Fearlessness...GRRRRRR

Month of May brings snow to Tahoe and fierce resilience as bright Daffodils push up and out in spite of stormy elements. Tahoe spring seems the perfect metaphor given our theme of "fearlessness." What does it mean to be fearless when one is committed to practicing peace, compassion and understanding?

A mindfulness training comes to mind:

Aware that words can create happiness or suffering, we are committed to learning to speak truthfully, lovingly and constructively. We will use only words that inspire joy, confidence and hope as well as promote reconciliation and peace in ourselves and among other people. 

It goes on to say...

We will do our best to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may make difficulties for us or threaten our safety. (9th Mindfulness Training (of the 14): Truthful and Loving Speech)

Fearlessness is required when engaging in Truthful and Loving speech--not to be carried away by another's words or actions but staying anchored to our commitment to practice peace and understanding. Yet, as we engage with our world, this training recognizes that situations of injustice will arise and we are obligated to do our best to speak out in a truthful and loving way.

Whom are examples of people modeling and living such fearlessness? Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Thich Nhat Hanh, Hafiz, Malala Yousafzai, Maya Angelou, we could go on. It's the fruits of such teachers that enable us to know with certainty that we too can be fierce in choosing freedom, love, peace, and understanding above all else. Doing so on a moment-by-moment basis becomes our fearless acts of resistance.

True fearlessness seems to require open-heartedness, not turning away or shielding ourselves but engaging fully, using North Stars we hold dear: kindness, compassion, freedom, peace....GRRRRRR, we're kittens, but we're also lions!