How not to be consumed by fear?!

Increasing tension on the Streets

In light of recent global events, ‘worldwork journalists’ from three continents convened for a session last Saturday of June.

While various topics, including "What media is necessary for me", “Can our youth save the future”, “How to be patient with slow change”, and “How death changes the atmosphere”, were proposed, the theme "How not to be consumed by fear?" garnered the most attention and attracted attendees from Kenya, Australia, Egypt, Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland, the UK, and Germany to share their perspectives. 

 

The dreaming beyond the Worldwork journalism process is that it extends beyond the sessions (virtual group process) themselves. As a reader, you are also invited to share your perspective on the topics or delve deeper into the aspects discussed by participants, in the comments below, with friends, or within your family circle. We believe that, regardless of where these non-linear dialogues occur, they play a role in fostering awareness-building conversations.

The session happened to be soon after the European elections in 2024, with populistic parties overall gaining weight, and many of them spreading fear-informed narratives.

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Here are the shared reflections of the ‘world work journalists’ after the discussion on “How not to be consumed by fear?”:

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The group is quiet and calm and I am surprised there isn’t a rush of people picking up roles. Mostly we are all quiet and calm.

“I have the right to feel fear” I hear this said clearly and with confidence. Expressed with some energy that touches me. I’ve never heard someone defend their right to feeling something ‘negative’ like fear. It feels like that time I heard someone defend their right to sadness. I like this perspective and it is relieving to me that fear is being given a chance. I wonder who told me I wasn’t allowed to be afraid?

“Most of the time I give fear a chance”. I love this so much. I love the kindness of the invitation or the warmth of the welcome being given to fear. That we might be able to welcome it in and perhaps even befriend it. I remember back to the pandemic-related lock-down time and how there was so much fear and also so many beautiful responses to fear. Invitations to be with and to welcome fear.  (love)

“None of us are alone in fear” and this is a revelation to me. At some level I must have known this is true - perhaps academically. In this moment I realise that whenever I am afraid, in that very moment, so is everyone else around me. Perhaps about the same thing or doesn’t matter if not. The truth of life is that we all harbour fear and are all taken over by fear and this is a universal human experience.

We finish much like we began – quiet and calm.

Reflection From Gitta: “We talked about fear and we opened the door to love.”

Lina, Australia

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It is a relief talking about fear and I also have in me a fear to go deeper into fear. I know it on a head level but to experience it on a body level and recognise it in me…I can relate to marginalizing fear in me and ways I have done this particularly when my son was small I at times projected that fear of feeling fear onto him. There were times when he was small, I found it unbearable to witness his fear rather than just allowing it to be in him in ways I couldn't allow it to be in me. 

Feeding into fear is often what seems to drive much of the rhetoric across governments that creates this unbearable existential fear in communities of people from migrant communities entering our /their community… I hate when I feel that fear is being weaponised by the media and by leaders and I wonder how this rhetoric contributes to times when I marginalise my fear rather than allow it in.

Philipa, United Kingdom

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Last night, I had to pick up my youngest son from the police. He was ‘caught’ outside when he should not have been in the streets anymore. They explained me how he misbehaved (later I understood that he and his friend were having a friendly conversation with a foreigner and taking pictures for his family afar) and how irresponsible I was. As a parent, I should know how tension increases in the streets, how much aggression and knives are out there and that I/we should better be aware of that and respect rules. I did not like how a quite harmless situation was turned into a ‘negative drama’ and fear was infused to make both of us behave better (more compliant) now and in the future.

And Yes, I started to feel it. Fear about increasing tension in the streets, also from and towards authorities that want to control it, decently here and now where all seems ‘quite in order’, and non-locally….

At the same time, the young generation (GenZ) in Kenya was demonstrating to co-creating their future, it escalated, and the police were shooting, and getting violent to bring ‘order’ back in the streets. Who is scared of whom? What can we learn from that? Do we/I want to let fear rule us, the streets and/or our youth? 

My main understanding today is, to allow my fear to be, to watch it well, then I might be able to decide how much space I give to it. If I marginalise it, one can rule over me by triggering the hidden fear.

Do I want to let fear rule the world? No, I start to embrace my fear instead.

Stefka, Germany

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I experience mixed feelings regarding fear following the session. Why do you come, fear? Do you encourage me to move forward, to progress and thus initiate big changes in my life or do you want me to stop by freezing my breath, paralyzing my movement and thinking? Am I strong enough to experience you fully, so I could unravel the gift you are carrying? Is there a gift in the face of terrible fear? What is there in myself that I am afraid of and cannot accept once you, fear, show up? 

Feel relieved having these questions asked now. Can breathe more fully, feel less tension in my stomach, shoulders, and jaw. Now I feel that it is okay to be afraid. I feel resourceful to allow myself for a deeper experience of fear. 

Lukrecijus, Lithuania

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Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels 

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I am so happy and relieved to be with people who are so aware of feeling afraid. That to me is the big first necessary step to be able to live and work with my fear. So great, so relaxing - and a good start to not feel totally consumed by fear.

And then there enters the memory of my processes around fear and how I found out that quite a lot of my fear is rooted in past experiences and that it takes just a small part of a memory - a sound, a movement, a single word to plunge me into fear and then I cannot see, I cannot notice how big the danger is. When I was younger I would often take my fear as a guidance: go where my fear is. But in this group process I discovered that I had enough of that path and I convinced myself that the fears still hiding somewhere were much too insignificant to give them any attention. I am so glad and relieved that with the support of the group process, I could become aware again that no matter how small the fear seems it needs my attention and awareness. 

