IN SEARCH OF SPIRIT

(Notes)

Suresh Fernando2006 - 2009

My Commitment To The Way of The Warrior..........................................................................3Considerations......................................................................................................................... 3Objectives................................................................................................................................ 3The Question Of Truth.............................................................................................................4On Truth and Faith...................................................................................................................4The Way Of The Warrior: a distinctive spiritual paradigm........................................................5

Concepts....................................................................................................................................... 8

Impeccability............................................................................................................................ 8No Hard Boundaries................................................................................................................9

Artificial Reality.......................................................................................................................... 10Internal Dialogue.................................................................................................................... 11Patience................................................................................................................................. 12

Alertness................................................................................................................................... 12Knowledge................................................................................................................................ 12Seeing....................................................................................................................................... 13

Power.................................................................................................................................... 14Personal Power..................................................................................................................... 15Power: Exchange Of Energy.................................................................................................16Power Versus Control............................................................................................................16Power versus Dominance......................................................................................................17The Worthy Adversary...........................................................................................................17No Fear/No Ambition.............................................................................................................17The Last Battle...................................................................................................................... 17Struggle................................................................................................................................. 18Emotions As Indulgence........................................................................................................18Responsibility........................................................................................................................ 19Love....................................................................................................................................... 20Warrior Spirit.......................................................................................................................... 21Compassion........................................................................................................................... 23Fear....................................................................................................................................... 23Intellectual Authenticity..........................................................................................................24Patience................................................................................................................................. 24Physical Energy..................................................................................................................... 24Lack Of Self Importance........................................................................................................24Death..................................................................................................................................... 25Action..................................................................................................................................... 25The Path................................................................................................................................ 26The Breaking Point................................................................................................................26Well Being............................................................................................................................. 27Discipline............................................................................................................................... 27Control/Abandon....................................................................................................................28Doing/Not Doing....................................................................................................................28Hunting.................................................................................................................................. 30Stalking.................................................................................................................................. 30Inaccessibility........................................................................................................................ 30The Nagual............................................................................................................................ 31Unbending Intent...................................................................................................................32Truth...................................................................................................................................... 32Knowledge............................................................................................................................. 32Challenge.............................................................................................................................. 32Stopping The World...............................................................................................................33Dreams.................................................................................................................................. 33

Erasing Personal History/Eliminating Self..............................................................................34Energy....................................................................................................................................... 34

The Earth/World..................................................................................................................... 34Practical Applications Of The Way Of The Warrior In Everyday Life.....................................35

Take Action............................................................................................................................... 35Invest In Yourself.............................................................................................................35Discipline/Habits..............................................................................................................35Getting Closer To Earth...................................................................................................35

Physical Health...................................................................................................................... 36Places Of Power....................................................................................................................36Long Walks............................................................................................................................ 36Pushing Your Boundaries/Combating Fear...........................................................................37Expecting More From Oneself...............................................................................................37Evidence Of Impeccability: Actions and Processes...............................................................38

Evidence Of Everyday Life: States Of Consciousness..............................................................39Evidence Of Everyday Life: Actions and Processes..............................................................39Becoming............................................................................................................................... 39Being..................................................................................................................................... 39

The Deification Of Man..............................................................................................................39Love and Energy.................................................................................................................... 41

Energy And Happiness..............................................................................................................41Balanced Energy and Happiness..............................................................................................42The Ability To Love....................................................................................................................42The Importance Of Immediacy..................................................................................................43Religion Versus a Connection With Spirit..................................................................................44Identity And Spirit...................................................................................................................... 44The “Emotion” Trap................................................................................................................... 45

Loneliness and Faith..............................................................................................................46Accessing the Energy of Spirit...............................................................................................47Thoughts on the Uniqueness of the Warrior..........................................................................50

My Commitment To The Way of The Warrior

Coming to terms with the notion of spirituality has always been a challenge for me. That one must

be spiritual, in some sense, seems apparent. It is those that have a spiritual essence that actually

seem happy, whatever that might mean.

Yet, what it is to be spiritual continues to escape me. That I should be something for which there

is an existing community seems not to be the solution. If it were the solution that would be

easiest. I cannot, however, defer to the thoughts of another on how I must live my life. I am too

skeptical about the vagaries of human nature.

That said I have read much about spirituality and have been presented with different ways to live

ones life, different ways to assign priorities and so on. Through my investigations in conjunction

with constant self examination, I have come to the realization that if I espouse any wisdom

tradition, it is the Way of the Warrior!

There is something about this tradition that speaks to me.

If feel that there is something essential about me that makes me a warrior, yet I feel that I have

not come close to realizing my role in the world as a warrior. I am far too consumed by fear,

uncertainty and doubt to actually be a warrior. The essence exists as potential, but has yet to be

released. That energy within that give rise to this self concept is present within me, but thus far I

have been losing the battle within, therefore am not expressing myself in the world as a warrior.

The time is now for me to except that this is the paradigm that I must live within, and if it is

necessary that I develop the paradigm then so be it.

My commitment to the world, however, is not to share this paradigm as my own until I feel that I

have achieved some of what I am striving for.

Until I feel as though I am a warrior, it is not becoming of me to present myself to the world as a

warrior!

Spiritual Paradigms

God/Higher Power/Spirit…

Elimination of Self/Ego

The following essay is not, by any means, meant to be a thorough analysis of various spiritual

traditions. It is only one mans attempt to make sense of his own path towards Spirit. That said, as

one walks the path and examines, if only in a cursory way, what some of the core themes

presented in the teachings of our great spiritual leaders, it becomes clear that there are certain

themes that recur. The recurrence of themes must be carefully examined for the following

reasons:

The Question Of Truth

We have trouble arriving at definitive truths that all of us can agree on since the basis of

spirituality Transcends experience. The subject matter that is being examined by those that

inquire into spiritual matters is by definition not something for which it is easy to derive concrete

conclusions. We are searching, for God, Spirit, or some other abstract reality that will provide us

with a coherent set of principles and a basis to guide our actions. Thus, the subject matter is

something that transcends the bounds of experience.

On Truth and Faith

If we accept that there are difficulties with any definitive basis for truth within the context of

spiritual discussions, then we cannot ignore the obvious question: what is the basis for having

faith in a particular paradigm? What is the rationale for considering Christianity to be more worthy

than Islam; Mormonism to be more worthy than Judaism etc.? In posing this question, we must

be objective. We must, for the moment, suspend our own spiritual orientation and acknowledge

the fact that we have faith in what we believe, you have faith in what you believe and they have

faith in what they believe. Thus, all we have is faith. To the extent that this is true, the interesting

question is:

To what do we attribute faith?

If we accept that the question of spirituality is the question as to the origin of faith, then we can

begin an examination of this question by examining the range of spiritual domains with a view to

determining whether or not our examination will reveal something to us. In other words, we must

conduct a pseudo scientific enquiry. We must examine Christianity, Islam, Judaism etc, and see if

we can identify common patterns. Therefore, we must ask:

Does spirituality have an identifiable structure?

