How to Overcome Fear — Swami Bhaskarananda

Recorded at the Vedanta Society of Western Washington on February 14, 2016.In this lecture, Swami Bhaskarananda explores the nature of fear and the Vedantic understanding of how fear can be overcome through spiritual knowledge and practice. Drawing from the Upanishads, stories from the Bible, and teachings of Swami Vivekananda, he explains that fear arises from attachment, ignorance, and identification with the body and mind. The talk examines how human beings share certain instinctive fears with animals, yet also possess the unique capacity to realize their inherent divinity and transcend fear altogether. Through examples and philosophical reflection, Swami Bhaskarananda discusses the Vedantic teaching that fear disappears when one realizes the underlying unity of existence.The lecture also presents the different spiritual paths described in Vedanta—devotion, rational inquiry, meditation, and selfless action—as practical means for overcoming fear and manifesting the divine nature already present within every person. Swami Bhaskarananda emphasizes that attachment and selfishness create anxiety and insecurity, while unselfishness, faith, and spiritual awareness lead toward inner freedom and fearlessness. Throughout the talk, he presents fearlessness not as mere courage or emotional control, but as the natural result of spiritual realization and awareness of one’s true nature beyond the limitations of body and mind.