At War with FEAR (Pema Chodron)

Buddhist nun Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart; "Sucker Punch" samurai (video)

Samurai Girl 3 (Deseo-One)

Once there was a young warrior. Her teacher told her that she had to do battle with fear. She didn't want to do that. 

  

It seemed too aggressive; it was scary; it seemed unfriendly. 

  

But the teacher said she had to do it and gave her the instructions for the battle. The day arrived. 

  

The student warrior stood on one side, and fear stood on the other. The warrior was feeling very small, and fear was looking big and wrathful. They both had their weapons. 

  

Samurai Girl (imdb.com)

The young warrior roused herself and went toward fear, prostrated three times, and asked, "May I  have permission to go into battle with you?" 

  

Fear said, "Thank you for showing me so much respect that you ask permission." 

  

Then the young warrior said, "How can I defeat you?" 

  

Fear replied, "My weapons are that I talk fast, and I get very close to your face. Then you get completely unnerved, and you do whatever I say. 

  

"If you don't do what I tell you, I have no power.
 

Teddy, Samurai Girl 1, and mask (Deseo-One)

"You can listen to me, and you can have respect for me. You can even be convinced by me. But if you don't do what I say, I have no power."

  

In that way, the student warrior learned how to defeat fear.

  

This is how it actually works. There has to be some kind of respect for the jitters, some understanding of how our... More

"If you no longer believe what fear tells you, you will live and it will not"

- Zen teacher Cheri Huber