If we conduct this examination, we will conclude the following:

1. Spirit expresses itself similarly to all of us

2. Spirit becomes anthropomorphized

3. Elimination of Self/Ego

4. Faith

5. Ritual

6. Symbols

7. Discipline

8. Asceticism/renunciation

Our examination of the Structure of Spirituality has revealed that the spiritual practices of those

around the world have certain similarities. Thus, we are at the very least faced with the question

as to how we can understand the similarities between spiritual practices. Why does spirituality

have a structure?

In answering this question, we are thus presented with the following possibilities:

The Path to Spirit is Exclusively Given: Spirituality is an expression of Spirit such that a specific

embodiment of Spirit is the correct one. Thus, we suggest that it is metaphysically possible that

the Christians are right or that the Muslims are right etc. The implication of this is that if a

particular spiritual orientation is correct, it is at the expense of the other orientations.

The Path to Spirit is Inclusively Given: Spirituality is an expression of Spirit such that no specific

embodiment of Spirit is the correct one.

The Way Of The Warrior: a distinctive spiritual paradigm

One facet of the Way of the Warrior that is compelling is the fact that it is a tradition that has not

been forced upon the world. In fact, those that were born outside the tradition, but have had the

privilege to have been exposed to the tradition have had to actively seek it out. A concerted effort

has had to be made in order to evolve the relationships that were necessary to learn the practices

and the ideology that defines this path.

This is in stark contrast to most “mainstream” religions which seek to convert others and to

spread the word. This contrast with more popular religions is further emphasized by the fact that

these traditions are in many ways, steeped in mystery and secrecy.

It is not the purpose of this paper to enter into an anthropological exercise, the object of which is

to try to establish with any certainty why this is the case, only to observe that it is the case. If we

can hazard a guess, however, we would make the contention that these traditions are those

espoused by indigenous populations in North and South America – areas that have been

conquered by the white man. Therefore, it may be the case that it is force of necessity that has

caused the traditions to be veiled in secrecy.

Reflections On The Way Of The Warrior

The following are a series of quotations from the various works of Carlos Castaneda as well as

other writers within the Toltec Warrior tradition. They will be presented in no particular order, and

with no reference to the specific texts from which they have been cited.

The objective is to give the reader the ability to apprehend the psychological state of the warrior

through the presentation of a range of ideas and imagery from various angles. As with all

complex conceptual frameworks, it is not possible to precisely elucidate what it is to be a warrior.

All that is possible is to provide the reader with sufficient impetus to assist them in determining

what it means to them.

Each quotation will be accompanied by commentary, the objective of which is to provide an

enhanced perspective, as well as to assist the reader in bringing the various concepts together

into a coherent whole.

A Warrior knows that survival in the face of continual struggle requires strength! It is the active

objective of the warrior to continually make himself stronger and better able to face the struggles

with which he will be presented.

Concepts

Impeccability

“He then checked my carrying net to see if the food gourds and my writing pads were secured

and in a soft voice said that a warrior always made sure that everything was in proper order, not

because he believed that he was going to survive the ordeal that he was about to undertake, but

because that was part of his impeccable behaviour.”

“A warrior is impeccable when he trusts his personal power regardless of whether it is small or

enormous.”

One of the central concepts on the Path Of The Warrior is the notion of impeccability. If we look in

the dictionary we see that this means “without fault” or faultless. It can also mean “without sin”,

but not as defined in Christian tradition. In the Way Of The Warrior, there is no discussion of right

or wrong in a strictly moral sense. There exists no notion of “thou shalt not…” All actions are a

possibility, and are acceptable as long as they are conducted with Impeccability.

For a spiritual paradigm to speak to us, it is important that we be able to demystify concepts, and

to transform them from the realm of the conceptual to a form in which they provide us with

guidance from moment to moment. In many ways, the concept of impeccability is so important

with the Warrior tradition that it is akin to a concept of morality within an alternate tradition. To be

Impeccable as a Warrior is as important as being a Good Christian.

If this is so, it is important to closely examine what it is to be impeccable. The warrior tradition is

different from mainstream spiritual traditions in that it does not claim that any form of

behaviour is wrong! Please think about this for a moment. Nowhere within this tradition does it

say, “Thou shalt not kill!” The implication is that there are certain circumstances in which a warrior

may be forced to kill. The beauty of this is that we are not faced with the obvious disconnect that

other traditions are faced with, as it is clear that there are certain circumstances in which it is not

only acceptable to kill, it may in fact be laudable.

The Warrior tradition does not define a moral framework, it defines a relationship with spirit that

gives us behavioural guidelines that will assist us in our efforts to survive in this world

harmoniously with others, we well as with the Earth itself.

Therefore, to be Impeccable, is no more than to act as a Warrior should: To act as a Warrior

should is not something that can be clearly defined distinct from your consciousness of the world.

It cannot be postulated for you.

Impeccability can also be understood as the wise utilization of energy. One of the things that is

extremely clear to a warrior is that we must be careful with our energy. We must be diligent in

accumulating it, and frugal in its utilization. Therefore, impeccability carries with it the obligation to

be accurate and precise in our intent and actions.

To be impeccable is to be pure in our intentions. This is so since the warrior comes to understand

the nature of the connection between energy and the purity of intention.

To be impeccable is to be precise in the determination of the relation between our intentions and

our actions. The warrior wastes not.

To be impeccable is to be aware and attuned to the moment, for without this ability all else is

impossible.

Clearly, in order to be impeccable, we must also therefore, observe keenly and think strategically,

for, if not, we will not have the necessary comprehension of our circumstances, nor the wisdom

with which to act.

You will need to define Impeccability for yourself, and then work towards walking an Impeccable

Path as a Warrior!

No Hard Boundaries

What has been alluded to above, and what is most compelling about the Warrior tradition is that

there are no hard boundaries. It is never stated that one should always do this, or should never

do that. This orientation is distinct from most mainstream spiritual paradigms, which define strict

rules for behaviour – apparently handed down from “God”.

If skepticism of religion and spirituality is a condition of modernity, we must ask why? Why is it

that religion does not hold the same kind of sway that it did in the past, and why does it not seem

to address the issues that characterize our times? Simple questions that we must ask are:

Why is it that, historically, there has been so much oppression, murder, violence and pain

in the name of spirituality?

Why is it that, even today, spiritual premises are utilized as the basis for armed conflict,

terrorism and the imposition of our will on others?

Why do so many of our youth feel disconnected from any meaningful spiritual

framework?

The simple answer to these questions is that many mainstream spiritual traditions have lost their

credibility. Modernity can be, in part, characterized by an increased awareness of activity that is

distanced from oneself. This is facilitated by television and other forms of media that allow us

access to information relating to other cultures and what is happening elsewhere in the world.

This free flow and access to information makes it much more difficult to prevent alternative

ideologies to present themselves. This in turn leads to skepticism. This general state of

skepticism leads one to be more skeptical that they should behave in such and such a way

because they are being told to.

