MAW Presentation

The Way of the Enlightened Warrior

Editor’s note: The following is a transcript of a presentation that can be given to groups at conventions, churches, et cetera. E-mail us @ [email protected] if you are interested in booking this presentation.

I am here to advocate an effective, traditional lifestyle that provides the structure from within which we can custom build a rich, satisfying life that has a definite purpose and that is worthy of the investment of our lifetime. The lifestyle I’m referring to was ancient thousands of years before Jesus walked the Earth. This life style has been practiced in all cultures around the world throughout human history. Spirituality, practiced daily, is the foundation for this life style. Any legitimate spirituality will work- it’s the daily practice that’s crucial.

The life style I’m referring to is the way of the enlightened warrior. This lifestyle has five elements that must be balanced. These elements are spirit, family, art, war and passion.

The way of the enlightened warrior has historically been taught in conjunction with the arts of war. The repetitive nature of physical and mental training necessary to master the basic arts of war taught the same internal skills needed to successfully fight the ultimate battle- the battle of self. The battle of self is an invisible, internal battle. The state of a person’s success or failure in the battle of self is manifested in the quality of a person’s thoughts, feelings and deeds. We can develop the skills we need to win the battle of self but we must first begin the internal spiritual and mental journey that is the pride, joy and birth right of every human being.

In studying different martial arts for many years, as well as the philosophies of the major religions and philosophies of our species, there is a common metaphor used in many cultures throughout our history for getting started on the path to spiritual awakening and personal evolution. The metaphor I’m referring to is ‘the dreamer’. In both eastern and western religious and philosophical thought there is a common concept. That concept is ‘spiritual awakening’. In studying Chinese Kung Fu we use a form called ‘the dreamer’ as a metaphor to learn about and understand boxing. The dreamer is a series of six movements each involving footwork and a punch. As with all martial art training, the martial art is a metaphor for learning about and understanding life.

Let’s begin. It is a given that each of us is asleep. By that I mean we don’t know what we are, where we are going, why we exist and what our purpose is. We therefore live in a dream world where we go to work because we have to. We have a life that we some how ended up with. We are plugged into a huge wall of external stimulation on the outside. On the inside we have a non-stop loop of emotions, short little fantasy vignettes, and distraction after distraction. None of which we shine our consciousness and awareness on for more than an occasional moment. We therefore exist in the dark, ignoring mind, spirit and emotions. The awakening of the enlightened warrior begins with becoming calmly aware of the internal noise and clutter.

Let’s ask ourselves this question- how do I know if I’m ‘asleep’? If these examples resonate with you then you are sleeping through your life:

1. Do you play out little fantasies/vignettes in your mind? About other drivers, your work situation, your spouse, or friends?

2. Do you leave for a simple drive somewhere close and end up missing the turn because you’ve taken the road to home or work the way you do habitually?

3. Do you get really angry at things that are beyond your control? Ever think about how practical that mentality is?

4. Do you have your current job for no good reason? Do you stay for no good reason? Have you always worked in a field that doesn’t turn you on?

5. Have you ever looked across a table or room and seen someone whose eyes are unfocused and far away? Of course you have! And you’ve done it too. Off far away in some non existent fantasy land. Leaving the powerful and useful present moment where you have total control for something that doesn’t exist and sucks the life right out of you.

6. Can you list your personal values easily and in an order from most important to less important? Can you easily defend those values and their order?

7. Can you give a very focused and concise description of your purpose in life?

8. Do you have a detailed, practical game plan for fulfilling your purpose in life?

9. Are you reactive, like a puppet, to lots of stimuli and influences in your life?

Those questions cover two main points:

1. Are you really awake? And the broader question:

2. Are you actively driving your life to a specific place by a specific route?

Once you get beyond denial and are willing to look a little closer you can proceed to calmly and quietly observe yourself. Spend thirty days monitoring your thoughts and feelings. Imagine there’s a camera recording the sights and sounds that go on in your head. Imagine that the camera has lots of bright lights that are shining in an area that has never been illuminated before. This self-observation must be done passively. You are the dispassionate camera man and observer. Record your observations daily and look for patterns.

After thirty days review your notes and acknowledge the unorganized, unsupervised junkyard that is your mind. Next ask yourself “ Is it any wonder I’m not more fulfilled? Is it any wonder I work so hard yet seem to go nowhere?” After contemplating that question and spending serious, quiet hours thinking about the new self awareness we’ve earned by monitoring our internal state, it’s time to ask ourselves a basic question “ Do I forge ahead into the unknown or do I go back to the same old same old.”

If your are willing to forge ahead, then it’s time to install lots of bright lights in the unorganized junkyard of our mind and to integrate our daily spiritual practice into our exploration and organization of the inner space of our mind. The integration of mind and spirit is a joyful and exciting part of the human experience- it’s like a young bird being pushed out of the nest and learning to fly. As we begin, keep in mind that the spirit is our ultimate source of power andthe mind is the spirit’s closest companion. The line between mind and spirit is like the line between heaven and earth. Much farther down this path we will realize that there really is no line separating the two.

Now it’s time to gather the tools we’ve left laying on the ground. These are the tools we all possess. We may not have developed these tools but we possess them anyway. We will use these tools for self-discovery and directed self-evolution. We will first use these tools for honest self knowledge- that is for ascertaining where we are now and what we have inside. We must examine our current thoughts, feelings and beliefs. We didn’t choose our current thoughts, feelings and beliefs and yet they have been guiding us for years. It’s time for a thorough internal house cleaning. We will examine everything and throw out anything that isn’t good, positive and right for us. Then we start over and rebuild our life from the inside out. This time we choose. We don’t hap hazardously inherit a bunch of rubbish. Instead we build based upon strong, deeply held values- those become our ship. Exciting, worthy goals become our compass. From now on we will direct our life- life won’t direct us. The tools we will use are many. They include desire, faith, persistence, imagination, prayer/meditation and courage. We already possess these tools though they may need to be exercised so that they become powerful. These tools individually are each very powerful. Used together they can move mountains.

As I said at the beginning, I am advocating this life style. I am not advocating this as a religion or life philosophy. I am encouraging you to use this as a structure and a tool for self-knowledge and self-development. The journey I hope you undertake is destined to be among your greatest joys in life. It is a journey with a beginning but without an end. By living from within we become immune to the pressures and negativity around us. We learn to only act- never react. This is done by creating a space between action and reaction- in that space is infinite possibility and control of one’s destiny.

This has been an over view of the first half of the way of the enlightened warrior. I encourage you to take only what makes sense and feels right from this presentation. Please look in many places for new knowledge and self discovery. Remember that those who seek and persist will be rewarded. Learn from others as you build your new life. Pray daily. Meditate on what you value and how you can serve others as a vehicle to move you towards your worthy goals. Most of all enjoy the journey.

Thank You

The Modern American Warrior