We are just a string of experiences, empty of meaning and void of permanence. We fight to perpetuate "ourselves " by creating patterns and telling stories to convince us that those patterns define is.
" Self" is just the story of "self" we create, and we become attached to that story, afraid that if we don't embody this image we have of ourselves, we will dissolve into nothingness.
The Truth is there was no "Self" to begin with. The boundaries of the "self" are mind-made: the separation between me and you, us and others, mine and yours are illusionary and created by the Ego in order to breathe into existence a separate indentity. In reality the separation does not exist.
We use everything- our day to day interactions and reactions to reinforce the story. We create likes and dislikes, excuses and attachments so we can hold onto something we believe is the self.
The patterns are easy to attach to and identify with because they provide predictability and safety- we know how we will react to the environment and how the environment will react to us.
Our fear is nothing but a reaction to something out of pattern.
Fear is our pattern towards the unkown.