Modernity has created a healthy skepticism for spiritual frameworks because the inconsistencies

in these frameworks have been revealed. Whether it be the sexual abuse of children by Roman

Catholic priests, or the murder of thousands of innocents in the name of Jihad, there is a

collective sense amongst the rational majority that this is not God’s work.

Ultimately, skepticism flows from “hard boundaries” – a clear definition of what is right and wrong

or what should/should not be done. When we are told what to do, we may accept this, but we will

think long and hard as to why we should do this. If we see that those who are telling us to do

these things are not acting in accordance with the fundamental principles that they themselves

espouse, we naturally question the entire edifice that they have helped to construct.

It becomes apparent that the paradigm is simply a mechanism for garnering and maintaining

power. There is nothing spiritual about this.

We are all seeking divine guidance, the Warrior’s path is simple in that all it really postulates is

that we are born, we are all connected to the Earth and to each other and we will die. The key is

to learn how to survive. In order to survive we must be Impeccable.

Impeccability gives the Warrior the greatest possible opportunity to live a long, peaceful,

productive and prosperous life!

Artificial Reality

Since a Warrior is aware of the fact that his state of perception is not something that is absolute in

any sense, he is also aware that this state of perception must be created and reinforced by some

mechanism in his mind. With some thought it becomes apparent that what is responsible for

preventing him from becoming an Impeccable Warrior is his own mind! In fact there is nothing, or

no one else to blame. What is to blame is the sum total of ones perceptions about the world and

oneself that form the construct that we call our Self.

The Self has evolved over the course of our lives, commencing on the day that we were born.

Since that day, we have received messages from our family, our friends, our teachers, the media

etc., all telling us what the world is. This set of perceptions becomes hardened over time and a

sense of certainty envelopes our perceptions of things. As we grow and start to think, we believe

certain things and we attribute something absolute to the things that we believe. We think that we

know what is true. If we are wise, we may concede that we believe to be true is only true for us.

However, little do we know that this, also has no real meaning.

In order to better understand this idea, lets do a little thought experiment. Think of a chair in your

house. If I were to come to your house, and we were to both stand in front of your chair and look

closely at it, what would we see? We may see a wooden object with four legs, a flat surface

supported by these four legs, a wooden back with some plastic attached to it etc. Clearly we

would see something. However, since you and I are standing in different places in your kitchen,

we would not see precisely the same thing. If there were some magic machine that could actually

capture precisely what I saw, it is highly unlikely that it would be precisely the same as what you

saw. Therefore, our personal lens in some way filters the chair. There may be something

essentially similar about what we both saw, but there is also something essentially dissimilar.

There is no sense in which cognition is not partly a subjective experience. The above example is

very simplistic, but serves to illustrate the general point. Imagine the complexity of trying to

characterize perceptual differences that coworkers in the same company have. In these

situations, the variables are infinite, and encompass not only spatial issues (the look of the office

for example), but also all of the relationships within the office, group dynamics etc. This complex

web of relationships is what characterizes much of what we are situated within as human beings,

and therefore it is clear that we see things differently.

If we can accept that we see things differently, however that may be defined, we must ask

ourselves how real the things are that we see.

What would it mean for these things that we see to be real? Would they somehow be attributed to

God? Would our perspective somehow be more absolute than others? Do we have access to

some truth that others do not? If so, how fortunate!

There is nothing real about anything! What we see is simply our own construct, and therefore we

have the ability to see things differently.

The challenge for the Warrior is to see things in a manner that enables him to be Impeccable.

Internal Dialogue

Our internal dialogue enables the maintenance of our artificial reality. What we continually say to

ourselves serves to define who we are and what we think about. A warrior must act with an

awareness that ones thoughts serve to construct ones self perception and the totality of ones

reality. These thoughts, however, are not arbitrary nor are they completely beyond ones control.

We can act in relation to ourselves in a manner that serves to moderate and define our own

thoughts.

This is the purpose of meditation – to establish a level of consciousness of ourselves in relation to

our own thoughts.

Patience

Patience is a hallmark of a true warrior.

It is not the arbitrary passing of time. Patience must not be confused with lethargy.

It is the consciousness of the temporal nature of life – that life unfolds organically and that

everything that must develop requires time to develop.

It is the consciousness that there is no requirement to escape the present. The moment with

which one is present is the moment that one has been blessed with. Be present in this moment

and make the most of it.

Alertness

A warrior must, at all times, be alert and aware of his surroundings. This carries with it the implicit

assumption that the warrior’s judgment cannot be clouded. Therefore, the warrior does not

indulge in excessive levels of intoxication – not because this is immoral, but because one cannot

act as a Warrior would without precise, awareness and the ability to act in a controlled manner in

response to ones awareness.

Knowledge

“A man of knowledge is one who has followed truthfully the hardships of learning… A man who

has, without rushing or faltering, gone as far as he can in unraveling the secrets of personal

power.”

“Any warrior could become a man of knowledge… a warrior is an impeccable hunter that hunts

power. If he succeeds in his hunting he can be a man of knowledge.”

The ultimate objective of the Way Of The Warrior is to become Man Of Knowledge. One becomes

a Man of Knowledge when one has mastered the elements of Personal Power. In the Warrior

tradition, accessing knowledge occurs when one has mastered personal power because it is

understood that power is an elemental structure of the universe that one must work towards

accessing. Power is not simply something that one evolves. It is not merely a description of a

state of action or activity that will give one the capacity to impact ones world (although by default

this is what happens); power is external to oneself and is synonymous with Spirit. Power exists at

the edge of Spirit and is directly accessible. The Path of Impeccability will allow us this access.

Therefore, once we have been fortunate enough to witness power directly, we have also

learned…

Knowledge and Power are inseparable in the sense that we cannot see power without having

learned something; without having accessed knowledge in some way.

Essential in the Way Of the Warrior is that Power is as elemental as God is in other traditions.

Power is no less real than God. It is when we see this, that we are transformed.

That we hunt for power is the acknowledgement that we must be conscious of the ways of

accessing our own personal power. This can be through the mitigation of patterns of behaviour

that are detrimental, or the cultivation of patterns of behaviour that will benefit us. In either case

we must observe that which needs to be done to make ourselves stronger and take the steps that

are necessary in this direction.

Seeing

“Seeing, of course, is the final accomplishment of the man of knowledge, and seeing is attained

only when one has stopped the world through the techniques of not-doing.”

As in other spiritual traditions, the final accomplishment of the Warrior is to “see things are they

truly are”.

The path to seeing involves not-doing, in the sense that what we currently do, distracts us from

what we should be seeing. This notion is based upon the idea that our artificial reality is a

construct that distracts from seeing. Since this construct has evolved as a result of what we have

been doing, the only way to reverse the construct is to not-do. Therefore, not-doing becomes part

of the path to seeing.

This idea is consistent with the theme of renunciation or asceticism as espoused in other spiritual

traditions. The idea is that we are distracted by the material world which provides us with

indulgences and causes our consciousness to deviate from a higher level of awareness. It is not

surprising that all spiritual traditions teach us that we must reduce our requirements to that which

is most essential in order for us to see what we must see.

