fear Factor

“Don’t move the way that fear makes you move.


Move the way love makes you move.


Move the way joy makes you feel.”

- Osho

It often feels like the world is stuck in a cycle of fear. Governments, corporations and the media have become experts at exploiting those fears, and using them to control us to their advantage.

The daily barrage of news focuses on financial worries, recessions, war, violence, broken societies, tragedies, failings, struggles.

All keeping society locked in fear, either consciously or subconsciously. Power has always been sought, throughout history, and much of it gained through fear and consequent obedience.

It serves the governments and the media well to keep people in such a state. Why? Because when you are living from a basis of fear, you feel powerless. When you are not based in fear, you are living with peace and love, and that is when you begin to realise you ARE powerful. And if everyone started waking up to that fact, they would start to realise that rather than living under that control, we can change and control the transformation of them.

“Convert difficulties into opportunities, for difficulties are divine surgeries to make you better.

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- Unknown

F.E.A.R. is a popular acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real. Given that fear comes from our ego, which is not who we truly are at all, then this actually holds a lot of truth.

Overcoming fear is not easy. Fear flows from our ego, embedded with all of the core patterns we contain within, which stem right back to childhood. It permeates, chokes and paralyses, leaving us unable to live the full lives we want to. The key to conquering fear and the patterns that feed it is to live in the present moment, in complete awareness.

We all have a shadow side. Embrace it. Know that it balances you and makes you who you are.

Religion, family beliefs, culture, governments, media, peers – all these and more contribute to a build-up of thought patterns within us. Make the conscious decision to step out of this cycle! Don’t view fear as bad, but as something to teach us the most valuable lessons about ourselves. Once we go within, face our fears and then overcome them, we free ourselves. Not just from our own personal fears that hold us back, but also from the hold that misguided beacons of power hold over us.

"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."

-Albert Einstein

The saddest part for me, when watching or reading of injustices or unrest in the world, is that people will get fired up about them, but then they are forgotten again, left to settle in the dust in vain.

We are ALL powerful. Even if you only contribute in small ways, imagine the difference it would make if everyone did the same? (More on that theory in future posts).

The time has come to stop turning a blind eye to the corruption and injustice that lies not just on your doorstep, but across the world. We are not powerless to change things. We CAN transform the way society works.

It starts with us. It starts with YOU. 

Striking a Chord in the World

“Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things decay.”

– Sallust (Roman historian)

Harmony. When you say the word, it makes all things seem as they should be. Everything and everyone working in unison, without conflict. A sense of bliss, of peace.

When I first played around with the idea, the dream, of creating a “harmony project” I was not long out of college and a keen environmentalist. I wanted to create something that would bring all of my favourite charities together, raising awareness of their campaigns, and teaching others of the importance of living in harmony with the planet.

Thirteen years on, the harmony project of my mind encompasses so much more than just the environment, although that still plays a key part too. I have read, listened to and watched different people and different points of view, whilst absorbing the unfolding issues that currently blight our beautiful world.

Corrupt politics. Vast corporations with far too much power. Capitalist greed. Climate change. Utter disregard for the environment. Torture. Manipulation. War profiteering. Illegal and immoral wars. Persecution. The stealth erosion of human rights. Polarity, duality, and a world that is finally waking up, rebelling against those corrupt minds in power who try so desperately to control the world through fear.

“And harmony means that the relationship between all the elements used in a composition is balanced, is good.”

- Karlheinz Stockhausen  

My own personal harmony comes from writing. That is what I am, that is what I do. So The Harmony Project became a blog.  My vision of it still seeks to spread awareness of key issues like those above. But rather than add to the fear and the worry, the doubts and the accusations flung from one opinionated group to another, this small corner of the web seeks only to inspire, illuminate, and perhaps bring a little peace to the turmoil.

Thoughts, meanderings, art, poems, stories. Expression of how we can rise above these issues, rather than worrying about what effect they will have.

“Art is a harmony parallel with nature.”

- Paul Cezanne

Something is stirring in the world, which touches our spirit. Although riots and violence remain, suddenly, people are turning to peace in order to fight injustice. From Egypt to Wall Street, people are waking up to the fact that violence only leads to more violence.

Our spirits, our souls, have been stirred. And so, this blog seeks to stir some more, with positive thoughts, inspirations, contemplations.

“Beauty is being in harmony with what you are.”

- Peter Nivio Zarlenga

What are you looking for? Do you desire peace?

If so, look within. For in order to create peace in the world, we first have to create peace in ourselves. In order to better the world, we must first better ourselves. It all begins with me, with you, with us.

And as each of us finds that peace within, singing our own harmonic song, we strike a chord in the world in unison, and together, make a difference.