woundedness (1)

If there has been any common theme (finding) in my research on fear (and fearlessness) since 1989, it is that people (and their organizations) who 'preach' a good message about helping humanity reverse the negative effects of fear (and/or eliminate all such effects) do not 'walk their talk.' Or, what I can fine-tune this critique down to is that they are characteristically un-cooperative in working with my initiatives that have the same basic intent as theirs--that is, to free us from fear so we reach our human potential and end the cycle of violence, etc. I've called this movement and initiative many things, but basically it constitutes the path of fearlessness toward liberation (i.e., see Fearlessness Movement). 

I know my findings are not a pleasant thought, if you really think about it. Why wouldn't such people and their organizations (including academic researchers) work cooperatively on this plight of the Fear Problem on this planet? It still astounds me the intractable resistance to share information, build coalitions and act to help support and critique each others work so as to find the "best" 'fear' vaccines available. Note, I am not talking here about some grand initiative to make money off fearful people. If you follow with any accuracy and sincerity the beginning (1989) of the In Search of Fearlessness (ISOF) Project (not-for-profit), you'll know that there is no such aim to exploit anyone for economic purposes, or any other purpose where fear and power are used to dominate over others. That is completely unethical by the code of the In Search of Fearlessness Project. 

Repeatedly, since 1989 I have invited anyone into the ISOF Project, and especially invited very systematically most anyone I could find who was teaching and writing about fear and how best to manage it, transform it, and so on. These documents are found in the ISOF archives, which btw, I just opened up this morning after they have been sitting in plastic storage boxes for nearly 20 yrs. There's certainly the possibility (but I doubt it), that my character is so flawed and obnoxious that no one wants to talk to me or answer my letters. Rather, I think something else is amiss, and it has to do with how people and their organizations seem to want to "own" and "protect" their specific ways of understanding the Fear Problem and offering services to improve it. They seem to avoid others who are doing the same, and certainly tend to avoid ISOF Project initiatives. 

In the archives this morning I found a 1992 letter (typical of hundreds, if not thousands,  I have sent over the years), which gives you as sense of the way I communicate professionally with such organizations (in this case)--it's another invitation which produced no results at all. No comment back. Not even an acknowledgement. The following organization is one of the biggest and most well organized in the world and attracts, I'm guessing, hundreds of thousands of people. Anyways, you can judge yourself and perhaps help me to think how to better unite all these disparate people and groups who teach about fear and its management: 

Dear Kay Stephenson, Executive Director, (Freedom from Fear Foundation), P.O. Box 8907, Stn. F., Calgary, AB T2J 5S6)  - Aug. 12, 1992

"Freedom from Fear," what a great name and a most worthwhile cause. The In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute has the same goal really, even though I know your organization specializes as an educational and support group for those who suffer from agoraphobia, anxiety and panic attacks. 

Over the past two years I have made a few attempts to find out more about your organization. For various reasons we have not yet been able to connect. At this point, ass Founder and Co-Director of ISOFCRI, I would like to know more about your group and receive some information packages you have. 

I have enclosed some resource materials and information about my work and goals of ISOFCRI. I am currently looking at providing a resource to all kinds of groups and organizations who are looking at fear and its negative effects on our lives. The research work we have been doing at the Institute is admittedly radical (which really means "roots")... in that it searches for the roots of all fear patterns however they manifest in any particular symptomatology (be it a clinical diagnosis... or be it a limiting factor to healthy development in general). Exciting work recently has come up with a metaphoric concept of FPV+ (fear pattern virus) and a fear vaccine which we are taking out to people, and groups in our educational program (see handout-proposal). I am currently making contacts within the clinical community to share this research with them. 

Our purpose is to provide an alternative and supportive approach to the treatment currently used with phobias. The clinical model is limited in scope and vision about understanding the dynamic and origin of fear. Our model is a healing model that goes beyond merely coping with fear patterns. We also argue that fear is not "bad" or a "disorder" it is a 'phenomenon' (distress pattern) that comes from woundedness (which originated from oppression/violence/hurting). Anyways, we can talk more later. 

I look forward to hearing from you soon. I will follow this letter up with a phone call in a few weeks.  -Sincerely, -Robert M. Fisher

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The truth of it is that I rarely did the follow-up phone calls, when they would not take the time of day to just send an acknowledgement at least they had received the letter. Some business consultant/coaches have said this is my short-falling; perhaps, but I am also one who is not going to spend a lot of time in places that I think are going to be not effect use of my time and skills. Sure, ideally, I wish I got paid as a Director for this work at the ISOFCRI in Calgary, and that I had a secretary to do the follow-up and make sure I remembered to follow-up. I was more into moving on and researching and writing and teaching, and looking endlessly for at least someone who had the basic decency to acknowledge my initiatives to connect. 

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