Not-doing is the articulation of this in the Path Of The Warrior.

Power

The idea of power is a central construct in the philosophy of the warrior. For the warrior, all

relationships and interactions are characterized by a power dynamic. This is a tricky topic and

must be examined closely and understood clearly. There will be a natural resistance amongst

readers to the above contention due to the pejorative connotations associated with the notion of

power. Power, unfortunately, is typically abused.

To say that the primary construct of the world is defined by power relationships is only to say that

there is some form of imbalanced duality that provides one element in the duality the ability to

exert a greater level of influence over the other. The evidence of this is right before our eyes in

the relationships of our friends, family, in the workplace etc. Furthermore, we all know that some

people have more power than others, some institutions have more power than others, some

animals have more power than others etc. This duality exists.

Power is an inherent structure of reality, and is purely an active capacity. It does not carry within

its concept the necessity to act or to utilize power in any way.

“Power is something a warrior deals with… At first it’s an incredible, far fetched affair; it is hard

even to think about it. This is what’s happening to you now. Then power becomes a serious

matter; one may not have it, or one may not even fully realize that it exists, yet one knows that

something is there, something which was not noticeable before. Next power is manifested as

something uncontrollable that comes to oneself. It is not possible for me to say how it comes or

what it really is. It is nothing and yet it makes marvels appear before your very eyes. And finally

power is something in oneself, something that controls one’s acts and yet obeys one’s

command.”

A central theme in the Way Of The Warrior is that Power is distinct from oneself. It is something

real and tangible that manifests itself in the world. It is inextricably linked to everything and

defined all relationships. It has a life of its own that can manifest itself in the form of spirits or

other life forms. It is alive… As a warrior, it will be revealed to us if we are patient and

impeccable!

“A warrior never turns his back to power without atoning for the favors received.”

“Power has the peculiarity of being unnoticeable when it is being stored.”

From a practical perspective, the idea here is that we gain personal power as we become

increasingly inwardly directed and less subjected to the activities and influence of others. To the

extent to which we have traditionally perceived power, our quest for it, we see no change in our

lives. We do not think that we are becoming stronger in any way. We are simply focused on

becoming an impeccable warrior. Lo and behold, one day we will realize that we have become

personally more powerful!

Personal Power

Given the above, it is not surprising that one of the primary objectives of the Warriors Path is the

quest for personal power. As outlined in the work of Castaneda this personal power is very real in

the sense that as the warrior gains strength, his ability to carry out extraordinary feats and to

transform his environment in superhuman ways increases. As he gains power, he can do more.

“A hunter of power entraps it and then stores it away as his personal finding. Thus personal

power grows, and you may have the case of a warrior who has so much personal power that he

becomes a man of knowledge.”

The ultimate objective along the Warrior’s path is to become a man of Knowledge. This is the

culmination that is the end result of the accumulation of personal power. As is subtly revealed in

the above quote, personal power is accumulated through impeccable behaviour. If we behave

impeccably, we gain power. To not behave impeccably is to waste energy unnecessarily, and to

therefore deplete our stores of personal power.

“If you store power your body can perform unbelievable feats. On the other hand, if you dissipate

power you’ll be a fat old man in no time at all.”

The works lf Castaneda and the others do no explicitly state that it is necessary to actively focus

on our physical being. We are not told, for example, to exercise regularly, although this is logically

a positive activity. What is encouraged is the taking of long walks, as this becomes a mechanism

to practice Stopping The World through the means of quelling our Internal Dialogue.

What is continually alluded to, however, is the fact that the accumulation of personal power does

have implications for ones physical body, We are all energy, and therefore, if our fields of energy

are dissipated, this impacts our physical form as well.

“Everything a man does hinges on his personal power… Therefore, for one who doesn’t have

any, the deeds of a powerful man are incredible. It takes power to even conceive what power is.”

“A warrior buries himself to find power, not to weep with self pity.”

There are times in the life of a Warrior where it is necessary to retreat and to restore himself. In

modern parlance we may even call it “recharging ones batteries!” During those periods, when

ones energy does not seem as it should be, the Warrior does not indulge in self pity. He is aware

of the fact that some battles take their toll. In some cases, battles are even lost. What is important

is that he continually participates in the War! Sometimes retreating to a bunker is necessary for

survival!

At all times, even in times of reduced energy and retreat, the Warrior must maintain his

impeccability – he must maintain his wakefulness, his attentiveness and must utilize his energy

wisely.

Power: Exchange Of Energy

There is a flow of energy in all interactions. The constituent parts of this flow of energy can

include the Warrior, Spirit and any other participants in the interaction. The warrior can access the

energy of Spirit, Therefore, for our purposes; the energy equation is not a zero sum game. The

proper interactions with others can create energy, or at the very least we are provided with the

ability to access the energy provided by Spirit.

We have all experienced situation, either alone, or with others where we were uplifted! Similarly,

we have also experienced situations that are draining. The goal must be to direct ones actions

with the mind of a Warrior, in a manner that results in the creation of Energy

Power Versus Control

When the warrior seeks power he is not seeking the ability to control others; he is seeking the

ability to be Impeccable at all times. The warrior seeks power over himself, as that is the

foundation for personal power. It is not possible to act with power without impacting the actions of

others, but the focus is not on impacting the perceptions or actions of others, but on ensuring that

the Warrior has given himself fully in the situation.

As a Warrior we know our capacity, we are attuned to our strengths and our gifts. We know the

circumstances in which we can most effectively impact a situation. It is our duty to act as a warrior

with a view to a full expression of ourselves in the moment. As impeccable warriors, we must do

all that we can in each moment, as well as a little bit more. That is the Way of the Warrior. As a

result, we must fight and face the challenge. Our object of our fighting is not to hurt others, nor is

it to heal others – necessarily. We are fighting because that is what the moment requires. Our

fighting is an act that is defined by the requirements of Spirit and the Infinite Possibility Of The

Moment.

The most obvious example of the role of an athlete in a contest. The athlete does not attempt to

destroy the opponent, the athlete simply expresses his power to the best of his ability within the

domain in which they are operating. His actions are directed towards a specific goal, and there

are others that will be impacted by his actions. His actions, however, are not designed specifically

with a view to their impact on the other – the other is simply a participant on his path.

The Warrior therefore does not aim to control others in any way. Others are free to walk with the

warrior, be our adversary or be a non-participant. Any option is acceptable.

The Warrior simply reveals himself to the best of his ability with absolute force and clarity.

Power versus Dominance

The Worthy Adversary

It is inherent in any interaction that there be opposing forces.

No Fear/No Ambition

One of the central themes in the Way Of The Warrior is the idea that we must walk a path that is

devoid of Fear and Ambition. In fact, fear is the primary enemy of the warrior. If one does not

conquer fear, one has no hope of ever walking the Warriors Path. This is something that all of us

can relate to, and is a theme that is discussed at length in the modern day Personal Growth and

Self Empowerment literature. We likely all agree that in order to effectively move forward with our

lives, it is necessary to walk a path without fear.

