Transcending cowardice (or selfishness) is both a daily and a life-long path. If you don’t give your spiritual training absolute priority your coward will have (a lot) of power over you. Who do you think is the one that whispers in your ear that you don’t need to think about or that it’s too difficult or boring? It’s the devil! Meet your coward. Are you skipping your prayers regularly or not practicing at all? Don’t call yourself a warrior, you are not facing yourself but using a title to create a false sense of self-worth.

A warrior speaks from his heart and therefore naturally lives up to his word. His word and his actions are aligned; there is no gap. A coward likes to paint a favorable self-image and will say anything that sounds right in the moment. Changing your mind a lot? Making excuses? Trying to avoid commitment or getting away from previous promises regularly? That means you are running away from your true nature. The coward owns you.

Self-preservation at all costs is the domain of the coward. A warrior knows that it is not about him. As a warrior you don’t feel separated so you don’t act as if you feel separated. Only a separated self gives his self-preservation priority. Are most of your actions aimed at creating something beneficial for yourself? Say hi to your coward.

A warrior is intimately acquainted with his fears. He knows them as well a mother knows the names of her children. But his actions are not informed by fear but by love. He is not without fear but free from them. In denial of fear? Avoiding fear? Spend a lot of time looking for comfort and chasing desire? You are living the cowardly life.

A coward likes to hide behind masks. Successful masks, pretty masks and cool masks are his favorites. Smart masks and charming are also convenient. A warrior reveals them for his own sanity, not to impress others. He simply wants his vision to be clear. Are you aware of your masks? Are you committed to unconditional discarding masks, tossing them one after the other? If that is not a wholehearted YES that is coming out of your mouth right now you are looking through the lens of a coward.

A warrior helps because he can. Not because he wants to or if he feels like it. A coward has an agenda and keeps track of his ‘good deeds’ because he expects them back sooner or later. A warrior likes to give, a coward likes to benefit. When was the last time somebody reached out to you for help? Was there the slightest bit of reluctancy? Felt the slightest bit of rejection towards either the person or his request? Then your coward played you, even if you complied eventually.

A warrior gives everything because he has no fear of depleting himself nor does he need energy to uphold anything. Everything he has to offer is available. He shares his resources, albeit financial, emotional, intellectual or physical. Ever caught yourself trying to give less than you really have and justifying that behavior, even manipulating the truth to make your actions look sincere? You know it: it’s your selfish coward once again.