The warrior of light listens.
To engage in any activity you need to know what you can expect, how to achieve your objective, and whether or not you are capable of carrying out the proposed task.
‘Only a person who, suitably equipped, feels no desire for the results of conquest and yet remains absorbed in the struggle can truly say that he has renounced the fruits of victory.
One can renounce the fruit, but that renunciation does not signal indifference to the results.’
The warrior of light listens with respect to Gandhi’s strategy. And he remains unconvinced by those who, incapable of achieving any result at all, preach renunciation.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Thursday, August 25, 2005
047. Warrior of Light
The warrior hears someone say: ‘I need to understand everything before I can make a decision. I want to have the freedom to change my mind.’
The warrior regards these words suspiciously. He too can enjoy that freedom, but this does not prevent him from taking on a commitment, even if he does not know quite why he does so.
A warrior of light makes decisions. His soul is as free as the clouds in the sky, but he is committed to his dream.
On his freely chosen path, he often has to get up earlier than he would like, speak to people from whom he learns nothing, make certain sacrifices.
His friends say: ‘You’re not free.’
The warrior is free. But he knows that an open oven bakes no bread.
The warrior regards these words suspiciously. He too can enjoy that freedom, but this does not prevent him from taking on a commitment, even if he does not know quite why he does so.
A warrior of light makes decisions. His soul is as free as the clouds in the sky, but he is committed to his dream.
On his freely chosen path, he often has to get up earlier than he would like, speak to people from whom he learns nothing, make certain sacrifices.
His friends say: ‘You’re not free.’
The warrior is free. But he knows that an open oven bakes no bread.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
046. Warrior of Light
The warrior of light sits around a fire with his companions.
They talk about his conquests, and any strangers who join the group are made welcome because everyone is proud of his life and of his Good Fight. The warrior speaks enthusiastically about the path, he tells how he resisted a particular challenge or speaks of the solution he found to one especially difficult situation. When he tells stories, he invests his words with passion and romance.
Sometimes, he exaggerates a little. He remembers that at times his ancestors used to exaggerate too.
That is why he does the same thing. But he never confuses pride with vanity, and he never believes his own exaggerations.
They talk about his conquests, and any strangers who join the group are made welcome because everyone is proud of his life and of his Good Fight. The warrior speaks enthusiastically about the path, he tells how he resisted a particular challenge or speaks of the solution he found to one especially difficult situation. When he tells stories, he invests his words with passion and romance.
Sometimes, he exaggerates a little. He remembers that at times his ancestors used to exaggerate too.
That is why he does the same thing. But he never confuses pride with vanity, and he never believes his own exaggerations.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
045. Warrior of Light
The warrior of light knows the importance of intuition.
In the midst of battle, he does not have time to think about the enemy’s blows, and so he uses his instinct and obeys his angel.
In times of peace, he deciphers the signs that God sends him.
People say: ‘He’s mad’
Or: ‘He lives in a fantasy world.’
Or even: ‘How can he possibly believe in such illogical things?’
But the warrior knows that intuition is God’s alphabet and he continues listening to the wind and talking to the stars.
In the midst of battle, he does not have time to think about the enemy’s blows, and so he uses his instinct and obeys his angel.
In times of peace, he deciphers the signs that God sends him.
People say: ‘He’s mad’
Or: ‘He lives in a fantasy world.’
Or even: ‘How can he possibly believe in such illogical things?’
But the warrior knows that intuition is God’s alphabet and he continues listening to the wind and talking to the stars.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
044 Warrior of Light
The warrior remembers the past.
He knows about man’s Spiritual Quest, he knows that this Quest has been responsible for some of history’s finest pages.
But also some of history’s worst chapters: massacres, sacrifices, obscurantism. It was used for personal ends and has seen its ideas used to defend the most terrible of intentions.
The warrior has heard people ask: ‘how am I to know that the path I am on is the right path?’ And He has seen many people abandon their quest because they could not answer that question.
The warrior has no doubts; he follows one infallible saying:
‘By their fruits ye shall know them,’ said Jesus. That is the rule he follows, and he never goes wrong.
