Fear is a powerful tool. Society uses it to scare us about everything, and to keep us on the track. Family uses it to force to follow their dreams, not our dreams. It took me a long way and I paid a very high price to follow my dream. I’m wondering what to think about Fear, why do people try to instigate this fear in eveybody? And the best option is that, in your opinion, we have, to not respect this unnatural fear and move forward towards our dream.
Thank you,
Paulo





Fear limits and des-ease us. I think we can fight it through raising our awareness about its damaging powers. And we can do it by doing our personal work from inside out. At the end, it comes down to our individual choices. And we can choose love and freedom over fear and dependency.
Love and Light,
Olga
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Pues el miedo es algo muy potente que nos come las ganas de lograr nuestros sueños, todos en algun momento de nuestra vida tenemos miedo de algo o alguien pero el miedo no es mas que un obstaculo que nos hace crecer como persona y como ser humano ya que si vencemos nuestros miedos no habra nada que nos detenga un futuro, tener miedo no quiere decir que una persona es debil simplemente quiere decir que todos somos humanos y que todos tememos. El miedo es una fase en la vida que posiblemente nunca pasemos pues siempre tenemos miedo no importa la edad que se tenga.
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FEAR….i used to fear once upon a time…when i used to live,when i had some dreams that i wanted to fulfill or when i thought that it will get fulfilled someday. I used fear when i loved..fear of losing them…whome i loved….. I used to fear GOD …… I wanted never to displease GOD…in any way…so i used to walk on path which they say..makes GOD happy.So fear of GOD kept me on the so called right path…..
today i have conquered all my fear…….i fear nothing…..nothing…not even god…
i dont fear today that my dreams might not get fulfilled…coz i have lost my dreams,
i dont fear that i will lose them, whome i love coz i
love no more,
i dnt fear GOD…..coz i know there is nothing like GOD….
I AM FEARLESS NOW…….
BUT I KNOW I WAS BETTER WHEN I HAD SOMETHING TO FEAR ABOUT….N I WANT 2 FEEL THAT FEAR AGAIN….I WANT TO LIVE AGAIN
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Feliz cumpleaños Paulo y te escribo desde México y se como sabes que es agradable que en un evento como es la limitación del tiempo sumes y sumes esa conciencia comunal armonizada en la frecuencia del amor, nota por demás inatrapable por la mayoría; bien dijo por ahí quien escribió de la lucha entre los dos lobos; y eso es cierto porque uno debe buscar alimentar el alma con amor y jamás descender a las frecuencias del miedo ya que este alimento el poder y el control sin embargo en la inteligencia india al leer tus libros juto con un buen pedazo de sol (luz, electricidad, fotón o como quieras entenderlo) y acompañado de un buen trozo de vegetales y raíces magnetizo loclaro y entendible de tu alma saludos y nuevamente felicidades
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Fear is a very effective tool or method of oppression.
It can be used to manipulate the actions of individuals and groups, large and small.
We too often allow it to restrict our own growth and pursuit of happiness, pursuit of our dreams.
Liberation from fear can be achieved by understanding it, its roots, and by understanding how it is used by the people seeking to oppress and manipulate.
Understand what it is, and how it is used, and you take the first step towards liberation!
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Fear is the opposite of love! Everybody believes in love, and nobody believes in fear and yet most, if not all, of us allows ourselves to be ruled by fear.
This happens on an individual basis, beginning with our childhood, and fear’s control over us grows as we grow. And as we grow into adolescents and then adults we find ourselves attracted to others who share our fears. And this shared experience of fear - as fundamental as man’s fear of woman and woman’s fear of man - ‘proves’ our fears to be true and, thus, these fears grow even further. And on and on it goes, so that young fears old and old fears young, or rich fears poor and poor fears rich, or North fears South and South fears North…
But this ’system of fears’ can not be transformed on the basis of society. I think it always has to start with us, with us as an individual.
So my tip on combating fear is to grow love instead. Love of yourself, at first - how often have you ever been fearful or angry or bitter towards someone when you have *truly* been happy and full of self-love? - and then love (and acceptance) of others. Unconditional. Your values should not be their values. Your values are your values. Their values are their values.
Oh, and I think it would be sensible to stop watching the (bad) news on television, or listening to it on the radio. Great, inspiring things happen each and every day on this fantastic planet of ours, but nearly all of these ‘miracles’ go unreported. :-(
So thanks for your question on fear, Mr Coelho - it gets us all to think. It doesn’t have to be this way, but changing the hold that fear has on us as a society begins with changing the hold fear has on us an individual. That’s what I say, anyway.
