Delusion and the Masks of Fear

This was the meditation we shared during our Sunday service. It is offered here for you to reflect on, whether you participated in person or are joining us in spirit. Take this as a gift for your journey—a practice to carry into your week as we navigate the path of inner awakening.

Take a moment to find stillness within yourself. Settle your body, and breathe deeply. Imagine each breath softening the edges of your mind, dissolving tension like mist in the morning sun.

We gather here to explore the landscapes of our own minds—the places where fear has built illusions and where the stories we’ve told ourselves have become prisons. This is not a journey to judge or shame ourselves. It is an act of courage. It is a choice to awaken.

Delusion often begins as protection, born of fear. It may arise from pain we judged too overwhelming to face, or from beliefs and patterns ingrained in childhood or shaped by controlling systems, such as religions or societal norms. Even after leaving those systems behind, their shadows often linger, subtly influencing how we avoid or deflect our emotions. Over time, these protections can become a dream that binds us—a world we believe to be real, yet which blinds us to the light of truth.

Discomfort is one of the clearest symptoms of this delusion. It often arises in the places we choose to hide—the feelings, truths, and fears we bury deep within. The pain we attribute to external forces, or blame on “negative energy,” is frequently a reflection of what we are avoiding inside ourselves.

Triggers are another way delusion manifests. When something external stirs a strong reaction within us, we often create stories to explain it: “If they hadn’t done that, I’d feel fine,” or “This wouldn’t have happened if not for them.” But triggers are not the problem; they are reflections of unhealed aspects of ourselves. Triggers show us the places where our fears and wounds remain unresolved, and the discomfort they bring is not a punishment but an invitation—to look inward and ask, “What part of me is reacting? What truth am I avoiding?”

Projection is another way this discomfort manifests as delusions. When fear is so deeply hidden that we cannot even recognize it as fear, we create stories to explain our discomfort—convincing ourselves it’s someone else’s fault or claiming we must remain in constant battle with external forces. But this discomfort, however unpleasant, is a symptom of truth longing to be revealed.

At Two Birds Church, we believe true healing begins when we take full ownership of all we feel and experience. As our tenet of Inner Responsibility reminds us:
“We believe that every emotion, thought, and experience is a reflection of our inner state. Healing begins when we take full ownership of our feelings and stop attributing them to external forces or entities. This path requires courage, honesty, and the willingness to embrace our shadows as teachers, rather than fearing them, projecting, or running away.”

To wake from delusion is to meet our fears and shadows with love and compassion. It is to sit with discomfort rather than running from it, and to allow those feelings to guide us toward the deeper truths we have long avoided.

This meditation is one practice to nurture that awakening. It is a sacred act of self-responsibility, planting seeds of clarity and transformation. Though waking from delusion will not happen overnight, each moment of courage and reflection leads us closer to freedom.

Let us turn inward now, shining light into the hidden places of our hearts and minds, trusting that the truth we uncover will guide us toward wholeness.

Grounding Awareness
Close your eyes and bring your attention to your breath. Draw in a slow, deep inhale, letting the air expand your belly fully. As you exhale, feel the weight of your body resting on the ground, releasing tension with each breath.

Imagine your breath as a soft, golden light flowing through you. With each inhale, this light fills you with clarity and calm. With each exhale, it carries away fogginess, confusion, or tension.

Begin to notice how your body feels in this moment. Where do you feel at ease? Where do you feel tension, tightness, or discomfort? Allow yourself to simply notice, without trying to change anything.

Now, imagine roots extending from your body into the earth, anchoring you firmly to the present moment. These roots provide stability and strength, creating a sense of safety as you begin this inner journey. Breathe here, letting this grounded connection deepen.

Remind yourself that this is a space of curiosity and compassion. You are here to notice, to feel, and to explore—nothing more.

Feeling Into Discomfort
Bring your awareness now to any areas of discomfort in your body. Perhaps it’s a heaviness in your stomach, a tightness in your chest, or a restless sensation in your limbs. Allow your attention to gently rest on these sensations.

Rather than avoiding or pushing away the discomfort, lean into it with curiosity. Discomfort is often a signal—a symptom of something deeper waiting to be seen. Take a moment to simply feel it fully.

Ask yourself:

• Where do I feel discomfort right now?
• What is this discomfort asking me to notice?

You don’t need to name the source of the discomfort yet—simply feel it. Let it be exactly as it is, without resistance or judgment.

As you stay with this sensation, notice if any thoughts, beliefs, or memories begin to surface. You might sense a belief you’ve clung to, or a feeling you’ve been avoiding. You might not know why the discomfort is there, and that’s okay.

Ask gently:

• What am I hiding from or unwilling to feel?
• What truth might this discomfort be pointing me toward?

Even if no answers arise, the act of staying present with the discomfort is powerful. It’s an act of courage and self-responsibility to remain with what feels difficult, trusting that clarity will come in time.

Exploring the Stories Around Discomfort
Consider how discomfort often creates stories in our minds. Delusion can arise when we’re unwilling to acknowledge what lies beneath the discomfort. We might tell ourselves stories to explain it, to protect ourselves from facing deeper truths.

