By Brian Tucker & Joseph Goldfedder 

Isn’t it interesting that the word “courage” is embedded within two other important words: “encourage” and “discourage”? Like the match used to light our chalice each week, the spark of courage we carry inside us can become a flame that encourages others.

Viewing courage as an inside job helps us realize that we can create an inner landscape, like a garden, where courage can flourish. The word “courage” traces its roots to the Latin cor, meaning “heart.” Ancient cultures understood the importance of cultivating the heart as a pathway to building courage.

With all that’s going on in the world, we are challenged daily to choose courage over fear. It’s easy to slip into fear, even unconsciously, as we are bombarded with what’s happening around us. But tending the garden of our hearts reminds us to trust that seeds of courage, when consciously planted, can thrive through all the seasons of our lives.

Here’s a simple practice you can try, inspired by scientist and author Gregg Braden and by research from the HeartMath Institute on the relationship between the heart and brain. 

1. Focus: Place one hand at mid-chest, at the level of the heart, and the other near your belly. Bring your awareness to the hand at your heart.
2. Breathe: Slow your breathing, feeling your belly rise and fall. Make your exhale slightly longer than your inhale—for example, inhale for four counts and exhale for six. This can help signal safety to your nervous system.
3. Feel: Imagine warmth spreading through your body, from your toes to the crown of your head. Bring to mind a positive emotion such as gratitude, appreciation, or love for someone you care about.
4. Embody: Hold this practice for at least five minutes.

Like lighting the chalice, this practice can spark a small, intentional act that helps shift our inner state. The daily practice of tending our inner garden can invite courage to take root in our hearts.

And perhaps when that inner spark grows, it becomes visible to others. Our courage can inspire another person to find their own. Isn’t that how we create community, celebrate life, and begin to change the world?