September 2026

📚 BOOK CLUB — NEXT READ: THE GIFT OF FEAR

We’ve talked about what to do when violence is the answer.

Now we’re going to talk about something just as important:

How do you recognize danger before violence ever begins?

Our next book is The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker — a fascinating look at intuition, fear, manipulation, warning signs, and the subtle behaviors we often notice but convince ourselves to ignore.

Why does someone make you uncomfortable even when they haven’t technically done anything wrong?
Why do we sometimes prioritize being polite over trusting our instincts?
What behaviors tend to show up before violence occurs?

This is the perfect continuation of our last discussion. When Violence Is the Answer gave us a framework for responding when a threat becomes physical. The Gift of Fear takes us further upstream — recognizing the signals that might keep us from getting there in the first place.

🥋 Read it. Question it. Bring your opinions.

Because the goal isn’t to live afraid.

It’s to know when fear is trying to tell you something.

Join us for Book Club Discussion:
📅 Saturday, September 26th
🕐 1:00 PM — right after Open Mat
📍 Open to the whole community — bring a friend!