Fear as the First Motion: From Stillness to Boundless Happiness
By Josi Joseph, Psychologist, Group Editor, Global TV +91 94468 48191
I have long observed life—not only human life, but the quiet world of animals and even the subtle awareness in my dog, Dior. Yet in reflecting on existence itself, I have come to a deeper truth: fear is not merely a biological response or a psychological phenomenon; it is the very first motion, the spark that sets the universe, life, and consciousness into motion.
Everything begins in perfect stillness. This stillness is not simply calm or quiet; it is complete emptiness, infinite and all-powerful in its perfection. Nothing exists within it, yet it contains the totality of potential. Its power is absolute because it is complete; it is unbounded, indivisible, and self-contained. And yet, within this perfection exists a subtle tension—the potential for movement. This tension is the first fear: not an emotion in the usual sense, but the existential trembling of unexpressed potential. Even perfect stillness cannot remain entirely still.
From this tension arises motion. Fear is the spark that breaks symmetry, the first disturbance in the equilibrium of nothingness. Motion brings the universe into being, energy manifests, life emerges, and evolution begins. Fear, in this sense, is the original creative force. It is the first impulse, the eternal seed of change, and the invisible engine that propels all existence.
Yet motion also carries bondage. Once life begins, beings encounter limitations, uncertainty, and struggle. Fear accompanies every step, reminding us of vulnerability, of incompleteness, of the unknown. Life unfolds as a continuous journey through this tension. But this bondage is not a curse—it is the very medium through which learning, growth, and self-realization occur. Fear, when understood, guides motion rather than enslaves it.
Through conscious navigation, beings move from bondage toward ongoing expansion. This is the evolution of awareness, the growth of wisdom, the flowering of positive action. Motion becomes deliberate, energy becomes expression, and consciousness develops. The fear that once signaled vulnerability now becomes insight, guiding choices, sharpening perception, and fostering alignment with self, others, and existence. Fear is no longer a tyrant; it is a companion, a subtle compass pointing toward freedom.
The journey culminates in boundless happiness, the stillness of freedom and nirvana. Here, motion has fulfilled its purpose, and fear dissolves into clarity. The stillness of pre-creation returns, but transformed: it is no longer the empty potential of nothingness, but the full, luminous stillness of awareness and integration. Happiness, liberation, and bliss arise not in the absence of fear, but through the completion of the journey it initiates.
In essence, the arc of existence flows like this: Stillness → Fear(tension) → Motion → Bondage → Expansion → Nirvana (moksha- Boundless Happiness and Freedom). Fear is the first motion. Motion is the unfolding of life. Happiness is the return to stillness, now enriched with experience, understanding, and freedom. Every living being participates in this cosmic movement (still expanding),from the simplest organism to the most reflective human mind.
To recognize fear as the origin of motion is to see life in its most profound form. It is to understand that uncertainty and tension are not adversaries, but the very forces that awaken potential, guide evolution, and lead consciousness toward boundless freedom. Fear is the beginning, motion is the journey, and nirvana-moksha is the destination.
Here we connect the immovable mover,the permanent force which has no beginning and end.