The question of ambition is a more complex one, as it would appear at first glance that the quest

for knowledge and power (which are central goals on the Warriors Path), reflect ones ambition.

However, this is not the case as power is not synonymous with ambition. Ambition is the desire to

elevate oneself over others. One is ambitious to the extent that one believes that one is superior,

or has the capacity to be superior to others. Power, on the other hand, is simply a transformatory

capacity, within which there are no implicit value judgments. To be ambitious implies an effort to

differentiate yourself from others.

The Last Battle

“Acts have power… Especially when the person acting knows that those acts are his last battle.

There is a strange consuming happiness in acting with the full knowledge that whatever one is

doing may very well be one’s last act on earth. I recommend that you reconsider your life and

bring your acts into that light.”

“Let each of your acts be your last battle on earth. Only under those conditions will your acts have

their rightful power. Otherwise they will be, for as long as you live, the acts of a timid man.”

A warrior is fully alive during every moment of his life. He wastes no time whatsoever. The warrior

takes nothing for granted and is grateful for this moment of life since he knows with certainty that

he could very well be dead momentarily. With this knowledge, the warrior approaches each

moment with an awakened mind, an alert spirit and on the tip of his toes! The warrior is always

ready to act with power and without fear.

The Warrior asks; If this is my last opportunity to act, how would I act?

Struggle

“Our death is waiting and this very act we’re performing now may well be our last battle on

earth… I call it a battle because it is a struggle. Most people move from act to act without any

struggle or thought. A hunter, on the contrary, assesses every act; and since he has an intimate

knowledge of his death, he proceeds judiciously, as if every act were his last battle. Only a fool

would fail to notice the advantage a hunter has over his fellow men. A hunter gives his last battle

its due respect. It’s only natural that his last act on earth should be the best of himself.”

As Warriors, we accept the fact that we are faced with continual struggle. We struggle with

ourselves, with others, with our perception of ourselves, our perception of others. In short

everything that we do and everything that we think about involves some underlying tension; a

push/pull duality that defines the interaction.

As Warriors we accept this struggle with no judgment. We do not feel frustration, anger, or pain.

We do not revel in the fact that we feel that we are better able to cope with struggle. We do not

feel good about ourselves because we feel that we may be stronger; nor do we feel sad about the

fact that we may be weaker.

We simply accept the reality that this is what we are faced with.

As Warriors we face each moment looking alertly straight ahead!

Emotions As Indulgence

“… loneliness is inadmissible in a warrior. He said that warrior-travelers can count on one being

on which they can focus all their love, all their care: this marvelous earth.”

The warrior sees all emotions as a form of personal indulgence; a reinforcement of himself and

his importance, as pain, suffering, ecstasy, happiness… are feelings based upon some reference

expectation in relation to the outside world. It is not possible to feel sad without feeling that the

world has not granted us what we deserve. It is not possible to feel happy without feeling thankful

that we have been granted something that we may or may not deserve. In either scenario there is

an implicit assumption that things should have been a particular way. We are grateful when things

go our way, but are unhappy when they do not.

The Warrior does not see things this way. Things simply are as they are. They are not intrinsically

good or bad, they are simply the result of the interaction between our spirit/energy and Spirit.

They are the result (or lack thereof) of our impeccability.

How dare we think that things should be any different for us – are we so important?

For us to indulge ourselves by forming a perspective that things should be a certain way for us;

that our lot in life should be any different is the beginning of the end, and is not a perspective that

a Warrior can afford to tolerate.

The Warrior approaches each moment as a challenge and that is all there is to it!

“… like any man I deserved everything that was a man’s lot – joy, pain, sadness and struggle –

and that the nature of one’s acts was unimportant as long as one acted as a warrior.”

“No matter how much you like to feel sorry for yourself, you have to change that… It doesn’t jibe

with the life of a warrior.”

A warrior focuses on survival. Survival requires strength, and self-pity is unbecoming.

Furthermore, why are we so important that we should think that Spirit is conspiring against us to

present us with a bad lot?

Responsibility

“The hardest thing in the world is to assume the mood of a warrior… It is of no use to be sad and

complain and feel justified in doing so, believing that someone is always doing something to us.

Nobody is doing anything to anybody, much less to a warrior.

The idea that we must come to terms with the irrelevance of our emotions is something that the

average man will meet with resistance. This is an orientation that is counter intuitive to everything

that we have been taught. It is part of our Artificial Reality; that we should feel a certain way in

certain situations.

An average man allows others to do things to him. He is subject to their whim, and to this extent

is at the mercy of others. A warrior only willfully follows and assumes full responsibility for the

results of his actions.

A warrior assumes full responsibility at all times for everything that has ever happened in his life.

No one else is to blame. A warrior is a conscious decision maker and is aware of the

consciousness of his decisions.

Therefore, a Warrior cannot ever be angry at another for acting upon him in some way. This has

no meaning whatsoever.

“All of us, whether or not we are warriors, have a cubic centimeter of chance that pops out in front

of our eyes from time to time. The difference between an average man and a warrior is that the

warrior is aware of this, and one of his tasks is to be alert, deliberately waiting, so that when his

cubic centimeter pops out he has the speed, the necessary prowess to pick it up.”

The Warrior pays attention and waits patiently. He trains his body and his mind so as to be able

to identify and seize opportunities as they may present themselves. He understands, however,

that these circumstances of chance are completely beyond his control, and will only be accessible

if he has fine-tuned his craft, and is truly impeccable!

The Warrior is not so foolish as to chase potentially idle dreams, or to have expectations other

than to live in a state of readiness. It is this state that gives him the most pleasure!

Love

“… we must have something we could die for before we could think that we have something to

live for.”

Need there anything further that needs to be said about love? For the warrior, there is no option

but to place oneself in harms way for those that one loves or for that which one loves. In fact the

true essence of the spirit of the warrior is only truly revealed in this moment when a decisive

choice is made to place ones own life at risk. For the warrior, the question of, do I love her?, is

answered by the obvious next question; would I die for her?

This is not some impractically heroic principle that is designed to reflect a Warrior’s disdain for

death. On the contrary, the Warrior relishes life and the opportunity to be a warrior from moment

to moment! There is nothing appealing about death. However, a Warrior knows that if one is not

willing to die for the ones that one loves, then one is not a warrior. This is an affront to oneself!

In the moment that the warrior makes that choice, his Warrior spirit is revealed in its most

essential form!

Warrior Spirit

“The humbleness of a warrior is not the humbleness of the beggar. The warrior lowers his head

to no one, but at the same time, he doesn’t permit anyone to lower his head to him. The beggar,

on the other hand, falls to his knees at the drop of a hat and scrapes the floor for anyone he

deems to be higher; but at the same time, he demands that someone lower than him scrape the

floor for him.”

