How do we become more courageous?

“We need to be more courageous”.  These words could have been expressed by any group or couple, and last week it was at the heart of a business discussion on innovation.  

Indeed, who doesn’t want to be a little, or a lot more courageous in their working or personal life?

Courage from its Latin root ‘cor’, comes from the heart.  

It is not being fearless, but going into the unknown in spite of those fears.

It manifests itself in different ways.   Like all those lion statues in Roma, an inspiring symbol of courage within the city, sometimes we are unaware of its existence; it is just there, within us as a calm solid beingness;  other times it dominates our emotional landscape, its presence undeniable.  

 

What does it take for us to be more courageous?

External factors can support (or limit) us, from the political, economic and social environment to the opinions of another person.   However courage, by its very definition is about our heart, not anybody else’s.  It is about our own essence, our own core.  When we look internally, we recognise that often our busy judging mind can distort and drown out what is the truth within.

So if we learn to still our mind, we have a greater chance of hearing our heart.  When we ‘go headless’ as suggested in a previous posting, we blossom from a place of wholeness rather than separation, a place of compassion, spontaneity and liberation, closer to and more accepting of the mysteries of life.  We are more courageous.

So from stillness, we notice, we decide, we have the courage to act. And we make that courageous act.

How will you find your moments of stillness? How will your courage manifest itself?

I am taking inspiration from Osho who also wrote ‘meditation is just a courage to be silent and alone‘ for I am going on a Vipassana retreat: 10 days of silence and meditation.

It means no musings next Monday.  And it also means I will miss celebrating with a little Leo called Taika.  May he and other Leos still to celebrate their birthdays have a wild time.

Sources:

Image: own

Osho (1999)  Courage: the joy of living dangerously, Osho International Foundation, US, quote from page 98. 

Happy Birthday to all Leos including: Judy, Nicky, Jhasmin, Sofia, Gregor, Larnach, Owen, Karen, Orchid, Dale, Jeanine, Vicky, Arlette, Joe, Isacco, Nataja, Pinar, Melissa and Taika..

Thanks to Wild Courage for the opportunity of working with this group in Connecticut. http://www.wildcourage.com/