For, as Gandhi famously once said, you must “be the change you want to see in the world”.
And, as Gerald G. Jampolsky says, Love is Letting Go of Fear
I’ll leave you with a famous story called The Two Wolves and urge everyone (including myself) to make sure that you feed the right wolf!
Thanks for letting me have my say! :-)
Steve
Encl.
The Two Wolves
————–
An old Cherokee was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said, “A battle is raging inside me - it is a terrible fight between two wolves. One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The old man looked at the children with a firm stare. “This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.”
They thought about it for a minute, and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee replied: “The one you feed.”
(Author unknown)
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Maria Isabel Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
I like you post, thanks
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little wolf Reply:
August 26th, 2009 at 8:59 am
I am hungry
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Inculcar el miedo en todos los niveles es tener poder. El miedo paraliza, hiela, te nubla los pensamientos, y te hace derivar tus sueños en los sueños de los otros.
A mí me ha pasado estuve 50 años de mi vida teniendo miedos inculcados y por ende en mi interior se han fijado. Ellos paralizaron todo el potencial que tenía. Ahora estoy estrenando sueños, recién a los 52 porque tengo a mi lado alguien que nunca me puso un pero delante de un proyecto mío. En las primeras veces que tenía algún proyecto me daba miedo esa libertad de poder elegir, es decir yo misma me inculcaba el miedo hasta que me he acostumbrado a seguir adelante aún con los fracasos, que de eso sé bastante.
El tener sueños, y tener la libertad de cumplirlos, me hace sentir joven otra vez, aunque sé que hay cosas que solo se pueden dar en la juventud.
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O que te fez abandonar o ocultismo? O medo de ter consequências irreparaveis na sua vida? To enchendo o saco com essas perguntas, mas sou leitor de seus livros já tem um tempo, e ainda não entendo essa passagem das trevas para a luz, pois sempre há alguma consequência quando se anda pelas trevas…
Como você me respondeu anteriormente o ocultismo influênciou sua obra musical,e vejo a mensagem do Livro da lei passada claramente, como você vê as suas duas obras (mensagens)transmitidas paralelamente?
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Paulo Coelho Reply:
August 4th, 2009 at 11:37 am
eu nao abandonei. Eu apenas sigo outra tradiçao.
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Elivelton F. Reply:
August 4th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Qual seria? Segue por indicação de seu mestre?
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Paulo Coelho Reply:
August 4th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Sim, e esta é a resposta
Elivelton F. Reply:
August 5th, 2009 at 12:04 am
rsrsr Desculpa…é que não resisti, pessoalmente seria impossivel eu te perguntar essas coisas…e pode ficar sossegado eu não sou jornatista rsrrs apenas um curioso…
για ακομη μια φορα νοιωθω την προδοσια να ερχεται και αυτο που επιθυμω ειναι να προδωσω πρωτη,
να προδωσω και να φυγω,να πεταξω μακρια
οπως τα φυλλα φευγουν απο τα δεντρα με τον φθινοπωρινο ανεμο…
να νοιωσω αυτη την αναλαφρη και ταυτοχρονα διεγερτικη αισθηση της ελευθεριας της προδωσιας και ας ξερω πως στο τελος 8α πεσω στην γη και θα μαραθω……
this one is mine,i am not a poetry,i just feel it and write it….
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The More Loving One
by W. H. Auden
Looking up at the stars, I know quite well
That, for all they care, I can go to hell,
But on earth indifference is the least
We have to dread from man or beast.
How should we like it were stars to burn
With a passion for us we could not return?
If equal affection cannot be,
Let the more loving one be me.
Admirer as I think I am
Of stars that do not give a damn,
I cannot, now I see them, say
I missed one terribly all day.
Were all stars to disappear or die,
I should learn to look at an empty sky
And feel its total dark sublime,
Though this might take me a little time.
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El miedo muchas veces esta mezclado con nuestra vida de mentiras lejos de lo que realmente somos. Pero aveces es tan dificil no sentir miedo por la insertidumbre en nuestro camino hacia los sue~os, pero una cosa es sentirlo y otra dejar que el miedo guie nuestras vidas.
