As we have just passed Martin Luther King, Jr day here in the United States, I am inspired to write about courage. When I think of Dr. King, I am reminded of the immense courage it takes to stand up for something that is calling to you from the depths of your soul. And with the current “#Me too” movement, I am also reminded of what it takes to speak out against injustice. As I draw these thoughts inward, I reflect upon my own life and find myself asking, “How have I lived courageously?”. I am hardly a suppressed person as I feel I’ve been blessed with unlimited opportunities throughout my life. I, like so many others, have had my “#Me too” experiences, but it truly hasn’t stopped me from pursuing what motivates me. I have sat on the cusp of opportunity which offers me the chance to lend my privileged voice to others.
One of my most recent exposures to feeling the fear was experienced as I undertook the Global Seva Challenge for Off the Mat, Into the World in 2012. I had all sorts of fear of not being able to raise $20,000 towards organizations rescuing and rehabilitating young girls in India who had been trafficked and often sold, into the sex-slave trade. My fear was around failing, about appearing incapable of reaching a goal, of not having enough of “whatever” to make it happen. I felt the vulnerability of this, reached out to my community, and with their tremendous support moved forward.
One of our first fundraising efforts was a community garage sale, held in a local parking lot. It was one of those too-early-in-the- spring-to-be-hot-days, and we were hustling and sweating and trying to raise money. The local IHOP manager was annoyed at our presence and called the police. They were kind and allowed us to stay. At the end of the day, we then had to schlep what wasn’t sold back into a storage area. I was hot, hungry, and tired as I’d been at it since before daylight, not to mention what it took to gather items a few weeks before the event. As I noticed my grumpiness, I paused and thought about some 9-year old girl in India, sold by her family into an unimaginable situation…I immediately got over myself. That’s all it took. Me getting out of my own way and thinking about someone else and the opportunity I had to offer my voice to those who have none.
Sometimes, when we think about how we can serve others, whatever fear, trepidation, or harm is holding us back dissolves. It hardly seemed courageous looking back, especially upon meeting those girls in India. They were the ones with the resiliency and brave hearts. They were the ones who simply needed someone to offer them a moment of freedom and the chance at a different path. Their courage in absorbing all of this was astounding.
The word “courage” stems from the French word, “Coeur” which means heart. And when you think about it, if we are able to drop into the essence of our hearts, into the energy of love and compassion, courage is present. I had to get out of my ego-driven mind, away from my intellect and find the connection to the energy of my heart during the Seva challenge and I know that if we can drop into that space, we realize that courage is always within us, simply waiting to roar when called upon. In some ways, it’s easier to shrivel than blossom. It’s easier to stay with what we know instead of stepping into the scary abyss of the unfamiliar.
So my thought this week is to simply honor those courageous moments we’ve experienced in our lives, whether they be something that is seen on a broad community level or something like stepping into an unfamiliar yoga class for the first time. If we allow ourselves to drop into our heart space, we can hear the deeper calling of courage. My suggestion is that you trust that voice and let it guide you.
In gratitude for all of those who have laid the footprints of inspiration for us to follow.
