On the surface it probably looked like I had everything under perfect control. I didn't. Well, my process worked well, but mentally and emotionally I was absolutely terrified. Changing jobs to one where I knew hardly anyone and moving to a new place with zero financial cushion room was just plain scary. I was afraid to leave my friends, afraid to leave my job (though more afraid of being fired), and afraid to re-create everything I knew.
What changed in me and made me put in my notice was obviously bravery. I needed it and I needed it bad, so I invoked it. I've heard people say that it is somehow "dangerous" to invoke a generic feeling. I really don't think this is the case as long as you understand the options that are laid out before you. Bravery can arise within you in a couple different ways. It will arise in desperation when you have few options left, or it can arise in times of greatness. Sometimes the bravery that arises starts in despair and turns the situation into a great one. The choice is yours.
To invoke bravery, we should understand the type of energies that make up this feeling. Bravery is fire, consuming obstacles that stand in its way. It keeps the body warm and alive in harsh conditions, pushing it to not only survive, but to thrive. It is also air, flowing out into the vastness of uncharted territory. It fills every crevice and influences all other things. Bravery is the spear of Nuada and the bow of Diana, tools of the gods that are extensions of our beings. It is both external and internal. It flows into us from the limitless abyss and flows out from our core.
Bravery requires that we make a choice to take action. We can't expect bravery to show up and do all the work. Enthusiasm alone isn't enough to get stuff done. Sometimes it means that I bring all my resources and allies (physical and spiritual) to the table to help me out. Sometimes it means facing resistance and getting out of my own way. It doesn't always mean overcoming the fear of major life change. It can mean waking up fifteen minutes early to sacrifice sleeping in to sit at my altar. Every day we make a choice to be brave.
To magick workers, bravery rides on the athame's edge, the weapon of fire/air that directs our will. To be brave, we must keep ourselves sharp and cunning. To be brave doesn't mean we act without knowledge and wisdom. It also means that we don't limit ourselves with too many trivial options. When we invoke bravery, we have a goal in mind and we step into it fully. Bravery requires that every part of us awaken and take part in the challenges. When we are brave, we're just becoming who we are in our entirety.
