The Hero’s Wisdom & The Child’s Heart

Soyen Shaku, one of the first Zen teachers to bring the teachings to America, shared a strikingly simple yet profound directive for his students: “Have the courageous attitude of a hero with the loving heart of a child.” When we sit with this teaching, its wisdom resonates deeply. It feels as though it is speaking directly to us, inviting us to embody its truth. Yet, this teaching also stirs a certain cognitive dissonance—a recognition of the gap between the ideal and our habitual ways of being.

Where does the tension arise? Consider something as seemingly simple as saying, “I love you.” Expressing love often feels like stepping out onto a precarious ledge. It demands vulnerability and honesty, leaving us exposed. What if our love is not reciprocated? What if the very essence of who we think we are—our likes, dislikes, preferences, and stories—is rejected? This fear of rejection speaks to our crystallized sense of self, the ‘me’ we cling to so tightly.

This hesitation comes from worldly wisdom, the knowledge we accumulate through life that tells us to protect ourselves, to avoid pain at all costs. But if we set that knowing aside, we find that there is no real problem here. Without the barrier of our preferences and judgments, we can approach life with curiosity, openness, even playfulness. We can step into suffering—ours and others’—with the knowledge that we already have everything we need to address it.

To let go of preferences and judgments is to step into the void with faith. This is not blind faith, but a trust in the way of things, the natural unfolding of the universe that brings all things to fruition. When we align ourselves with this flow, we become part of the wisdom that mends and transforms. This is the courageous attitude of a hero: stepping forward even when the path is uncertain. And this is the loving heart of a child: engaging the world with openness, trust, and boundless compassion.

Today, I encourage you to cultivate this spirit—to set aside the stories you tell yourself about yourself and to walk bravely into the situations that confront you. Trust that you have everything you need to make a difference, to manifest compassion, and to be the change this world so deeply needs!