Tambien esta el hecho que podemos sentir miedo de coger nuestro sue~os cuando estamos a un paso de alcanzarlos, tal vez por miedo a perderlos. Es muy interesante este tema.
Tambien pienso que el miedo hace que uno este mas atento y el que uno este confiado puede hacer que pasemos por desapersivido ciertos detalles muy importantes y sucumbimos. Sea como sea con miedo o sin el hay que seguir caminando en la vida porque si no nunca llegaremos a nustros sue~os, a la verdad, a nosotros mismos.
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Joli Tejada Reply:
August 4th, 2009 at 2:10 am
Para mi el parrafo que sigue a continuacion, es sinonimo de miedo…es el no despertar a la verdadera esencia de la cosas; es el no experimentar con las emociones, el no ser honesta con mi propio ser…el vivir confinada al que diran de mi o que pensaran,al romper con los estereotipos impuestos por esta sociedad fria e insensible ante lo diferente; lo genuino…
Las vueltas que da la vida! metamorfosis de emociones, experiencias y lecciones.
Espejo donde se reflejan heridas,dolor,lagrimas y alegrias, transformando la imagen de tu ser en pura ironia!
Mundo paralelo, donde todo se consagra. Donde somos atrapados en las redes del destino, olvidando nuestra esencia, nuestro brillo, nuestro camino.
Ay! de aquel QUE SOLO PISA EN TERRENOS VACIOS, DONDE NO EXISTEN COLORES, DONDE TODO ES FRIO!
Donde la conciencia se muere de soledad, por falta de inocencia y la angustia y el porque se vuelven infinitos.
autora: Joli Tejada
Bendiciones Infinitas!!!!!
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Eles não sabem que o sonho
é uma constante da vida
tão concreta e definida
como outra coisa qualquer,
como esta pedra cinzenta
em que me sento e descanso,
como este ribeiro manso,
em serenos sobressaltos
como estes pinheiros altos
que em verde e ouro se agitam
como estas aves que gritam
em bebedeiras de azul.
Eles não sabem que o sonho
é vinho, é espuma. é fermento,
bichinho alacre e sedento.
de focinho pontiagudo,
que fossa através de tudo
num perpétuo movimento.
Eles não sabem que o sonho
é tela, é cor, é pincel,
base, fuste, capitel.
arco em ogiva, vitral,
pináculo de catedral,
contraponto, sinfonia,
máscara grega, magia,
que é retorta de alquimista,
mapa do mundo distante,
rosa dos ventos, Infante,
caravela quinhentista,
que é Cabo da Boa Esperança,
ouro, canela, marfim,
florete de espadachim,
bastidor, passo de dança.,
Colombina e Arlequim,
passarola voadora,
para-raios, locomotiva,
barco de proa festiva,
alto-forno, geradora,
cisão do átomo, radar,
ultra som televisão
desembarque em foguetão
na superfície lunar.
Eles não sabem, nem sonham,
que o sonho comanda a vida.
Que sempre que um homem sonha
o mundo pula e avança
como bola colorida
entre a mãos de uma criança.
(António Gedeão)
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Querido Mestre,
Dizem que quando sentimos medo de algo, nos atraimos que isto aconteça…
Na minha opinião o medo pode ter seu papel construtivo, mas pode ser muito destrutivo também.
Estou tentando com o passar do tempo me livrar dos meus medos, ja que descobri entro de mim uma pessoa muito medrosa…
Medo de não ser amada, medo de ser indelicada, medo de não ser aceita,medo de ser mal interpretada, medo de ser mal julgada, medo de não ter senso, medo da solidão, medo do fracasso… estes sao alguns dos medos que estou tentando me livrar…
Ja tive medo de amar, e ja tive medo de vencer… e depois de constatar isso, eu resolvi que não quero viver a vida desta forma, quero cometer os riscos que sejam necessarios, quero realizar meus sentimentos, meus objetivos…
A mudança esta ocorrendo… estou dando meus esforços… acordando a pessoa corajosa que existe dentro de mim…
Meu amor, meu respeito e minha gratidão,
Ca
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Paulo Coelho Reply:
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Depois do restaurante chines, eu achei que era isso mesmo.
bjs
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Ca Reply:
August 3rd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Fico feliz que vc pode enxergar a minha natureza e me compreender mesmo estando eu no impacto de sua presença que é mto forte pra mim…
MARG,
Ca
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Sometimes without the emotion “fear” one might not know if they truly understand life.
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Dear Paulo Coelho!
