Mike Rosen
Cultivating Non-Fear with Back Bends and Arm Balances
The opposite of fear is not bravery. Bravery buys dances at prom. Bravery helped me quit my “cushy” job so I could set out alone across India with a backpack.
Courage is stronger than bravery. But the opposite of fear is not courage. Courage gives me my voice when I perform on stage. Courage allowed me to drop my last name so I could walk into a recovery room for the first time.
Courage and bravery supported me in these situations, but neither courage nor bravery vanquishes fear. Fear’s only true opposite is non-fear.
I can develop non-fear through mindfulness. I can develop non-fear by uncovering my foundation because at that foundation is a kid who wants to do crazy things like eka pada bakasana or handstand, and doesn’t care if it looks hot on Instagram. I develop non-fear by opening myself to that child.
In this sequence I recognize that bravery requires fear, and so I spend the first few postures grounding and readying myself for that challenge. Then I solidify the core. Then I fly. J
· Urdvha Hastasana
· Chandra Namaskar
o Added Plank after Down Dog, Add 2ndDown Dog
· Natarajasana
· Salabasana
· Sphinx (eventually Full Cobra will come here)
· Bow Pose
· Utkatasana
· Plankasana : Take one knee to outer arm and hold (titibahsana crunch)
· Handstand
· Bakasana à Eka Pada Bakasana
· Savasana
The opposite of fear is not bravery. Bravery buys dances at prom. Bravery helped me quit my “cushy” job so I could set out alone across India with a backpack.
Courage is stronger than bravery. But the opposite of fear is not courage. Courage gives me my voice when I perform on stage. Courage allowed me to drop my last name so I could walk into a recovery room for the first time.
Courage and bravery supported me in these situations, but neither courage nor bravery vanquishes fear. Fear’s only true opposite is non-fear.
I can develop non-fear through mindfulness. I can develop non-fear by uncovering my foundation because at that foundation is a kid who wants to do crazy things like eka pada bakasana or handstand, and doesn’t care if it looks hot on Instagram. I develop non-fear by opening myself to that child.
In this sequence I recognize that bravery requires fear, and so I spend the first few postures grounding and readying myself for that challenge. Then I solidify the core. Then I fly. J
· Urdvha Hastasana
· Chandra Namaskar
o Added Plank after Down Dog, Add 2ndDown Dog
· Natarajasana
· Salabasana
· Sphinx (eventually Full Cobra will come here)
· Bow Pose
· Utkatasana
· Plankasana : Take one knee to outer arm and hold (titibahsana crunch)
· Handstand
· Bakasana à Eka Pada Bakasana
· Savasana
Good read, Mike. So many of us seem to be of the same mindset. --Denise
ReplyDeleteThe concept of non-fear is a new one for me to work with. Thank you for that Mike.
ReplyDeleteI love your dive into fear and agree that bravery requires it. Everything is about balancing the fear with action - nice sequence to do this. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteFear doesnt always describe the same state of mind. It has different levels and at one of them courage is the opposite of fear and cultivating courage will vanquish fear!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to think about all of these feeling states and their opposites and non-opposites. Was hard for me to process all that insight in one short dharma talk. Hope to hear more about non-fear in days to come.
ReplyDeleteWas a bit confusing for me to decipher as well but perhaps I just need to hear more of your story. I love the idea of allowing yourself to open up to the child within you.
ReplyDeleteI really like the concept of non-fear. That makes a lot of sense to me.
ReplyDeleteThe philosophical differences you point out (and with beautiful examples) of non-fear, braver, and courage is very on point. I love that you point out that bravery requires fear. This is something to go in my notebooks of themes for my own classes.
ReplyDeleteYou've obviously done some serious work within yourself Michael. Thanks for having the courage to share it with us.Your sequence is interesting to me, uses my body in ways I wouldn't have thought of. I like the idea of grounding, gathering & flying.
ReplyDeleteThe opposite of fear is love, like this lovely essay and as a love like you already knows. Now let's all do the Tittibhasana Crunch!
ReplyDeleteintense backbend to intense forward bend arm balances with no transitions? fear, bravery, courage, love...great philosophical consideration and how it all plays out on the mat.
ReplyDelete