Re: [Paddlewise] Unreasonable fear

I think Neysa has hit on something very important.  If we feel as though
we are in danger, then we probably are, somehow.  It's very important to
pay attention to what may be causing these feelings.  The danger may not
be what you think it is, so you have to analyze the situation carefully,
but ignoring the sensation can lead you into real trouble.  It can cause
you to panic at the first sign of something unexpected, and it's the
panic that's the real danger.

Joan

On Mon, 13 Mar 2000 16:36:47 -0500 Neysa Narena
<NNarena_at_SystemAutomation.Com> writes:
> I'm in agreement with the other postings in response to Bill's 
> experience,
> but I'd like to add one more thing. I think it's very important for 
> people
> to listen to their fear because it's an important survival 
> mechanism; i.e.,
> often our fear is really listening to intuition or that still, small 
> voice.
> Sometimes we can discount our fear as duplicating fears from our 
> past, or
> post-traumatic syndrome, etc.  But all too often by not listening 
> and
> dealing with whatever the problem is, because it's unpopular or 
> seemingly
> unreasonable, what could have been avoided can  quickly becomes a 
> real
> tragedy. 
> 
> Neysa Narena
> 
> <snip>
> >All during the return trip I kept actually softly pleading a prayer 
> aloud
> that
> I would make it back safe.The odd thing about all this is that I 
> knew in my
> mind that I was in no real
> danger... We had practiced all the techniques, wet exit, single 
> recovery,
> dual
> rescue, etc. I am a very strong swimmer, and I also felt comfortable 
> with
> the
> training I had received. I was just gripped with an unreasonable 
> fear that I
> couldn't overcome. In the past 28 hours I've had a lot of time to 
> reflect
> upon that frightening
> ordeal. I know that I will soon get back into a kayak... but one I'm
> familiar
> and comfortable with. I know I will return to exactly the same 
> place, and I
> know I will get beyond this. I merely wanted to comment on how 
> quickly you
> can
> get in over your head if you let your thoughts run away with you. 
> Perhaps
> this isn't much of a story, but somehow I felt the need to relate 
> it.
> Maybe someday, sometime, remembering these few paragraphs will help 
> someone
> else to come to grips with senseless fear.
> >
> 
> 
>
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