Fear is one of our most persistent human experiences. It can quietly shape our thoughts, limit our beliefs, and separate us from our own wholeness. But we don’t have to let fear define our lives.
For centuries, the Zen tradition has offered a clear, compassionate path for transforming fear—not by denying it, but by meeting it with presence, insight, and love. At the heart of that path are eight simple yet powerful practices known as The Eight Awarenesses of the Awakened Person, originally taught by the Buddha and later illuminated by Zen master Eihei Dōgen.
These eight practices show us how to live with greater steadiness, clarity, and courage. They offer a deeply practical response to fear, helping us reduce its grip and awaken our capacity for connection, resilience, and inner freedom.
Medicine For Fear is a course from Lion’s Roar and the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care that brings these transformative teachings to life. Through an eight-part training led by Zen teachers Koshin Paley Ellison and Chodo Robert Campbell, you’ll learn how to embody these practices and step onto a path of fearlessness. Plus, you'll hear from guest teachers with additional guidance and practice methods for transforming fear and waking up to wisdom in your everyday life.
This course is about not pushing away fear, but learning to walk with it—with compassion, clarity, and courage.
Ready to get started?
Save 40% and give a second enrollment to a friend!
°
“Like a tree in the wind, completely moving with what is, whatever it is in your life: How are you moving with what is?”
Koshin Paley Ellison
You'll Learn How To
Use mindfulness and compassion to transform fear into a gateway to presence and courage.
Find peace in the midst of uncertainty through timeless Zen practices.
Build inner stability and resilience by cultivating wholehearted effort you can return to again and again.
Strengthen your ability to act with clarity and compassion, even when fear or doubt arise.
Rediscover contentment and gratitude in the simplicity of daily life.
Walk a path rooted in ancient wisdom and shared humanity.
Training 1: Having Few Desires
→ Discover how letting go of craving and excess opens the door to a peaceful mind, laying the groundwork for cultivating fearlessness.
+ Guided Zazen in Light of the First Practice
Training 2: Knowing How to Be Satisfied
→ Explore the power of contentment. When we stop grasping for more, we uncover gratitude and a sense of wholeness.
+ Guided Zazen in Light of the Second Practice
Training 3: Enjoying Serenity and Tranquility
→ Learn how embracing the stillness of the present moment helps you cultivate a strong inner calm, even when the outside world is chaotic.
+ Guided Zazen in Light of the Third Practice
Training 4: Exerting Meticulous Effort
→ Understand how steady, wholehearted effort builds confidence and clarity. Fear loses its grip when we show up fully, again and again.
+ Guided Zazen in Light of the Fourth Practice
Training 5: Not Forgetting Right Thought
→ Practice staying grounded in your intention to practice mindfulness and returning to it, even amid challenges.
+ Guided Zazen in Light of the Fifth Practice
Training 6: Practicing One-Pointed Attention
→ Deepen your capacity for focused awareness. Through meditation, we find the inner stability that fear cannot shake.
+ Guided Zazen in Light of the Sixth Practice
Training 7: Cultivating Wisdom
→ Awaken the insight that frees us. Wisdom allows us to see fear clearly and choose a compassionate response instead of reaction.
+ Guided Zazen in Light of the Seventh Practice
TRAINING 8: Avoiding Idle Talk
→ Discover the strength of mindful speech and silence. Letting go of distraction and gossip supports inner stillness and clear connection.
+ Guided Zazen in Light of the Eighth Practice
Your Teachers
Koshin Paley Ellison
Co-Founder & Guiding Teacher, New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care
Chodo Robert Campbell
CO-FOUNDER & GUIDING TEACHER, NEW YORK ZEN CENTER FOR CONTEMPLATIVE CARE
Begin this 8-Part Training Series Today
Save 40% and give a second enrollment to a friend.
Guest Teacher Sessions
Expand your toolkit with these insightful guest sessions from Buddhist teachers who offer heartfelt guidance and grounding practices to help you work with fear.
PAMELA AYO YETUNDE
CO-FOUNDER, CENTER OF THE HEART
° Surrender and Submission: Exposing Your Fear and Vulnerability to Skilled Spiritual Friends
+ Guided practice: "From Heart to Mouth to Head and Beyond: The Brahma Viharas"
KODO NISHIMURA
Buddhist monk, Makeup Artist, LGBTQ Activist, and Model
° Conquering Fear From Within
+ Guided "Worst Fear" Practice
MIRABAI BUSH
FOUNDER, CENTER FOR CONTEMPLATIVE MIND IN SOCIETY
° Love & Courage as Antidotes to Fear
+ Guided "Loving Awareness" Practice
MUSHIM PATRICIA IKEDA
BUDDHIST AND SECULAR MINDFULNESS TEACHER
° Working With the Fear of our Own Emotions
+ "The Practice of the Wild Things"
°
“We think having what we want will provide us with happiness, but the Buddha was so clear: how important it is to be really intimate with the ever-changing nature of reality, whether or not we like it.”
Koshin Paley Ellison
What The Course Includes
Enroll now to receive this complete collection of study and practice resources.
Unlimited Access
+ Gift Enrollment
Get lifetime access to all the course material, plus you can give the course to a friend at no cost.
8 Practices of the Awakened Person
A step-by-step training in Dogen's essential instructions, plus guided zazen practices, led by Koshin Paley Ellison and Chodo Robert Campbell.
Enlightening Talks
Deepen your understanding with teachings from experienced Buddhist teachers, counselors, and spiritual leaders.
Practice Instructions
Engage in 12+ guided meditations led by course teachers, and learn how to bring these practices into your daily life.
On-Demand Video
Watch course lessons in your Lion’s Roar Online Learning account, or download them to view offline. Closed captions are included.
Study Materials
Support your study and practice with downloadable audio and transcripts of each session.
A limited number of scholarships are available for this course.
Click here to learn more and apply.
New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care offers guidance for people interested in beginning meditation or continuing in their existing practice; we train people from all walks of life— including medical professionals, parents, lawyers, artists and bankers—in compassionate carepartnering; we support people and their loved ones through serious illness and death, and assist family and friends during their grieving process. We also celebrate and honor many of life’s meaningful moments.
Since opening in 2007, our center has been a trailblazer in researching, testing and developing contemplative care methodologies. Today, New York Zen Center’s techniques are internationally recognized—and have touched the lives of tens of thousands of individuals.
Mission-driven, non-profit, and community-supported, Lion’s Roar provides Buddhist teachings, news, and perspectives so that the understanding and practice of Buddhism flourishes in today’s world and its timeless wisdom is accessible to all. We do this by providing as many entry points as we can: through our print and digital publications, our website, video, social media, online courses, practice retreats, and more. We try to bring dharma to people right where they are, knowing what a difference it can make in their lives.