“Courage requires wisdom and compassion, two primary Buddhist values. Wisdom offers understanding and perspective, so that we don’t freak out when things go haywire. Compassion softens the heart, so that we don’t deny reality and pretend everything is ok. Courage also draws strength from self-compassion, which soothes us during difficult moments…

…But when our minds amplify a threat or simply imagine one, that evolutionary mechanism makes things worse, adding spin to an already tense situation. There’s a difference between feeling afraid and panicking or freezing. Discerning this difference is where contemplative practice shines. It takes courage to be with things as they are, to turn toward and be with the truth of each moment – pleasant or painful. Contemplative practice opens the door to more versatile, morally nuanced courage in meeting what is.

For courage is protective. The first step toward not succumbing to panic is recognizing what’s happening (a function of mindfulness) and stepping back (a function of wisdom). Courage begins with one moment of awareness and the possibility of taking a pause. We can ground ourselves in the present moment, breathe and bear witness to the discomfort of fear without letting it take over. The word courage comes from the Latin cor, for heart. It takes heart to meet life on its own terms, rather than through the illusions of safety, comfort, and predictability that we crave as humans. It takes a heart full of courage to face the truth and act in alignment with our values, just as it takes tremendous courage to look squarely into the horrific, violent history of racism, terror, land theft, genocide, and broken treaties in the United States.

History offers countless examples of humans mustering courage in extraordinary and deeply inspiring ways, often placing their bodies on the line to confront unjust systems…”

~ Excerpted from Your Heart Was Made for This (p. 90-91) by Oren Jay Sofer