I think the fear and guilt are still characteristics in almost all societies.
Even some governments and some religious leaders use the fear and guilt to manipulate the people.
In my life, I must admit that the fear and guilt still influence. Much less than before but still exerts some influence.
However, I know which key that is freeing me: love.
Love myself free of blame. And the love of God, free me from fear.
As is written in the Bible: “There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love.”(1 John 4:18).
Sincerely, and now, thank!
Renato Augusto Avino (from Brazil).
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Roxana Reply:
August 4th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Thank you for the quotation from The Bible! This is just what I needed to hear (or read) right now. You helped me through one of my fears! I am very grateful to you now!
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Renato Augusto Avino Reply:
August 5th, 2009 at 1:55 am
Roxana Honey!
I am happy that these wise words of John in the Bible have helped you.
Glory to God!
Again, I thank Paulo Coelho, for doing these forums in which buildings to each other.
Renato Augusto Avino (from Brazil).
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it is not realistic to say…
but if i did not have fear, i would be married have kids and make my living by making art…
now i am trying to get rid of fear and i guess i am on my way to my dreams…
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Ilva Asote Reply:
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Dearest Chieko,
I’d like to see your art!!!
“trying to get rid of fear” - I simply like it!
Wish you good luck!
:)
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rosa de los vientos Reply:
August 4th, 2009 at 11:46 am
I wont to see your art too
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Dear Paulo,
Just to let you know how grateful i am that you provided this space for us to talk about FEAR..I don’t think anyone can say that they have not experienced fear…but one thing we all sometimes avoid is the discussion of the origin of fear… we avoid because we fear that we might stir up something or may dig up issues that will take a lifetime to surface.. More likely,in the family situation, we are alone in our desire to be free from fear…FEAR, disguised as LOVE sad to say is the mortar that holds together families, cultures, religions…Traditions and Superstisons play important roles in keeping the mortar stronger as time goes…
I found that the most painful thing is the process of setting set free from the power of fear… Freeing from fear itself could mean losing your loveones…But maybe spiritual freedom is losing them in order to find SELF…
I believe, that’s what the great prophets tried to do..FINDING SELF…and they found SELF in their solitude… The presence of SELF brought them wealth of wisdom and the highest sort of enlightenment that they tried to share with mankind… Jesus, when he came back after years of traveling and studying spirituality with the many spiritual leaders of his time, didn’t fear death..He concentrated on preaching “the good news” to the world and the GOOD NEWS is LOVE not FEAR…We just didn’t get it…thanks again…oxooxox…
lezah
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To be able to face the fear, you have to tell yourself the fear is there. For several years I have struggled with anxiety. And for several years I tried to hide it from the people around me, my family and friends. I said to myself there is no fear, I don’t feel it. But this only made the fear bigger. In the end I got anxiety for the anxiety. And I almost did not dear to met people, what would they say?! But then I realized, with a lot of help from people around me that understood what happened to me, that I had to realize my fear. And then, when I realized it, I could face it and deal with it! Fear is human, it will never go away, but every single person have to deal with the fear and take the control. If not, the fear will take the control over the person!
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Hi Paulo
In a drug and alcohol rehab centre where i work voluntarily an ex resident who is now in her 4th year of recovery told me that during her time there she was told “Fear is a liar” a very apt phrase i think because it keeps you paralysed, imprisoned. The director of the centre who is a priest often says “perfect love casts out fear”
Christine
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I am Latgalian.
Most of my friends feel fear to say they are Latgalians (and to speak Latgalian).
Yes, Latgale - one of the four cultural and historical regions of Latvia - is the poorest region of Europe. But my friends feel fear not because of that. Just it’s not “stylish” to be Latgalian…
Is it “stylish” to be…/what nationality?/…?
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lezah Reply:
August 3rd, 2009 at 2:49 am
Dear Ilva,
You will be surprise to know that not only the people of your culture feel that they are not “stylish’ enough being born in their culture..
