Editor’s Note: See the mini-documentary on CAT-FAWN at the bottom of the page. Visit the Worldview Literacy Project, a sister-initiative of Kindred, to learn more about using CAT-FAWN in conjunction with the Worldview Chart by Four Arrows.
Friends, hardships pursue me; Fearless of them, I live…
Love of my country is why I am doing this—Sitting Bull
In Lakota, Wóohitike means having and showing bravery or courage. It enables us to risk what all for a higher purpose. All cultures value it, along with other virtues, such as generosity, patience, fortitude, honesty, and humility. However, under our dominant worldview precepts, few are guided by such virtues, especially when fearful. Our societies seem to have become “cultures of fear” (Tudor, 2003). In the Indigenous worldview fear is an opportunity to practice a virtue. It is essential for fortitude, which requires the courage to persist. It is about wisdom, which is the courage to act on what you know for the greater good. Consistent compassion for others often calls on courage. Being truthful about yourself and the world takes courage. Love and the sacrifices associated with it require it. Lakota people consider generosity to be the highest expression of courage.
Even those with courage are selective and conservative with its use. Courage takes lots of energy. Traditional Indigenous People overcame this by turning courage into fearlessness. This is very different from the dominant worldview that says fearlessness is foolishness. Aristotle, a co-creator of the worldview most of the world now follows, thought “He who exceeds in fearlessness is insensible” and “he who exceeds in confidence is rash” (Grades/Fixer, 2018). In contrast, under Indigenous worldview once a commitment to act is initiated, a fearless trust in the universe takes over. The action is happening and courage becomes unnecessary. Outcomes are up to the Spirits. The stress vanishes.
Such fearlessness is coupled with accepting the mystery of life and death, believing in an immortal consciousness, and knowing that the world is interconnected. This movement from fear to courage to fearlessness reveals that, for traditional Indigenous cultures, fear is relational and motivational. It bonds people together and inspires a full commitment to one’s highest potentiality in relationships to all.
Michael Fisher analyzes these ideas about fearlessness in his book, Fearless Engagement of Four Arrows: The True Story of an Indigenous-Based Social Transformer(2018)
The CAT-FAWN Connection: Are you ready to work on becoming a braver person? If so, start with one thing you fear. It might relate to ridicule, relationships, dogs, swimming, public speaking, spiders, etc. Ask yourself how you might turn the object of your fear into a catalyst for practicing one of the virtues. Consider the source of your anxiety. Now reflect honestly via you being the highest authority on the matter. Change whatever hypnosis a previous event or an authority figure may have programmed your mind. What words do you use that continually re-hypnotize you? For example, do you immediately say, “I can’t do that” or “That scares me?” Finally, reframe or create Nature’s experiences to learn from other creatures, plants, rivers, or mountains. After these metacognitive considerations, use your pendulum device or whatever self-hypnotic technique you want to use, to visualize desired changes.
What is CAT-FAWN?
CAT-FAWN refers to a model by Indigenous scholar Four Arrows (Donald Trent Jacobs) that describes a method called Concentration Activated Transformation (CAT) which helps shift worldviews using Fear, Authority, Words, and Nature (FAWN). The CAT part is a self-hypnotic or trance-like state for personal growth, and the FAWN part involves reflecting on these four influences to challenge the dominant, human-centered worldview and move toward a more balanced, Indigenous-based perspective.
The CAT-FAWN Model Explained
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- This is a metacognitive process, often described as self-hypnosis, designed to facilitate deep, internal transformation.
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- It involves a trance-like state where an individual can gain new perspectives and awareness.
- FAWN: Fear, Authority, Words, and Nature
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- These are the key influences that shape our “hypnotic programming” and worldview.
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- Fear: How we react to challenges and what we are afraid of.
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- Authority: The sources (people, institutions) we believe have power over us, which often underpins our fears.
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- Words: The language we use that perpetuates beliefs and values, often re-hypnotizing us into existing thought patterns.
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- Nature: The natural world, which offers wisdom and provides a contrasting, holistic perspective to the dominant, human-centered worldview.
How it Works
- Acknowledge the Dominant Worldview:
The model encourages recognizing the uninvestigated beliefs that form the dominant worldview, which is often human-centered and can cause imbalance.
- Identify the FAWN Influences:
Individuals reflect on a specific fear or challenge by examining the authority figures or sources of fear, the words that reinforce those fears, and observing nature.
- Engage in CAT:
Through a meditative or trance-like state (CAT), the insights gained from analyzing the FAWN elements are used to create transformation.
- Move Toward an Indigenous Worldview:
The goal is to de-hypnotize from the dominant worldview and adopt an Indigenous-based worldview that promotes balance, interconnectedness, and respect for all beings and the Earth.
References
GradesFixer. 2018. The Concept of Courage in the Aristotelian Thought., viewed 4 July 2020, https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/courage-and-aristotles-doctrine-of-the-mean/
Fisher, R. M. (2018). Fearless Engagement of Four Arrows: The True Story of an Indigenous-Based Social Transformer. New York: Peter Lang.
Tudor, Andrew (2003). “A Macro Sociology of Fear.” The Sociological Review. 51(2), pp 238 0256.