He knows about man’s Spiritual Quest, he knows that this Quest has been responsible for some of history’s finest pages.
But also some of history’s worst chapters: massacres, sacrifices, obscurantism. It was used for personal ends and has seen its ideas used to defend the most terrible of intentions.
The warrior has heard people ask: ‘how am I to know that the path I am on is the right path?’ And He has seen many people abandon their quest because they could not answer that question.
The warrior has no doubts; he follows one infallible saying:
‘By their fruits ye shall know them,’ said Jesus. That is the rule he follows, and he never goes wrong.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
043. Warrior of Light
A warrior of light always keeps his heart free of any feelings of hatred.
When he goes into battle, he remembers what Christ said: ‘Love your enemies.’ And he obeys.
But he knows that the act of forgiveness does not mean that he must accept everything; a warrior cannot bow his head, for if he did he would lose sight of the horizon of his dreams.
He accepts that his opponents are there to test his valour, his persistence, his ability to make decisions. They force him to fight for his dreams.
It is the experience of battle that strengthens the warrior of light.
When he goes into battle, he remembers what Christ said: ‘Love your enemies.’ And he obeys.
But he knows that the act of forgiveness does not mean that he must accept everything; a warrior cannot bow his head, for if he did he would lose sight of the horizon of his dreams.
He accepts that his opponents are there to test his valour, his persistence, his ability to make decisions. They force him to fight for his dreams.
It is the experience of battle that strengthens the warrior of light.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
042. Warrior of Light
A warrior of light often loses heart.
He believes that nothing can stir in him the emotion he so desired. He is forced to spend many evenings and night feeling that he is one of the vanquished, and nothing seems able to restore his enthusiasm.
His friends say: ‘perhaps his fight is over’
The warrior feels pain and confusion when he hears such remarks because he knows that he has not yet reached the place he wanted to reach. But he is stubborn and refuses to relinquish his aims.
Then, when he least expects it, a new door opens.
He believes that nothing can stir in him the emotion he so desired. He is forced to spend many evenings and night feeling that he is one of the vanquished, and nothing seems able to restore his enthusiasm.
His friends say: ‘perhaps his fight is over’
The warrior feels pain and confusion when he hears such remarks because he knows that he has not yet reached the place he wanted to reach. But he is stubborn and refuses to relinquish his aims.
Then, when he least expects it, a new door opens.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
041. Warrior of Light
A warrior of light needs both patience and speed.
The two worst strategic mistakes to make are acting prematurely and letting an opportunity slip; to avoid this, the warrior treats each situation as if it were unique and never resorts to formulae, recipes or other people’s opinions.
The caliph Moauiyat asked Omr Ben Al-Aas the secret of his great political skills:
‘I never get involved in something without having first worked out my retreat; then again, I have never done into a situation and immediately wanted to run straight out again,’ came the answer.
The two worst strategic mistakes to make are acting prematurely and letting an opportunity slip; to avoid this, the warrior treats each situation as if it were unique and never resorts to formulae, recipes or other people’s opinions.
The caliph Moauiyat asked Omr Ben Al-Aas the secret of his great political skills:
‘I never get involved in something without having first worked out my retreat; then again, I have never done into a situation and immediately wanted to run straight out again,’ came the answer.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
040. Warrior of Light
A warrior of light is never in a hurry.
Time works in his favour; he learns to master his impatience and avoids acting without thinking.
By walking slowly, he becomes aware of the firmness of his step. He knows that he is taking part in a decisive moment in the history of humanity and that he needs to change himself before he can transform the world. That is why he remembers the words of Lanza del Vasto: ‘A revolution takes time to settle in.’
A warrior never picks fruit while it is still green.
Time works in his favour; he learns to master his impatience and avoids acting without thinking.
By walking slowly, he becomes aware of the firmness of his step. He knows that he is taking part in a decisive moment in the history of humanity and that he needs to change himself before he can transform the world. That is why he remembers the words of Lanza del Vasto: ‘A revolution takes time to settle in.’
A warrior never picks fruit while it is still green.
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