Beta Noire

I was thumbing through an "O" magazine this morning and happened upon an article entitled The Beast Within. I learned that bete noire is a french term for the "black beast" which has come to mean something to be avoided because it frightens us or can harm us.

I believe many of us have bete noires whether it exhibits itself as a dark mood, an addiction, lack of self-love or jealous tendencies. So I thought on this.....and I believe my bete noire is "fear" itself. Fear limits my ability, it keeps me from experiencing things to the fullest.

it's a comfort to know that like other wild animals, my bete noire can be studied, understood, and even tamed. I want to be the handler of my beast. So I call it by its real name. I can make excuses all day long for why I don't do certain things or go after certain goals, but when I call it by name, it is called fear.I have learned that in order to et go of something, I have to first admit I am holding it. I admit that!

So back to the article, according to the author, she suggests creating a Lifeline and discovering the times when the beast caused the most troublesome times. What was going on in life, what was I doing? Find the times that the beast within laid lowest and what were going on in those times? I think I have accomplished this also in what I called an inventory of my life.

But the solution is what makes me smile..........create the life conditions that correlate with a calm beta noire and see what happens! I can allow my "fear" to send messages from my soul to my brain. "Your destiny is not here" my fear tells me. "look over there"! I will try this........listening to the fear messages and not stuffing them or running from them but to change course when I feel the first twinge!

"Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live." ~ Dorothy Thompson

(Beta Noire painting by Scott Musgrove)