During the group process - when the good compliant citizen or employee entered the picture - I suddenly saw the robots, the AI that could take the places of us humans as they would be reliably complacent. There I feel caught between a rock and a hard place.

Gitta, Germany

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my presence here today is linked to fear, I ran away in order to survive.

the fear got under my skin, in my jaws and throat, it made me clench my fists and froze,

it kept me awake at night and made me almost suffocate. 

you’re afraid, be still, don’t breathe, don’t move, don’t act, give in!

It is the end.

The end.

And…

Is this the end?

because of fear I want to breathe, to fight for my life, to live the life, to sing loud and love

Marina, Ukraine/Germany

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Today I wanted to talk about fearing the community and being consumed by it, until someone uttered the words: surrendering to fear. OMG i thought, surrendering such a sweet sweet sensation, to feel you are carried, although you have the “facts” that you are basically, fu**d. 

In everyone's share today I felt connected, shares like the feeling ashamed I am fearful after a lifetime of fighting fear, I am scared of the populistic voices, to the judgement that fear is simple compliance. How can I tell the stories? Of people losing their lives out of fear? of others making a religion out of it? Us the crazy rebels that fought fear, just to find it re-birthed in the form of lost love, lost identity and simple old exodus? 

How can I breathe with fear? How can I befriend it without an agenda, without control, without hope of it being something else than itself?  

The road less travelled, is the road I am running from, whether it's called fear, love, hope or sadness. The road less travelled inside of me is my personal edge, and it's a road of diverse geography at different times. 

The greatest moment of awareness for me today was to get in touch with the rigid anger attached to this fear, the hidden rebellious force (as one participant said) that is lurking under the surface, needing to be heard and seen, and loved. 

I have the right to have fear at the table, and a duty to move with love. 

Nadine, Egypt

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We just had a wonderful group process on fear. I have to admit fear runs the world in the same measure as love does. 

I related to everyone's voice on giving fear a safe space (sounds to me like a kind of control) but again, what if it was just an edge, wouldn't it be kind of a flirt to find its essence through a playful trial 🤔. I get disturbed to allow everything to take their courses, I love challenges, so, giving fear a free ride isn't me. I would like to know what's on the other side of the world after crossing the edge of fear. However, this doesn't mean we shouldn't fear, as communication channels bring it in, it would be prudent to process it and follow the process. Some fears are good: fear not to jump into a blazing fire, fear not to jump into a roaring river, fear not to get into unnecessary fights/troubles, etc. Such fears are meaningfully okay to be given space.

Fear is communication to every bit of my being. It is either I create space for it to engulf me or I try working with it in a playful nature and find its essence. Everything is worth a trial. I believe so. 

Yes yes, I have a shift. I think I would wish to move out of my comfort zone and work with fear. Who knows, maybe I would find something meaningful and the essence in it. I believe that can be a turning point. 

Let's love fear. The combo works great.

Mildred from Kenya 🇰🇪 😍 

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I love this format. It is so touching to see these different perspectives somehow in a moment. I love this topic: understanding fear as an edge. There comes a change in me by just seeing the power of connecting different perspectives on fear. On the other hand, in the starting part of the process, the fear of power abuse showed up very strongly. All the difficulties related to authority involved around fear somehow bring me back to reflect on power awareness. 

There was never a safe space for me. I believe that love is somehow connected with fear. As Gitta said, we talked about fear and opened the door to love.

David, Germany

Dear reader, if you feel like it, please join our conversation by liking or commenting … scrolling to the comment section below 🙏🖋️🌱👍

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About 🌏 Worldwork

Worldwork is an application of Processwork also known as process-oriented psychology. As a psychological and conflict-resolution approach developed by Arnold Mindell in the 1970s, it's based on the principles of Jungian psychology, Taoism, and systems theory, and it is used in various settings, including therapy, organizational development, community building, and conflict resolution. At its core, Worldwork aims to explore and understand both individual and collective processes in order to address conflicts, promote personal growth, and transform tensions into co-creative energy in relationships within groups and communities. It focuses on bringing awareness to marginalised or ignored perspectives, as well as the deeper layers of consciousness within individuals and groups.

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The initiators of this space

Stephanie Bachmair (founder B.ONFIRE) is a communication passionate, facilitator, leadership coach, and process work diplomat. She supports individuals, teams, and organizations to explore and craft their stories, tell them with charisma, relate to their audience, and increase their transformative power through dialogue. 

Penny Watson (MACF) works as a coach, group facilitator and community development worker. She loves working with people in nature using process-orientated earth-based practices. She lives in Mparntwe, Alice Springs, and is deeply inspired by the people and lands of the Central Australian Desert.

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If you want more

• If you are interested in knowing more & experiencing process work, we will offer a free online session on Deep Democracy in Organisations, the 2nd of August 6pm to 8pm CET, the you can register here

• All of Us in all of This Together, 7days Process Work & Worldwork Clinic with Deep Democracy Institute in Granada, Spain 7-13th of Oct. More info here

• Deep Democracy Lab in Hamburg: Eldership & Power Dynamics. 14th to 16th of November in Hamburg. More info here.

• If you want to get inspired around leadership, deep democracy and storytelling, and be informed about further happenings, you can also subscribe to our monthly B.ONFIRE newsletter 

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