One thing that I think helps me deal with climate anxiety, is to realise that the fear of the apocalypse is the fear of death and the fear of pain.
1. The Fear of Death
When thinking about climate apocalypse, the worst case scenarios flit across my mind. My premature death. From starvation, violence, disease, fire or drowning. The death of my loved ones (human and nonhuman).
I need to accept that my death may come at any time, anyway, and that if I face the inevitability of my death and the fact that despite my own attempts to prevent my death and the death of others, I have no control over when my death will come or how it will come. It could happen today. It could be instant. It could be horrifically painful. Even if it happens in a long time, I don't know how my death will be. But it will be. And I can't stop it happening.
Sitting with the knowledge of the inevitability of my own death and my lack of control over when it will happen, helps me to realise that I have never had control over this, and that I live with death just around the corner, all the time. Not just now. Somehow that makes me feel less afraid of the climate collapse.
2. The Fear of Pain
When we think of the climate collapse we think of the collapse of our comfortable civilisation. We think of the loss of aspects of our life we consider to be essential - bodily comfort, food security, access to healthcare. The loss of stability, breakdown of social order. All putting us at risk of bodily harm and physical and emotional pain the like of which we've never experienced before.
Maybe we fear this more than we fear death itself. I sometimes think about the inevitability of pain - I think about how the worst physical pain I will ever feel is almost certainly still in my future. That there may come a time where I will know that there will never be another moment in my life when I am pain free. The worst emotional pain I will ever feel is also probably in my future.
This would be true regardless of whether society collapses due to climate change or we transform society into a solarpunk utopia that is regenerative and better in every way to today's way of life.
Sitting with the inevitabiity of pain, and accepting it regardless of what the future holds, makes me feel more empowered.
Letting go of fear
So now that I have accepted my death, loss and the inevitability of pain, I feel less fear. Does this mean I do not want to help the planet and reduce suffering? No. I want to help. But I can help without wallowing in fear. The future is scary. It has always been scary. Living mindfully, to me, is about appreciating the present moment while facing the inevitability of pain, loss and death. This is always true.
"I must not fear
Fear is the mindkiller
Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration
I will face my fear
I will permit it to pass over me and through me
Where it has gone, I will turn the inner eye to see its path
Where fear has gone there will be nothing
Only I will remain"
