There are many kinds of courage. It takes courage to start life again after any kind of loss; loss of a loved one, loss of health, loss of a job, or loss of youth. To take the first step into a future that now looks very different takes great courage. It takes courage to start anything new, something untried, go somewhere unknown. It also takes great courage to stand by our values and beliefs even when those around us hold different views.
Courage is not an absence of fear, it is acting with faith despite the fear. A journey of a thousand steps begins with a single step. Where does courage originate? It originates in the mind, through thought. The language of the mind is thought plus image. When we create a positive/negative thought, an image follows. For example: ‘I want a new car’, will bring an image of the model, colour, interiors of the car and so on. However, be cautious, it is possible to have a positive thought but hold a negative image.
If we have a desire or wish for something to happen and we put everything in place for it to happen, but hold an image of some kind of failure or unhappy consequences if it does not happen, then the image will have a stronger hold on the outcome than the wish.
For example, if I get an interview for a job I really want, I can prepare well, dress the part, do my homework, practise interview techniques, but if I have a ‘but what if’ thought, a thought like; ‘what if they don’t like me’, ‘what if I am too old, overqualified, unqualified’, ‘what will happen if I do not get the job, how will I manage…’ – all those images will be a great obstacle to succeeding in the interview. If we look at the mental images we hold of ourselves, we will see how the images affect the dreams and wishes we have. What is the voice I hear inside? Is it the voice of a critical parent, a harsh teacher, or a loving friend? Whose voice am I listening to? The positive mental image I have of myself is very important and powerful as it affects the way I act and behave. If we create a stock of our positive qualities, talents, specialities, values, and virtues, and operate from that mental image, it will build our self-confidence.
The foundation of real courage is faith based on knowledge. The fear of taking a step forward is dispelled with knowledge and understanding. It is like a light dispelling ignorance, imagination, and hearsay. The fear of a bogeyman that a child imagines is at the door of her room, is dispelled when she realizes it was created by the shadow of her hanging night dress. The more knowledge I have of my fears, the better I am able to take a calculated risk, a leap of faith in anything I do. This confidence will enhance my self-esteem.
Self-esteem is how I see myself in the many roles I play daily. Our roles change in life. An important job with a healthy income may change tomorrow. Always keep your self-worth higher than your net worth. A tree stands tall and strong not because of the trunk but because of its healthy roots. The virtues and values we uphold are our roots.
One can get lost in a jungle of influences, social media, and AI-generated images. The values and virtues that we hold are our compass and will bring us back to our self-worth and self- respect.
Self-respect is derived from spiritual values. Investing in spirituality, in learning and growing in the right direction, means I am comfortable with who I am, I like what I am doing and where I am going, and others are comfortable with me.
The role of meditation in developing self-respect and self-esteem is essential. There is an amusing T-shirt slogan which says: “Why meditate? – Because Google doesn’t have all the answers”. In other words, all answers are within. Meditation is concentrated power of thought. It is concentration on the Supreme Being, God. When we do that, we are downloading all the love, peace, forgiveness, power, and joy that the Supreme is constantly emanating.
With daily meditation, my self-awareness of my old pattern of thinking, especially about the self, will become positive. My self-perception, that is, the mental image of the self, will shift with the power to check and change. I will develop a new, positive attitude towards the self and situations in life. My actions will begin to reflect my courage. There is a beautiful image in Hindu mythology of Goddess Durga. She sits on a tiger, symbolizing fearlessness. Her hands hold various weapons representing the different powers we receive from God that we can use in our daily challenges. Your courageous heart will sing a beautiful line of a devotional song, ‘What can storms do when your companion is God?’
B.K.Meelu Wadhwani is a teacher of Rajyoga, based in Dubai, and the founder of www.abundance365.net