Fearless Engagement of Four Arrows: The True Story of an Indigenous-Based Social Transformer (Counterpoints)

In times of extreme cascading global crises facing humanity, all responsible humans need to re-evaluate the dominant worldview that has brought us to this point of facing extinction. As a species we need to relearn the "good" ways from our greatest allies in Nature and from Indigenous cultures that lived in relative harmony with Nature. Equally, we need to learn the best ways to think critically and act on the holistic understanding that may guide us beyond our individual and collective trance and illusions cast forth like chains upon modern societies through elites who manipulate fear. Fearless Engagement of Four Arrows offers a unique strong "medicine" for the reconstruction of a healthy, sane, and sustainable future for all. Utilizing the form of an intellectual biography of Four Arrows (aka Dr. Don Trent Jacobs) and his daring activist life and true teaching stories, the author creates a powerful adventure into the firey philosophy, activism, and emancipatory inspirations of one of the world’s great visionary prophetic educators and social transformers. Through a number of unique experiences, including firefighting, white-water kayaking, wild horse training, world-class athletic competitions, and counter-cultural activism, Four Arrows has become a connoisseur of fear and courage. This book shows how he walks a universal ethical path of Fearlessness at a time when too many remain trapped by their fears. Among other readers, high school teachers and post-secondary teachers across diverse disciplines will find great ideas, eliciting dialogues and study questions for students, who now face a globalizing world where they can take charge of the future __via__ fearless engagement. Cover 1 Opening Prayer 11 Table of Contents 13 Photographs and Figures 15 Acknowledgments 17 Foreword: On Being a Warrior (Shirley R. Steinberg) 19 Preface 21 Introduction 25 CAT-FAWN Connection: Fear Management Up-Graded 28 Evolution: Sense of History, Development and Progress 33 Transpersonal Lineage(s) 35 Suggestions on How to Engage with This Book 36 Notes 37 Part I. Fearles 45 1. Fearless Waters Deep 47 Big Picture: What Road Shall We Take? 47 Big Picture: Extreme Challenges, Lessons, Solutions 49 Beginning Deep 52 “Wild Undertakings” 54 Notes 64 2. “Walking a Path of Harmony” 77 Performing and Writing Fearless as Beyond 77 Performing Fearless Presence: The Peaceful Way 80 From Human Nature to “Wild” Nature: Finding the Best Teachers 86 Four Arrows’ Explicit Uses of “Fearless” 90 “Outlaw” Scholar-Activist at the Extreme 93 Notes 104 3. Radicalization of a Moralist 119 Peace and War: Wearing a “Velvet Glove” 119 Life-Transforming Event(s) and Choices 121 Who I Am(?) 127 Notes 136 Part I Study Questions and Practices 141 Part II. Fearlesnes 145 4. CAT-Nature as (Com)passionate Gifting 147 Lunar (and Feminine) Side of Fearlessness 151 “Loving Fearlessness” 155 A Germane Truth of the 21st Century Context: The Anthropocene 158 Sanctuary of the Heart and Soul of Nature 160 Fear Management 101: Biophilia and the Feminine Reconstruction 165 Notes 173 5. Dancing in/with the Spirit of Fearlessness 183 The 2027 Visionary Conference on Fearlessness 184 Four Arrows’ Uses and Discourse(s) of “Fearlessness” 197 Notes 207 Part II Study Questions and Practices 215 Interlude 217 Part III. Courage(ous) 225 6. Radical Honesty: Harnessing the Magic of Fear 227 Protecting the “Connoisseur of Fear” Conception 233 Olympic Bound: Fencing on the Edge 238 A Certain “Crazy”: Practicing Radical Honesty 243 Sanity: Riding “Windhorse” 247 Notes 253 7. Befriending the “Gift of Fear” 265 What Is Physical Courage? 267 Notes 278 Part III Study Questions and Practices 281 Part IV. Brave(ry) 285 8. The Bronco and the Boat 287 Brave Arising 288 Making Brave(s) Not War 291 Notes 307 Part IV Study Questions and Practices 315 Epilogue by Four Arrows 319 Make the Best of It 321 Appendix: The CAT-FAWN Model (adapted from Jacobs, 1998) 323 Index 325

In times of extreme cascading global crises facing humanity, all responsible humans need to re-evaluate the dominant worldview that has brought us to this point of facing extinction. As a species we need to relearn the "good" ways from our greatest allies in Nature and from Indigenous cultures that lived in relative harmony with Nature. Equally, we need to learn the best ways to think critically and act on the holistic understanding that may guide us beyond our individual and collective trance and illusions cast forth like chains upon modern societies through elites who manipulate fear.

Fearless Engagement of Four Arrows offers a unique strong "medicine" for the reconstruction of a healthy, sane, and sustainable future for all. Utilizing the form of an intellectual biography of Four Arrows (aka Dr. Don Trent Jacobs) and his daring activist life and true teaching stories, the author creates a powerful adventure into the firey philosophy, activism, and emancipatory inspirations of one of the world’s great visionary prophetic educators and social transformers. Through a number of unique experiences, including firefighting, white-water kayaking, wild horse training, world-class athletic competitions, and counter-cultural activism, Four Arrows has become a connoisseur of fear and courage. This book shows how he walks a universal ethical path of Fearlessness at a time when too many remain trapped by their fears.

Among other readers, high school teachers and post-secondary teachers across diverse disciplines will find great ideas, eliciting dialogues and study questions for students, who now face a globalizing world where they can take charge of the future via fearless engagement.

"In times of extreme cascading global crises facing humanity, all responsible humans need to re-evaluate the dominant worldview that has brought us to this point of facing extinction. As a species we need to relearn the 'good' ways from our greatest allies in Nature and from Indigenous cultures that lived in relative harmony with Nature. Equally, we need to learn the best ways to think critically and act on the holistic understanding that may guide us beyond our individual and collective trance and illusions cast forth like chains upon modern societies through elites who manipulate fear. Fearless Engagement of Four Arrows offers a unique strong 'medicine' for the reconstruction of a healthy, sane, and sustainable future for all. Utilizing the form of an intellectual biography of Four Arrows (aka Dr. Don Trent Jacobs) and his daring activist life and true teaching stories, the author creates a powerful adventure into the firey philosophy, activism, and emancipatory inspirations of one of the world's great visionary prophetic educators and social transformers. Through a number of unique experiences, including firefighting, white-water kayaking, wild horse training, world-class athletic competitions, and counter-cultural activism, Four Arrows has become a connoisseur of fear and courage. This book shows how he walks a universal ethical path of Fearlessness at a time when too many remain trapped by their fears. Among other readers, high school teachers and post-secondary teachers across diverse disciplines will find great ideas, eliciting dialogues and study questions for students, who now face a globalizing world where they can take charge of the future via fearless engagement."--Provided by publisher R. Michael Fisher. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.