The warrior looks every man in the eye, and treats everyone as equal since he knows that we are

faced with the same struggle. A warrior does not look up to anyone nor does he look down upon

anyone. He consciously levels the playing field at all times. He does this for many reasons,

including the fact that to look up or down to others, is to attribute some status or position to

others. This is not something that should be done since the only thing that matters is ones own

impeccability and personal power. It does not tactically make sense to attribute power to others,

nor does it makes sense to attribute lack of power to others, as this makes it more difficult for

Warriors to act freely and without impediment. If we have preconceived notions of others, we do

not act with immediacy within the context of the imperative of each particular moment. We may

be stifled by our awe of others, or we may be bored by some sense of inferiority we may attribute

to them. Both positions are dangerous!

Furthermore, a Warrior as wise enough to know that whatever he is thinking at that moment

about the other is merely his own prescription anyway, and has nothing to do with the Truth

(whatever that might be). He knows that his attribution of power (or lack thereof) to the other in

that moment is not founded in anything absolute.

Therefore, he is left with no option but to simply act with presence, alertness, compassion and an

open heart!

“… the backbone of a warrior-traveler is humbleness and efficiency, acting without expecting

anything and withstanding anything that lies ahead of him.”

To expect the future to unfold in a predetermined way is dangerous, as it creates the conditions

necessary for failure, and causes us to take ourselves too seriously. How can we truly expect

Spirit to take us so seriously that it would place our wishes ahead of others’? Are we so foolish as

to expect particular outcomes? Do we not know that life, energy and Spirit are far more all

encompassing that we could ever hope to understand, and to expect anything with certainty is a

fools game!

The Warrior is not so foolish; he simply walks a path with his mind fully alert and attentive. This is

what enables him to respond as a Warrior should whenever it is necessary.

“To seek the perfection of the warrior’s spirit is the only task worthy of our manhood.”

The Warrior understands that there is very little over which he has control. This is the respect in

which a Warrior is very humble. He is thankful for being alive and for the opportunity to be

impeccable, and this is what he must focus his Unbending Intent upon.’

“… You can spur yourself beyond your limits if you are in the proper mood. A warrior makes his

own mood… Fear got you into the mood or a warrior, but now that you know about it, anything

can serve to get you into it.”

As warriors learn their craft, they become able to summon the particular emotional states that are

required in order to contend with what they are presented. They are not at the mercy of their

moods, but are in fact the authour of those moods themselves.

A Warrior chooses…

“A warrior could be injured but not offended… For a warrior there is nothing offensive about the

acts of his fellow men as long as he himself is acting within the proper mood.

A warrior sees things are they truly are, therefore is never offended by the actions of others. He

sees others as hunters even if they do not see themselves as such. Hunters must hunt, and that

is perfectly acceptable.

“To achieve the mood of the warrior is not a simple matter. It is a revolution. To regard the lion

and the water rats and our fellow men as equals is a magnificent act of the warrior’s spirit. It takes

power to do that.”

“A warrior knows that he is only a man. His only regret is that his life is so short that he can’t grab

onto all the things that he would like to. But for him, this is not an issue; it’s only a pity.”

“The warrior wants it all, but needs nothing except to be a warrior”

The spirit of the warrior is to conquer, but he does so without attachment to the outcome of

events. A warrior acts and moves forward, but does not define himself by the outcome of the

actions. A warrior simply acts in the moment.

“Feeling important makes one heavy, clumsy and vain. To be a warrior one needs to be light and

fluid.”

Fluidity: impermanence, indefinable, mysterious,

“An average man is too concerned with liking people or with being liked himself. A warrior likes.,

that’s all. He likes whatever or whomever he wants, for the hell of it.”

Within this revealed the fact that the warrior does not define himself in relation to a mirror

presented by the outside world. The warrior is not concerned with the expectations or response

that is presented to him by others. Nor is he particularly concerned with his perception or

attribution of quality to others or other things. The warrior understands that he must be

dispassionate, observant and centred. Furthermore, he understands that it does not behoove him

to be particularly concerned by what his feelings, and emotions are at that moment.

The warrior is an independent agent, governed by his own rules of conduct that cannot be

attributed to any defined moral constitution.

Compassion

Fear

“And thus he has stumbled upon the first of his natural enemies: Fear. A terrible enemy,

treacherous and difficult to overcome. It remains concealed at every turn of the way, prowling and

waiting. And if the man, terrified in its presence, runs away, his enemy will have put an end to his

quest.”

“The answer is very simple. He must not run away. He must not defy his fear, and in spite of it he

must take the next step in learning, and the next, and the next. He must be fully afraid and he

must not stop. And a moment will come when his first enemy retreats. The man begins to feel

sure of himself. His intent becomes stronger. Learning is no longer a terrifying task.’

In the numerous works of Carlos Castaneda, fear is not a topic that is discussed extensively. In

my view this is not because it is not an extremely central notion, only that it is self evident that, as

a warrior one must confront fear. The suggestion is not that we should somehow arrive at some

point in life where we are no longer fearful, only that we must continue to walk head first towards

our fear.

The other theme, as revealed above, is the fact that the we address fear through the

accumulation of knowledge. Knowledge both of ourselves as well as all that is possible to know.

The Path to Spirit is through knowledge.

Intellectual Authenticity

The warrior does not concern himself with the opinions and perceptions of others since the

question of truth is meaningless. All that matters is that these are the opinions of others. If they

are the same as his opinions that is fine; if they are not the same as his opinions that is also fine.

All that is of concern to a warrior is that he understands the implications of his perceptions as they

relate to the Path that he is on, and his ability to be impeccable.

This is not arrogance, since he knows that he is just as likely to be wrong as right. He also knows

that it is possible that they are both right or both wrong as what is right for him is not necessarily

not right for someone else.

This knowledge is comforting, as it causes him to have perspective and to give greater strength

and credence to his own thoughts.

We are all connected to Spirit, and our unique form of access to Spirit is second to no one!

This is what gives a humble warrior unique strength!

Patience

Patience is the mark of the warrior, as it reflects both his humility as well the fact that he is aware

of the fact that he has no control over how Spirit will unfold. His humility is reflected in the fact that

he implicitly acknowledges that it is not He that determines when things should happen.

Patience requires the Warrior to subordinate himself to the wishes of Spirit, and to acquiesce

peacefully.

Physical Energy

Lack Of Self Importance

“His recommendation was that I should not have remorse for anything I had done, because to

isolate ones acts as being mean, or ugly, or evil was to place an unwarranted importance on self.”

For the warrior, placing excessive importance on the self is one of the major obstacles to the

accumulation of power and knowledge. The fact that we are important in our own minds, forces

us to cling to defined notions of ourselves, and does not provide us with the humility that is

necessary to conduct battle in certain circumstances.

“As long as you feel that you are the most important thing in the world, you cannot really

appreciate the world around you. You are like a horse with blinders, all you see is yourself apart

from everything else.”

The Warrior does not see himself as important in the sense that he is different from others.

