The Spiritual Aspects of Anxiety
Over the past months I have examined the varied aspects of a Holistic Approach to Anxiety and my review would not be complete without addressing the Spiritual Aspects of Anxiety.
Many people are surprised at the suggestion that there is a spiritual side to anxiety, but I believe we miss an important element without it. Part 3 of this series – The Emotional Aspects – identified “fear” as the underlying emotion of anxiety. This fear is often unconscious (especially in the case of Generalized Anxiety Disorder), but powerful nonetheless.
Unconscious fear is often deeply rooted and stems from a basic sense that the world – and our place in it- is not safe and cannot be trusted. This is an existential issue because safety is a fundamental human need. If our convictions hold that the world is unsafe, unpredictable and chaotic in nature, then our behavior is driven by a search for these things.
Those with anxiety often focus on creating order, routines, schedules, consistency and predictability – to the point that they are accused of being rigid or controlling. What is most often missed in assessing this behavior is that on a spiritual level, they are just trying to feel safe.
The problem is that they struggle to create something in their external lives that can only be achieved internally. Clearly there are physically safe and unsafe circumstances, but I’m talking about a deep, visceral experience of safety that is not tied to external events or people. A “knowing” that no matter what happens they will be okay. A sense of safety anchored in their very core – in their soul.
This level of safety is created through spiritual awareness and connection to something greater than ourselves; to God, to Divine Source, to a Higher Power. An experience of connection, trust and safety is available through our spiritual selves that cannot be matched externally.
Nurturing one’s spirituality and connection with the Divine is a powerful way to overcome anxiety. Only when we have a sense of safety built from the inside-out are we free to navigate in the world with ease; to release our need for external control and live with an open heart.
And in my experience, living with an open heart is really living.