Courage

"Courage, above all things, is the first quality of a warrior." -Karl von Clausewitz

​Courage is a highly subjective thing. To be courageous one must face a fear. Refuse to let that fear win or defeat you. This can be something as seemingly simple as walking through a door. We often define courage by large acts, but often courage is simply staying the course and not giving in. Heroes are those who practice courage, despite the struggle, daily.

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​A young boy who was too scared to enter a room finds courage every time he actually makes that step. Just a small step for everyone else, yet such an obviously big one for him. It was great to see the support and encouragement he received from fellow students, recognising his struggle. Each time this happens, he experiences a feeling of community; that despite his fear he is in a safe environment. Of course he wouldn't be thinking about all of this consciously, but it helps him to understand that fear is an internal energy. It is how we react to stimulus, and not exactly the stimulus itself.

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​The other example was a student recounting an experience in the workplace, where she was confronted, berated, and bullied. He fear kicked in, but her courage was strong enough to enable her to stand her ground. To even look at the situation objectively and be mindful of her fear response. She recognised that she was in no immediate danger, no real threat on her life, so she was able to control he response. She attributed her fortitude, in part, to her experiences at the Dojo and her training. She is a fine example of how the lessons learned in the Dojo are truly about developing the whole self, and not just about the acts of physical combat.

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I learn so much from my students each week. Thank you all so much.

Darren Ball
Yamagawa Budo
Melbourne, Australia