Therefore, his actions are no more or less important than those of others. What is important is

only that he act with impeccability as a Warrior.

“You are so damn important that you can afford to leave if things don’t go your way. I suppose

you think that shows you have character. That’s nonsense! You’re weak, and conceited.”

Death

“A warrior thinks of death when things become unclear. The idea of death is the only thing that

tempers our spirit.”

Against the backdrop of death, we are presented with the urgency of the moment as well as a

sense of perspective relating to the triviality of much of which we concern ourselves.

“Death is the only wise adviser that we have. Whenever you feel, as you always do, that

everything is going wrong and you’re about to be annihiliated, turn to your death and ask if that is

so. Your death will tell you that you’re wrong; that nothing really matters outside its touch. Your

death will tell you, ‘I haven’t touched you yet’”

“In view of my impending death, my fears and annoyance were nonsense.”

“In an world where death is the hunter, my friend, there is not time for regrets or doubts. There is

only time for decisions.”

For the Warrior, time is of the essence since Death is imminent. For the Warrior, everything is

trivial in the face of death. One must not waste any time. One must live an impeccable life,

continually focusing on the Path To Knowledge.

Action

“The change I am talking about never takes place by degrees: it happens suddenly.

The decision to walk the path as a warrior is a sudden one. On that day you realize that you have

no option whatsoever but to walk a path towards knowledge. On this day, you realize that you are

losing the battle with yourself, and that the only way to move forward is to learn how to fight, and

how to access that which one needs to fight for.

“People hardly ever realize that we can cut anything from our lives, any time, just like that.”

The Warrior is not defined by the relationships he keeps, the activities he participates in, the work

that he does, or anything else external to himself. The Warrior is defined only by the extent to

which he is an impeccable Warrior.

“When a man decides to do something he must go all the way… but he must take responsibility

for what he does. No matter what he does, he must know first why he is doing it, and then he

must proceed with his actions without having doubts or remorse about them.”

It is a characteristic of a warrior that he is not half hearted in his efforts. Whatever challenge he

takes on, he abandons himself in thoroughly. The choice as to what to do, and how to do it are

arrived after careful examination: an exercise in stalking both oneself as well as ones

circumstances.

The Path

‘Anything is one of a million paths. Therefore, a warrior must always keep in mind that a path is

only a path; if he feels that he should not follow it, he must not stay with it under any conditions.

His decision to keep on that path or to leave it must be free of fear or ambition. He must look at

every path closely and deliberately. There is a question that a warrior has to ask, mandatorily:

Does this path have a heart?

“All paths are the same: they lead nowhere. However, a path without heart is never enjoyable.”

“To be a warrior is not a simple matter of wishing to be one. It is rather and endless struggle that

will go on to the very last moment of our lives. Nobody is born a warrior, in exactly the same way

that nobody is born an average man. We make ourselves into one or the other.

The Breaking Point

“The condition of sorcerers is that sadness, for them, is abstract. It doesn’t come from coveting or

lack of something, or from self-importance. It doesn’t come from me. It comes from Spirit.”

“Mental breakdowns are for persons who indulge in themselves. Sorcerers are not persons. What

I mean is that at a given moment the continuity of their lives has to break in order for inner silence

to set in and become an active part of their structures.”

“The important issue is to arrive at a breaking point, in whatever way, and that’s exactly what you

have done. Inner silence is becoming real for you.”

Well Being

“In a dramatic tone Don Juan stated that well-being was a condition one had to groom, a

condition one had to become acquainted with in order to seek it.”

“…he said that the only thing I knew how to seek was a sense of disorientation, ill-being and

confusion. He laughed mockingly and assured me that that in order to accomplish the feat of

making myself miserable I had to work in a most intense fashion, and that it was absurd I had

never realized I could work just the same in making myself complete and strong.”

“The trick is what one emphasizes… We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves

strong. The amount of work is the same.”

“To be angry at people means that one considers their acts to be important. It is imperative to

cease to feel that way. The acts of men cannot be important enough to offset our only viable

alternative: our unchangeable encounter with Spirit.”

Discipline

“The only alternative left for mankind is discipline. Discipline is the only deterrent. But by

discipline I don’t mean harsh routines… Sorcerers understand discipline as the capacity to face

with serenity odds that are not included in our expectations. For the warrior discipline is an art:

the art of facing Spirit without flinching, not because they are strong and tough but because they

are filled with awe.”

Discipline is essential for a Warrior, for without it he cannot hunt as he will not have the patience

to await his prey. In this context we must understand discipline as the necessary mental and

emotional condition that allows us to be impeccable from moment to moment. Therefore, it is only

with absolute discipline that we can truly act Impeccably. If we are not disciplined, we are subject

to momentary indulgence and distraction and cannot maintain our focus or our Intent.

It is important to understand that discipline for a warrior is not discipline in the traditional sense. It

is not marked by the absolute necessity to do particular actions at particular times. Discipline is

not defined by actions as much as it is designed by the quality of our attention and the state of

our mind. To the extent that we are mentally and emotionally disciplined, we have the capacity to

contend with the inevitable occurrences with which we are presented.

It is the ability to maintain our equilibrium that is emphasized in this passage, it is not the fact that

we can necessarily do this or that systematically for sustained periods of time, but the fact that we

can do what is necessary when faced with circumstances that might cause us to deviate

unnecessarily. It is the ability to choose what we do that is the mark of the discipline of a warrior..

Control/Abandon

“A controlled outburst and a controlled quietness were the mark of the warrior.”

“Self pity doesn’t jibe with power… The mood of a warrior calls for control over himself and at the

same time it calls for abandoning himself.”

“A warrior, on the other hand, is a hunter, He calculates everything. That’s control. But once his

calculations are over, he acts. He lets go. That’s abandon. A warrior is not a leaf at the mercy of

thy wind. No one can push him; no one can make him do things against himself or against his

better judgment. A warrior is tuned to survive, and he survives in the best of all possible

fashions.”

The warrior sits at the cusp between control and abandon! Think about this. What does this truly

mean? The warrior must balance reflective understanding and analysis: the hallmarks of control,

with spontaneous expression: abandon. The Warrior is keenly attuned to opportunities to seize

the moment, but he acts with caution and control.

Dispassion and Passion are both marks of the Warrior. An impeccable warrior rides this fine line

with the same Unbending Intent of a tightrope walker; ready at a moments notice to cast himself

forward if necessary.

Doing/Not Doing

“An average man cares that things are either true or false, but the warrior doesn’t. An average

man proceeds in a specific way with things that he knows are true, and in a different way with

things that he knows are not true. If things are said to be true, he acts and believes in what he

does. But if things are said to be untrue, he doesn’t care to act, or he doesn’t believe in what he

does. A warrior, on the other hand, acts in both instances. If things are said to be true, he would

act in order to do doing. If things are said to be untrue, he still would act in order to do not-doing.”

“A warrior does not need to believe, because as long as he keeps on acting without believing he

is not-doing.”

