Yoga Can Help Remind You of Your Courage. Here's How.

"Being vulnerable enough to explore our truth requires that we be brutally honest about how we show up to self, others, and the world. And that can be daunting. It's much easier to put on our armor and close ourselves off than remain open to our pain as well as the pain of others."

"Most of these forms present Durga as a protector, defender of justice, and awakened warrior. Yet there is also a peaceful form of Durga, known as Maa Mahagauri, that is associated with compassion and tranquility. In this form, Durga reminds us that softness and vulnerability are integral aspects of the courageous warrior."

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but acting despite it. Each time I think of this phrase, I'm reminded of the vulnerability inherent in this courageousness. As a somatic therapist-in-training, I spend a lot of time exploring the seemingly opposing concepts of courage and vulnerability."

Courage is not the absence of fear but acting despite it, requiring vulnerability and brutal honesty about how we show up to ourselves, others, and the world. While it is easier to armor ourselves against pain, integration of our experiences demands we call upon our strength when confronted with uncomfortable aspects of ourselves and societal injustices. The Hindu goddess Durga embodies this emotional journey from vulnerability to courage through her nine forms, which represent different aspects of divine feminine energy. Most forms depict Durga as a protector and awakened warrior, yet her peaceful form, Maa Mahagauri, represents compassion and tranquility. This demonstrates that softness and vulnerability are integral to courageous strength, allowing us to hold seemingly opposite yet complementary truths simultaneously.

Read at Yoga Journal