According to Eastern psychology, attachment causes fear. Wherever the thoughts "I" and "mine" are involved, there is attachment.

Let us suppose that a person in New York is walking down an infamous alley at midnight, carrying an attaché case containing $100,000. In this situation, there is a real possibility that he or she may be mugged. Will that person be scared of losing that money? The answer can be both "yes" and "no." If the money being carried is the person's own, and if he or she is very much attached to it, that person will surely be afraid of losing it. But if the person is not attached and does not mind losing it, there won't be any fear.

The following quotation from Vairagya Shatakam, an ancient book by Yogi Bhartrihari of India, beautifully explains how attachment or selfish involvement causes fear:

If a person is attached to physical enjoyment, he will have the fear of diseases. If he is attached to his social status, he will be afraid of losing it. If he is attached to his wealth, he will fear hostile kings or robbers who may snatch it away. If he is attached to his physical beauty, he will fear his old age. If he is attached to his scholarship, he will fear those who may challenge his erudition. If he is attached to his body, he will be afraid of death. All the things of the world pertaining to man are fraught with fear.

By eliminating the attachments mentioned above, many kinds of fear can be overcome.

The fear of death caused by attachment to the body is hard to dispel. But if we think deeply, we shall realize that the fear of death is also caused by attachment to sensual pleasure. We enjoy sense pleasures — beautiful sights, delicious food, pleasurable tactile sensations, sweet music and fragrances — using our bodies. As long as we desire these pleasures, we shall remain attached to our bodies. Had we lost our sight, hearing, ability to smell, taste, or touch, would we be afraid of death? The answer is "No." Then death would come as a relief to us.

All sense pleasures are rooted in selfishness, because the sense of "I" and "mine" is associated with them. Therefore, the cure lies in learning how to be unselfish. But it is not easy to do that. Yet, using an ancient proven technique of India, it can be done.

The technique consists of changing one's attitude of mind. Those having faith in God should learn to transform all their activities into service of God. They should remember that all human beings are God's true children because God doesn't have any stepchildren.

When taking care of their own families, they should think that they are serving God's children.

Swami Bhaskarananda, a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order and the spiritual guide for the Vedanta Society of Hawaii, will give a free talk, "Way to Fearlessness and Freedom," at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow at 1040 Richards St., Room 309. The talk is open to the public.