I have met and mixed with different nationalities and got to know their cultures well and what roles they played in shaping up our societies..I learned about their insecurities and their neverending search for better style…
I too came from one of the poorest regions of the Philippines..Our main cities are very ‘Americanised’ and most people there take pride living the western lifestyle…The majority ( the poor) could only dream of the west..It is near and yet so far…
In my humble opinion. it is very tiring to keep dreaming of the unreachable because even if we reach the so called “stylish” lifestyle, we remain in our own skin which shows our heritage and nationalities…so in the end it is our mindset that needs to change so that we may find deep inside that we too, no matter where we came from, no matter what language we speak, no matter what skin colors we have, we all have a unique life style that we should all be proud of.. We alone can change the meaning of the word “stylish” to suit our own very unique style…Being in fashioned with the world is the most tiring and the worst thing we could do for ourselves…we must be proud of being humans first and learn to love our heritage without being succumeb to it’s dysfunctions…Every culture have their own dysfunctions as well as colorful historical contributions to the world in general…We are all in it together…each one of us is a part of the human DNA..We’re all born equal and will leave this beautiful planet as equals… that is the truth and if we know and understand the truth, the truth will set us free from feeling insecure and less than others…those feelings are huge parts of the FEAR…unnecesarry fear…thanks for sharing your thoughts Ilva…oxoxooxo..
lezah
ps..you will also be surprise to know that the majority of them who take pride in coming from the so called “stylish” countries/cultures/nationalities have more anxieties than those who are dreaming to be ’stylish’….
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chieko Reply:
August 3rd, 2009 at 3:47 am
Dear Liva,
this morning, i learned about Latgale for the first time.
i like your attitude. i agree, it is so stylish just to be yourself.
thank you for posting.
love
chieko from japan
ps, i hope i got your name right…
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Ilva Asote Reply:
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:14 am
Thank you Lezah and Chieko for your response! I’m impressed…:)
Latgalians are rebels, so am I. But as well I’m dreaming to go to Japan and to see Children’s Peace Monument, immortalized Sadako at the top of the statue and the golden crane!
“This is our cry. This is our prayer.Peace in the world.”
Is the crane really golden? :)
Love Japanese culture!!!
Kisses for you!
Stylish Ilva :)
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Olá, Paulo, se é que posso ter tanta intimidade de chamá-lo pelo primeiro nome, mas autores acabem sendo íntimos de nós leitores, pois de uma forma ou de outra interiorizamos as personagens e vivemos a história por eles contadas. Sigo você no twitter e acho maravilhosas as frases que leio. Seria muita ousadia de minha parte pedir que você me siga no twitter? Obrigada pelo tempo. Um grande abraço.
Ceres
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Paulo Coelho Reply:
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Ceres, por favor me envie uma DM e eu aprovo no ato.
bjs
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Wen fear paralyses our minds so much that we cease 2 dream, we’r as good as dead.
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Paulo, sou uma grande admiradora do seu trabalho, estava achando o máximo seguindo meu twitter, espero te ver lá de novo.
Quando lemos livros, parece que conhecemos os autores…
Obrigado.
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Sr Paulo sua obra foi influênciada de alguma forma por Aleister Crowley em algum momento de sua carreira?
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Paulo Coelho Reply:
August 2nd, 2009 at 9:35 pm
minha obra musical, sim. Minha obra literária nao.
abs
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Elivelton F. Reply:
August 3rd, 2009 at 5:23 pm
O que te fez abandonar o ocultismo? O medo de ter consequências irreparaveis na sua vida? To enchendo o saco com essas perguntas, mas sou leitor de seus livros já tem um tempo, e ainda não entendo essa passagem das trevas para a luz, pois sempre há alguma consequência quando se anda pelas trevas…
Como você me respondeu anteriormente o ocultismo influênciou sua obra musical,e vejo a mensagem do Livro da lei passada claramente, como você vê as suas duas obras (mensagens)transmitidas paralelamente?
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Rejection.
Due to my experiences of bullying at school -
in total 12 years - I still have an issue with this.
Still I more or less unconsciously follow old patterns which served as some sort of defense then, but now only causes harm.
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Aleka Reply:
August 2nd, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Oh! Don’t worry now! All these things belong to the past. Try to forget the bad moments and go on to your life! Keep only the lessons you took, for example the fact that we must appreciate the really good people! I think that you are stronger now after all these experiences. Your life belongs to you! Enjoy it! Enjoy the pleasures and happiness that life will offer you!
Kisses!
Aleka! :-)
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Fear is a great power that can paralyze us. In most cases we have to ignore it because it’s only in our minds!
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For all in here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOy8rneWlrs
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Annie Reply:
August 2nd, 2009 at 7:08 pm
It is such a beautiful poem!
Though in the end, I d say, “…you ll be a warrior of light, my son”
Thank you deeply, Aunt! :D
Love and Graditude
Annie
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