on the courage to die continually

"Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth....What we're talking about is getting to know fear, becoming familiar with fear, looking it right in the eye-- not as a way to solve problems, but as a complete undoing of old ways of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and thinking. The truth is that when we really begin to do this, we're going to be continually humbled. There's not going to be much room for the arrogance that holding on to ideals can bring. The arrogance that inevitably does arise is going to be continually shot down by our own courage to step forward a little further. The kinds of discoveries that are made through practice have nothing to do with believing in anything. They have much more to do with the courage to die, the courage to die continually." Pema Chödrön, _When Things Fall Apart_

also from this chapter:

""I once asked Zen master Kobun Chino Roshi how he related with fear and he said "I agree. I agree.""