Lets use the example of exploring the roots of fear through dependent origination to illustrate the Twelve Nidanas.
1. Ignorance (avijja): Ignorance refers to not understanding the true nature of reality, often characterized by confusion, delusion, and a lack of discernment. Fear arises from ignorance, which creates an illusion of separateness and a distorted perception of reality.
2. Mental formations (sankhara): Due to ignorance, the mind begins to form habitual patterns of fear, especially in response to potential threats or dangers.
3. Consciousness (viññana): The persons consciousness is conditioned by these habitual thought patterns, leading to a perception of fear and anxiety.
4. Name and form (nama-rupa): The persons fear arises in their mind-body complex (nama-rupa), characterized by a set of interdependent sensations, perceptions, and mental responses.
5. The six sense bases (salayatana): Fear arises in response to stimuli sensed through the six sense bases (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind).
6. Contact (phassa): Fear arises from the contact of the senses with a perceived threatening stimulus (such as a loud noise, perceived danger, or a memory).
7. Feeling (vedana): Vedana refers to the feeling tone associated with the contact of senses with a stimulus, such as pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. Fear is commonly associated with unpleasant feeling.
8. Craving (tanha): Fear leads to a craving for safety and security in the face of perceived danger or threat. The craving is rooted in the belief that fear is real and independent, leading to a sense of attachment to feelings of safety and security.
9. Clinging (upadana): Fear can become intensified, perpetuating the cycle of clinging and attachment to feelings of safety and security in the presence of triggers that might invoke fear.
10. Becoming (bhava): Clinging to fear reinforces the pattern of habitual thought and behavior, leading to a cycle of fear and anxiety.
11. Birth (jati): Fear manifests in the persons thought and behavior as a protective mechanism in response to triggers of fear that often arises from past experiences and conditioning.
12. Old age and death (jara-marana): Fear can perpetuate suffering, ranging from psychological discomfort to physical, emotional, and mental torment, leading to lifetime cycles of conditioning, creating fear in future lives.
In this example, we can see how fear arises through ignorance and perpetuates due to clinging to a belief in the reality of fear. Understanding the interdependence of the Twelve Nidanas can help break the cycle of fear, leading to greater inner freedom and security. Through developing greater wisdom, insight, and compassion, one may overcome fear and realize the true nature of reality.

How to break cycle at each point:

To break the cycle of fear at each point in the Twelve Nidanas of dependent origination, one could take the following steps:

1. Ignorance (avijja): Addressing ignorance can be done by cultivating wisdom and insight through meditation and studying Buddhist teachings. By gaining a deeper understanding of the true nature of reality, one can see through the illusion of separateness and overcome fear.

2. Mental formations (sankhara): Breaking the cycle at this point involves changing habitual patterns of fear by practicing positive mental habits such as mindfulness, gratitude, and loving-kindness. By practicing these habits regularly, one can develop new patterns of thought that reinforce positivity and reduce fear.

3. Consciousness (viññana): By becoming mindful of the workings of consciousness, one can start to observe how fear arises through conditioned habitual patterns. Through mindfulness meditation, one can learn to recognize these patterns and begin to break the cycle of fear.

4. Name and form (nama-rupa): By deepening mindfulness of the mind-body complex and observing sensations without judgment, one can become less reactive to fear and learn to tolerate the associated sensations without clinging to them.

5. The six sense bases (salayatana): One can break the cycle at this point by practicing sensory restraint and avoiding exposure to triggers that invoke fear. By being mindful of the senses, one can develop a healthy relationship with sensory experiences, reducing the potential for craving and attachment.

6. Contact (phassa): By being mindful of the contact between the senses and stimuli, one can observe how the mind tends to create a narrative around fearful stimuli. By focusing on the present moment and avoiding attaching to narratives, one can reduce the potential for fear to arise.

7. Feeling (vedana): One can break the cycle at this point by cultivating equanimity and non-attachment to feelings of unpleasantness or pain. By observing unpleasant feelings without being reactive, one can weaken the link between unpleasant feeling and fear.

8. Craving (tanha): Addressing craving involves recognizing the futility of seeking security in external objects or circumstances. By developing inner confidence and self-reliance, one can reduce the need for external security, weakening the link between craving and fear.

9. Clinging (upadana): By recognizing that clinging leads to suffering, one can begin to let go of attachment to objects of security. By developing greater inner resilience and a sense of being at ease with uncertainty, one can minimize the need for clinging and attachment.

10. Becoming (bhava): By breaking the cycle at this point, one can avoid becoming entrenched in patterns of thought and behavior that reinforce fear. By cultivating wisdom and compassion and letting go of limiting beliefs, one can create new possibilities for living.

11. Birth (jati): By recognizing the impermanence of all phenomena, one can avoid identifying with an illusory self and reducing the likelihood of becoming entangled in cycles of fear.

12. Old age and death (jara-marana): Breaking the cycle of fear at this point involves recognizing the inevitability of death and adopting a perspective that transcends the limitations of the present reality. By cultivating Buddhist beliefs and practices, one can achieve liberation and become free from the cycle of suffering.