Conquest of fear

"Fear is great enemy of man. It is the enemy of his progress. It disturbs his peace and harmony...Fear is of two kinds, natural or rational fear, when there is a threatening situation to endanger life; and unnatural [...] fear, which has no objective reality...

Ignorance is the cause of fear. He (man) forgot his original, divine nature and was thus caught up in the whirlpool of ignorance...Identification of the body or Dehadhyasa is the cause of fear. ... There is no other way to get rid of fear than realization of the Self.

Raga (attachment) is the long-standing associate of fear. Wherever there is raga, there is fear. Man is attached to his children, house and property, he has fear of losing his house, property and children...You are attached to a fountain-pen, walking stick, book, watch, towel, cloth. Fear slowly creeps in...
Give up attachment to this body by identifying yourself with the bodiless, sexless, pure, all-pervading immortal Atman or Brahman.          

Victory over fear (Pratipaksha-Bhavana-method) . As you think so you become. As you think, so you develop. As is your ideal, so gradually your life will become...Sit with closed eyes in the early morning. Meditate on courage, the opposite of fear, for half an hour. Think of the advantages of courage and the disadvantages of fear. Practice the virtue during the day...Repeat the formula "om courage" mentally, daily several times. Meditate and assert:
   
      I am all courage  om om om
      I am embodiment of courage om om om
      I am like Bhishma* om om om
      I am a great hero om om om
      My will is very powerful om om om
      I am not afraid of anything om om om
      I am bold and chivalrous om om om
      Courage is my birthright om om om "


extract from "Conquest of fear" by Swami Sivananda

*Bhishma- the son of Kuru King Shantanu. One of the characters in Mahabharata.