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Collective  
A value, Infinite Courage
3 minute read

Words by Arabella Thaïs

Pictures by Carlos Oberhausser

It takes courage to do things differently; to move out of one’s own comfort zone. It takes courage to make changes, take action, and evolve. For us, as human beings, to move out of our collective comfort zone will take tremendous courage indeed. At Zunya, we believe that the power of courage is infinite. We believe that this power resides within each and every one of us, and that it has no limits.

When one dissects the anatomy of courage, what becomes clear is this: courageousness is not so much the absence of fear, but the mastery of it. To have courage is to feel the fear – to honour it and acknowledge it – and to go ahead anyway, in the face of it. In fact, the etymology of the word courage shows us that it derives from the medieval French ‘courage’, meaning ‘heart as the seat of emotions’, which in turn comes from the Latin, ‘cor’, meaning ‘heart’. 

Isn’t courage, then, about wholeheartedness? We suggest that to act courageously is to bring the wisdom and strength of your whole heart to whatever you do. Yes – courage is to move, to think, feel, intend, and act from this space. From this place. What could and would the world look like, if this were the case? If infinite courage prevailed – if every human word and deed came from the heart?

 

We believe in this possibility, radical as it may be. It all begins by believing that it is possible. That takes courage, too – the simple act of imagining – having hope, having faith for a better future, and being willing to put the work in to achieve it. Without courage, we shrink in fear. We diminish and contract. But with the power of infinite courage we expand, we evolve and we flourish.

It is courage that calls to us – from where, we do not know – but it calls with a voice like no other. The call to courage is deep. It is profound. It reminds us that we have the power to transmute and transform whatever may have befallen us – that we can use difficult circumstances to accelerate our own growth. Yes, courage is telling us to think bigger, and become better. Courage reminds us that together we stand, and divided we fall.