This generic type of fear of the dark?

[Liberator]

Do you think fear of the dark could be related to something supernatural? Because sometimes even when people aren't children anymore and are in their late teens or as adults they are still afraid of the dark sometimes. I happen to be one of those people and it happens sometimes. You feel as if you are being watched, something is out to get you, some kind of prescence, "not sure what will happen but most likely bad if I stay in the dark" or a sense of danger and paranoia. In most cases in this generic type of fear of the dark it is one of these.

Having some form of reflection such as a mirror tends to often make this fear worse when it's active. It's only active occasionly depending on your state of mind most of the time I think.

Sometimes this fear is so powerful when it's active on people that it makes them extremely hesitant when they wake up in the middle of the night or midnight to open their bedroom door to pass through the dark to go the toilet and I'm not even kidding. Symptoms present may also be sweating.

Any thoughts on this type of fear? On why it may happen? Could there really be some kind of prescence when it's active and if so why would it prefer to lurk in dark places?

[manonthepath]

Fear is a core part of all people and comes from within. Fears have many basis' and can be hard to understand. I too had fear of the dark as a child and it continued into young adolescence. What worked for me was to try to understand my fear, so I strove to understand the darkness. It is often a cloak. You fear what may be hidden behind the cloak. What helped me was to understand that the dark itself is neutral and can hide me as well. Learn to be confident in your own strength as an entity. Lose your attachment to things a bit and look into your own heart. That is where the answer is. Replies from strangers with no familiarity for the "feel" of the situation may lead you away from the root of your fears. Perhaps that is what you are looking for, perhaps not, but running from fear is like running from yourself. You and it will always be a step behind you and until you man up and face yourself. Until you do you will find no peace. "The only thing you should fear is fear itself"(FDR). Fear is the enemy.

[Ramscha]

Do you think fear of the dark could be related to something supernatural?

That is called "superstition".

Fear of the dark is something very very old, same as the remainings of instinct we have left. It originates from the times when humankind was not capable of handling fire that way like we do it today and when large predators were out in the dark waiting for us to set foot into their realm. Man is helpless in the dark compared to other predators, we cannot see like a cat, we cannot smell like a wolf, our hearing capabilities are pathetic compared to an owl and we aren't the fastest one either. All we have left is a brain to use. And this brain tells us to stay ouf of the dark to avoid beeing killed.

That remains until today, because from historical perspectives not that much time has past since the times where we needed such instincts and fears to prevail. It takes more then just a few thousand years for a species to change that much in their way of behaviour. [grin]

Ramscha

[Hookko]

Adding to what Ramscha said, there is also a misconception about darkness being evil and Light being good, that is passed over the time by myths (like vampires, werewolves and other "evil creatures") and religion (Demons), so according to this idea is always safer in the light, and only bad people and creatures fell attracted by the dark.

I always have a special connection with the darkness, always feel comfy in dark and closed spaces, not because I am evil, just because is a trait of my personality.

[EternalReturn]

I found great source of joy when I try to scare my self intentionally when walking down the dark road after midnight. That was something that messed with my conception of dark being bad place which I have learned through my catholic nurturing.

I can agree with Ramscha about source of this fear. If you think about it, what do we see in the dark that frightens us? Large lifeforms, fangs, teeth, eyes. This would be a psychological perspective.

People often fear what they don't understand, or can grasp with their knowledge. And if we hypothesize that majority of people don't know themselves, looking at the mirror in the dark would be horrific. I might as well try this to conquer my own fear [grin]

[RoseRed]

That is called "superstition".

I don't think that's the case here. I think he has inherent abilities and had no one to guide or help him in his youth. He was able to 'push down' and stifle his abilities enough to manage to get through. Now that he's older, a young man - really, he's asking for sincere help to face something that's troubled him his entire life.

Part of my Calling is helping others as I feel directed to. I am not Called to him and am super busy in 'real life'. (I won't be around much in the next couple weeks but I hope I'll be able to, at the very least, cruise through once a day). I honestly believe his request to be sincere. He's scared and it's not a generic fear. There are many of us that work with external entities/spirits. It is my hope that he does find someone that can help him or at least get him started into a field of study that can help him.

[RoseRed]

I'm putting this in a separate post because I don't want the example I'm about to use to color the above.

Have any of you guys seen the movie Constantine with Keanu Reeves? The one twin 'shut up' her psychic abilites and the other was in a psych hospital. The twin that helped save the world in the movie was able to find and use her abilities.

It's kinda like that. He turned it off and doesn't know how to re-awaken them or what to do with them when then wake up again. In the meantime he's like a stereo with the volume turned down. He can't hear it but the power is still on and the light is lit up showing external influence (electricity running into the radio).

I think that manonthepath can give you some good and solid advice on finding your courage and standing within your own power. Courage isn't not being afraid. It's being afraid and doing it anyway.

There are some very Talented people on this forum. I think that if we take this question with the sincerity that it was asked in that he has chance.

[manonthepath]

Liberator, if you want to, you can pm me and we can chat a bit about stuff [thumbup]