Take a moment to reflect on the stories you may create when discomfort arises. Ask yourself:

• Do I blame this discomfort on someone else?
• Do I tell myself it’s because of external circumstances?
• Do I convince myself that I’m fighting invisible wars rather than looking at my own life?

Without judgment, notice these stories. They are not failures—they are your mind’s attempt to protect you.

Now, gently acknowledge:
“This discomfort is mine. Even if I don’t yet understand its source, I trust that it belongs to me and holds a truth I am ready to uncover.”

Stay with this acknowledgment for a moment, breathing into the discomfort and the stories surrounding it. You don’t need to force clarity—simply remain open to what arises.

As you sit with this awareness, take a moment to invite a sense of surrender. Imagine your discomfort not as a burden, but as a gift—a powerful offering to the process of transformation. You don’t need to know exactly what it represents or why it’s there. Simply hold the intention that it is ready to be seen, felt, and, when the time is right, released.

This is a moment of invitation—a call for change. It is an opening to let go of what holds you back and to allow whatever is needed for your highest good to unfold.

A Prayer for Transformation
We turn now to Kali as a symbol of transformation. I do not present Kali as a literal being in this moment, but as a powerful representation of the forces within us that dismantle what no longer serves. She embodies the courage to tear down illusions, the willingness to release what we’ve clung to, and the fierce compassion needed to confront the truths we’ve avoided. Kali teaches us that through allowing destruction, we make way for clarity, growth, and freedom.

This prayer to Kali is also a prayer to yourself—to the part of you that longs for truth and liberation. Whether you see it as a call to Kali, to the universe, or to your innermost self, let it be a call for transformation:

• A call to dismantle the lies you’ve told yourself and others.
• A call to allow truth to emerge, in whatever form it takes.
• A call to release what no longer serves you, so that you may awaken.

As I sing this prayer, let it unfold within you. If you feel hesitant, simply allow the words to hold space for your reflection. If you feel ready to embrace change, let the prayer serve as an invitation to step forward.

Kali, come and set me free,
Transforming fires, liberate me.
Tear me down and swallow me whole,
Shiva Shakti, Om, Kali
Come and set me free.

As the prayer echoes within, imagine it reaching the deepest parts of you—the places you’ve hidden, the truths you’ve avoided. Let it gently unravel the grip of old stories and delusions, softening the walls you’ve built around your fears.

Feel the lies you’ve told yourself or others — the ones that have shielded you from fear or pain—beginning to loosen. Trust that whatever needs to be released will find its way out over time, not through force, but in the way most aligned with your growth and freedom.

This process cannot be rushed. Transformation happens in its own time, unfolding as it should. Whether you feel ready to embrace this fully or simply hold the possibility of change, know that your willingness to be present in this moment is enough.

Closing Reflections
When you are ready, gently bring your awareness back to your breath. Feel the steady rhythm of your breathing, the rise and fall of your chest, the quiet life-force within you. Let your awareness expand to your body—the weight of it resting on the ground, the solid presence of the earth beneath you.

Begin to wiggle your fingers and toes, grounding yourself in this moment. Feel the connection between your inner world and the outer world, the bridge you’ve just walked between clarity and reality.

Know that this journey does not end here. Awakening is a lifelong process, a practice, a choice we make over and over again every day. It’s easy to fall back asleep into old habits—into blame, denial, and delusion. But each time you choose to sit with discomfort, to bring light to the shadows, you take another step closer to true freedom.

The healing becomes real when you bring awareness to it in every moment. Perhaps in the coming days, someone says something in a conversation or a sharing circle, and you feel a stir in your stomach—a discomfort rising. In that moment, instead of blaming it on “bad energy” or something external, you have an opportunity. Bring the light of truth to your delusion and ask yourself:

• What am I feeling?
• Is it judgment of what that person said?
• Is it something in me—fear, jealousy, or pain—that has been stirred?

Discomfort is your guide. It’s a whisper from your inner world, calling you to see what you’ve hidden. The discomfort is yours, and it holds wisdom if you are willing to listen. This practice of being truly awake—of taking radical responsibility—can lead to a life of unparalleled freedom. No longer haunted by feelings we run from, we step into the light of truth, liberated from the illusions we once blamed on the outside world.

Taking ownership of your emotions and feelings is not a one-time task; it’s a lifelong practice. You may feel tempted to hide in places where discomfort is avoided—echo chambers of spiritual bypassing or spaces where only surface-level positivity is allowed. But discomfort will remain, a silent scream beneath the surface, waiting to be heard.

Or, you can do what you have already begun to do today: face it head-on. By being here, by stepping into spaces like this that practice radical responsibility. You’ve chosen to live a life of truth and transformation.

But this work does not begin and end on Sundays. It’s a practice you carry with you—into your home, your relationships, your quiet moments of reflection. Each breath, each sensation, each moment of discomfort is a chance to shine the light of awareness, to say:
“This is mine, and I will face it with love and courage.”

As you open your eyes, carry this light with you. Let it guide you gently on your path, reminding you that you are exactly where you are meant to be. And know this: the more you choose this practice, the more the light will grow, leading you to a life of wholeness, truth, and deep, lasting freedom.