In these times, “Fear Not” has something for everyone
Do you know anyone who isn’t dealing with fear or anxiety these days? Yeah, me neither.
Remember the things we used to talk about fearing? Like heights, spiders, the number 13, snakes, death, or your mother-in-law, for example? How quaint do those seem, in these early decades of 2023? And how long as it been since you’ve seen a click-bait article on any of them? Those old-timey fears can hardly get a look-in, what with epic threat levels from:
- Right-wing domestic terrorism
- Weather catastrophes and worsening climatic conditions
- Insanely out-of-control gun violence
- Russia’s infuriating war in Ukraine
- The advent of Artificial Intelligence (seriously, this is so, so bad)
- The enduring influence of corrupt politicians and media outlets (I like to call these “artificial stupidity”)
- Not to mention endlessly mutating, life threatening viruses against which we have no immunity
- Etc, etc, etc.
No, it’s not just you, my sweet Grimalkitties. This is a crazy-stupid level of fear for any human to manage—period. Fortunately for us, it really is true that stitching is cheaper than therapy. 🤓
So, fear not. Here at the Crossing, Sue and I have had to level up on the management of fear energy. In fact, I designed “Fear Not“ specifically to help me breathe through a terrible, turbulent time in my own life. Stitching it helped me find the strength and courage to keep on keeping on. I offer it to you in the hope that it helps you too.
The Inspirations for this “Cheaper than Therapy” Karma Charm
I generally draw a lot of inspiration (and spiritual guidance) from Hindu and Buddhist symbolism and iconography.
The message “fear not” is one I drew most directly from Buddhism because it is a direct and uncomplicated teaching. It is mean to address anxieties more than fears, because some fears can actually be healthy. Being afraid of jumping off a tall building or into a fire, for instance, is reasonable. However, if we’re honest, we can admit that much of what we “fear” isn’t healthy at all. Those are more properly classified as anxieties, or mental projections into a future that does not yet exist.
“Fear Not” is a teaching that might seem paltry or insufficient when the anxiety monsters are crawling up your spine. But—like most teachings that look simple on the surface, once you begin to question, simplicity drops away. There really are endless levels and subtleties to the teaching behind those two simple words. Fear not, because once you face down an anxiety, you find there really was nothing (no thing) there to fear after all.
In the design, you see a mandala-style lotus in bright, cheery blues and warm golden yellows. These colors were chosen for their known effects on the human psyche. Blues are for calm and clarity, and yellows are gently energizing and uplifting. The lotus seems to float serenely off-center within the border of three loosely overlapping circles. Below it, the legend “fear not” reminds us that some fears are just temporary mental states, and that they too will pass.
This time and space is set aside to acknowledge and give humble thanks to all enlightened beings and teaching masters of these traditions and others, past, present, and emerging for this transcendent beauty and wisdom. 🕉
Cheaper than Therapy?
Well, at $6.95 USD, we can agree that it’s a steal compared to what you’d pay for a therapist’s time. But, it’s important to admit that there are times when everyone needs a knowledgeable, sympathetic, and yet non-judgmental pair of ears to listen to us. And when that times comes, by all means get ye to a therapist!
Until it does, however, consider these reasons to buy this design right now, and put it under your needle!
- Preparing for childbirth
- Breakups
- Marriage
- Divorce
- Any surgery or medical procedure, including
- gender reassignment
- caesarian section
- dental surgery, all kinds
- mastectomy
- chemotherapy
- radiation therapy
- Menopause
- Retirement
- And of course, deaths and bereavements
Stitch it today for someone you love who’s going through a life-changing thing, especially if that someone is you. And hey, if you prefer something a little darker? I’ve got Memento Mori on tap, just for you.
| The full price for Fear Not in PDF is $6.95 USD. Buy yours today, and thanks for stitching with us! |
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