YOGIC LIVING•11 tháng 3, 2026

Fear, Stress, Anxiety or Faith – How to Maintain Mental Health in Times of Epidemic

Healing Emotionally to Heal Physically

We will address the question step by step in 4 points keeping in mind the need for prevention of disease due to poor immune system impacted by negative emotions, and the need for healing emotionally in order to heal physically.

First, we need to understand all facets of fear, stress, and anxiety:

What are the causes of fear?
Some Yogic methods for dealing with fear.
Cultivating faith to dispel fear and anxiety.

What is Fear?

Fear is a very strong primitive emotion, present in animals, as it serves a very basic purpose: It helps us to survive. It is at the base of our stress response: fight, flight, or freeze. Things that appear unfamiliar to us, or situations beyond our immediate comprehension, cause us fear. Fear creates imagination of darkness, of falling and distorts the mind. Fear is therefore based in unreality. When we are fearful, we become paralyzed and lose our faculties. We freeze, unable to do anything to solve our problem.

Fear is of two kinds: normal fear and imaginary fear.

According to Swami Sivananda, the percentage of normal fear will only be five percent whereas imaginary fear will come to ninety-five percent. Normal fear is healthy. It paves the way for one’s progress; it preserves life. So in the context of a possible virus infection, we wash our hands, clean our handrails, stay put and avoid socializing, etc.

Imaginary fear causes diseases, as it depletes all energy and produces uneasiness, discomfort, and disharmony. Examples of imaginary fear: You might be afraid that you will get infected and there is no cure, that your business will collapse, that you will lose your job, or that your husband’s staying at home will lead to divorce.

Behaviors Due to Fear and Panic

Hoarding
Isolation, hatred of others, blameful attitude
Shame and guilt
Depression
Constant tension, hyper-vigilance
Addictions (drinking sorrow away)
Apathetic attitudes like "enjoy life while you still can" or "I do not care!"

What is Stress?

Stress is the cause of many forms of diseases, especially chronic stress. We have a built-in stress response in our nervous system in the form of the fight or flight mechanism. However, our stress response might not be adequate. Remember that stress is subjective and can be changed once an understanding of the causes is obtained.

5 Causes of Stress

Low prana: We can alleviate our stress by increasing the prana through Yoga practice and positive lifestyle.
Negative emotions: Not only fear and anxiety, but also anger (from unfulfilled desires) and grief can create stress.
Lack of adaptability: Developing flexibility in mind and behavior helps tackle the cause of stress.
Existential anxiety: Fundamental anxiety of existence can be calmed by a broader picture about life, death, and meaning.
Karma: We have to accept our collective karma at this time and ponder over our collective responsibilities.

In short, to build stress resilience, we need to increase prana, spend less prana, convert negative emotions into positive ones, adapt to new situations, and have more faith.

What is Anxiety?

Disruption in life activity might create anxiety. Anxiety is even worse than fear, because unlike fear, we cannot identify its source. Anxiety is fear that has no name. With anxiety, there is no creativity, no productivity, we are depressed, and our minds lose the capacity to think clearly. It is usually associated with autonomic hyperarousal and attentive hypervigilance.

Under the spell of anxiety, you might find it difficult to maintain normal day-to-day activities. Parents and spouses need to be aware that their family members might be subject to tension and worry. Try to leave space, be available but less demanding, and stay calm and empathetic. Establish a routine in daily life and adapt to the situation. Routine, schedule, and daily discipline serve to cope with stress.

Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder

Excessive anxiety or worry for a long period of time can turn into an anxiety disorder. Signs include:

Motor tension and autonomic hyper-activity (muscle aches, restlessness, shortness of breath, palpitations, sweating, dizziness, nausea).
Vigilance or scanning (feeling on edge, exaggerated startle response).
Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank.
Trouble falling or staying asleep, and irritability.

Symptoms of Panic Attacks

Unexpected, intense terror lasting a few minutes. Symptoms include shortness of breath, dizziness, vertigo, shaky feeling, palpitations, sweating, abdominal distress, numbness, chest pain, and fear of going mad.

Symptoms of Compulsive Obsessive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessions: Persistent, intrusive, distressful, and senseless ideas or images.
Compulsions: Repetitive, intentional behaviors performed to relieve tension (e.g., handwashing, counting, checking).

Causes and Mechanism of Fear

From the perspective of classical Yoga philosophy, the cause of fear is attachment, our grasping on to illusory things and beliefs. The first cause of fear is the attachment to the body and the ensuing fear of death.

The Nature of Our Illusions: When we react to situations with fear, we operate out of a limited consciousness. We have forgotten that the sun is shining beyond the clouds. We must have faith to seek out the sun when the mind experiences darkness.

Fear feeds on past experiences that have no independent reality in the present. We attach meanings, ideas, and conditions to people and situations. Fear causes us to feel overwhelmed, identifying as a victim. We need to introspect and come back to the present. This means letting go of how things "should" be and being ready for creative changes in how we make a living, eat, socialize, and practice spirituality.

Classical Yogic Methods to Deal with Fears

Depending on your temperament, you can apply the following 4 methods:

Karma Yoga Methods (Active/Practical): Think of how to be helpful for others in this situation. Avoid thinking only about yourself. This will open your heart and alleviate anxiety.
Bhakti Yoga Methods (Emotional): Surrender to the Divine plan. Trust that all will be well. Learn to relax and transform fear into faith.
Raja Yoga and Hatha Yoga Methods (Analytical): Improve breath-body-awareness with rhythmical breathing and restorative Yoga. Increase and balance the flow of prana. Increase ojas (immunity/sustenance) through quality food and a mental attitude of trust. Use props (blankets, pillows) to create a sense of security during practice.
Jnana Yoga Methods (Intellectual/Philosophical): Remember the True Self, the Atman, untouched by diseases and separation. Do Self-enquiry; you are not the body nor the mind. Remove the veils of fear by exercising your discrimination and detachment.

Replacing Fears and Anxieties with Faith

We need to cultivate faith, which will replace Knowledge and help us be calm in the face of calamity. Nurture these 3 types of faith:

Faith in OWN SELF: Rely on your own inner strength. Until we have direct experience of the Truth about the Self, we must rely on faith. Calm down and trust yourself.
Faith in NATURE and the SUPREME INTELLIGENCE: Cooperate with Natural Laws for healthy living. Meditate and shift consciousness from the past to the present. Recognize grace operating in all things.
Faith in the TEACHINGS and PRACTICES: Learn to clear away the impurities of the mind by the observance of the Niyamas (ethical conduct, contentment, austerity, self-study, and self-surrender). Accept what is, let it be, and bear the consequences of past actions with endurance.

Guidance on What Not to Do

Avoid negative company: Avoid those who believe in the wrong things, including negative media and internet gossip sites. This is the surest way to kill your faith.
Follow the Yamas: Practice patience. Do not be angry or violent. Do not lie or steal. Turn inward and let go of greedy tendencies. Live a simple life; the more one depends on material objects, the more fear one will have.

A Final Note on Healing:
Do some research about the behavior of the virus and get over your imagined fear. Knowledge will help you regain confidence and faith in the intelligence of the body and of nature. There is an inner healer doctor within you. Consult that doctor. Mother Nature is healing and is the healer; she is the provider and sustainer of your life. Take care of your physical, mental, and spiritual health, and trust her to take care of the rest.

May you all be Healthy, Happy and Strong! Om shanti, peace.

Swami Sitaramananda