This idea emphasizes the notion that it is motion of being that is important. Furthermore doing is

tied to some notion of identity and truth that itself has no grounds in objectivity. To the extent to

which we are consumed by the constraints of identity then we are doing. To the extent to which

we can let go from this and simply act, then we are not-doing.

The central idea here is the notion that changing ones path requires that we do things differently.

Since it is likely that we Believed the things that we have been Doing, we likely won’t Believe the

opposite - Not Doing. Since what we have Believed has led us to where we are today, yet we are

in the process of making the changes that are necessary to becoming a warrior, it is clear that we

must focus also on Not Doing! Doing has not been sufficient thus far. Since this is the case, there

is no reason to get hung up on what one believes or doesn’t believe to be true. Not-Doing will

modify ones Path, and provide an impetus to changes that will guide us towards Spirit.

If one is successful with the processes of not doing, there will be a complete release of the

imperative towards the damaging forms of doing. This will open up the psychological space for

the correct forms of doing. Therefore initially be satisfied with successful not-doing.

Not doing precedes new doings, therefore the inception of transformation is the implementation of

not-doing. This must be the initial focus.

“From now on, and for a period of eight days, I want you to lie to yourself. Instead of telling

yourself the truth, that you are ugly and rotten and inadequate, you will tell yourself that you are

completely opposite, knowing that you are absolutely beyond hope.

But what would be the point of lying like that, Don Juan?

It may hook you to another doing and then you may realize that both doings are lies, unreal, and

that to hinge yourself to either one is a waste of time, because the only thing that is real is the

being in you that is going to die. To arrive at that being is the not-doing of the self.”

The primary assumption on the Way Of The Warrior is that what we perceive is not grounded in

anything that can approximate the truth. What we believe is what has been communicated to us

from the moment that we left the womb. From that day forward, we have been subject to the

influences of our family, our community, our teachers etc. We have been taught how to see, what

to see, and how to interpret what we see. There is nothing absolute about this. The feelings,

ideas etc. that we attribute to sensory imagery are dependent upon the lens that we wear; a lens

that has evolved over the course of our lives. It is the task of the Warrior to understand that this is

simply a lens, and to reduce the significance of this lens.

“…’to not do what I knew how to do’ was the key to power.”

Hunting

“A hunter knows that he will lure game into his traps over and over again, so he doesn’t worry. To

worry is to become accessible, unwittingly accessible. And once you worry you cling to anything

out of desperation; and once you cling you are bound to get exhausted or to exhaust whoever or

whatever you are clinging to.”

“One day I found out that if I wanted to be a hunter worthy of self-respect I had to change my life.

I used to whine and complain a great deal. I had good reasons to feel shortchanged. I am an

Indian and Indians are treated like dogs. There was nothing I could do to remedy that, so I was

left with my sorrow. But then my good fortune spared me and someone taught me to hunt. And I

realized that the way I lived was not worth living… so I changed it.”

“To be a hunter is not jus to trap game… A hunter that is worth his salt does not catch game

because he sets traps, or because he knows the routines of his prey, but because he himself has

no routines. This is his advantage. He is not all like the animals he is after, fixed by heavy

routines and predictable quirks; he is free, fluid, unpredictable.”

“There’s no plan when it comes to hunting power. Hunting power or hunting game is the same. A

hunter hunts whatever presents itself to him. Thus he must always be in a state of readiness.”

“Hunting power is a very strange affair… There is no way to plan it ahead of time. That’s what’s

exciting about it. A warrior proceeds as if he had a plan though, because he trusts his personal

power. He knows for a fact that it will make him act in the most appropriate fashion.”

“Hunters will always hunt”

Stalking

Inaccessibility

“Therein lies the secret of great hunters. To be available and unavailable at the precise turn of the

road.”

“You must learn to become deliberately available and unavailable. As your life goes now, you are

unwittingly available at all times.”

“At one time in my life I, like you, made myself available over and over again until there was

nothing of me left for anything except perhaps crying. And that I did, just like yourself”

“To be inaccessible means that you touch the world around you sparingly.”

“To be unavailable means that you deliberately avoid exhausting yourself and others. It means

that you are not hungry and desperate, like the poor bastard that feels that he will never eat again

and devours all the food he can…”

“He is inaccessible because he’s not squeezing his world out of shape. He taps it lightly, stays for

as long as he needs to, and then swiftly moves away leaving hardly a mark.”

Stalking

The Nagual

“The most accurate statement about what a nagual is, which he voiced the day I found him, was

that a nagual is empty, and that emptiness doesn’t reflect the world, but reflects Spirit.

Nothing could have been more true than this in reference to don Juan Matus. His emptiness

reflected Spirit. There was no boisterousness on his part, or assertions about the self. There was

not a speck of a need to have either grievances or remorse. His was the emptiness of the warrior-

traveler, seasoned to the point where he doesn’t take anything for granted. A warrior-traveler who

doesn’t underestimate or overestimate anything. A quiet, disciplined fighter whose elegance is so

extreme that no one, no matter how hard they to look, will ever find the seam where all that

complexity comes together.”

The Tonal

Unbending Intent

Very simply, to be a Warrior requires unbending Intent. Intent is a quality that is discussed in

different ways within various spiritual contexts. In the context of the Way Of The Warrior, we can

understand Intent as a requirement for the internal strength and discipline that is required in order

to walk a Path With Heart towards Spirit. If one does not have Intent, we will succumb to various

forms of indulgence.

Indulgence

In order to become a Warrior, it is necessary to refrain from excessive indulgence. One must lead

a life that is “tight”.

Truth

Knowledge

“It doesn’t make any difference how good a reader you are, and how many wonderful books you

can read. What’s important is that you have the discipline to read what you don’t want to read.

The crux of the sorcerer’s exercise of going to school is in what you refuse, not in what you

accept.”

Challenge

“Warrior-travelers don’t complain. They take everything that Spirit hands them as a challenge. A

challenge is a challenge. It isn’t personal. It cannot be taken as a curse or a blessing. A warrior-

traveler either wins the challenge or the challenge demolishes him. It’s more exciting to win, so

win!”

“It is not the people around you who are at fault. They cannot help themselves. The fault is with

you, because you can help yourself, but you are bent on judging them, at a deep level of silence.

Any idiot can judge. If you judge them, you will only get the worst out of them. All of us human

beings are prisoners, and it is that prison that makes us act in such a miserable way. Your

challenge is to take people as they are! Leave people alone!

Fear

Will

Stopping The World

“…once you know what it is like to ‘stop the world’, you realize that there is a reason for it. You

see, one of the arts of the warrior is to collapse the world for a specific reason and then restore it

again in order to keep on living.”

“There are no diseases… There is only indulging.”

“What stopped inside you yesterday was what people have been telling you the world is like. You

see, people tell us from the time we are born that the world is such and such and so and so, and

naturally we have no choice but to see the world they way people have been telling us it is.”

Seeing

Dreams

“What you call dreams are real for a warrior. You must understand hat a warrior is not a fool. A

warrior is an immaculate hunter who hunts power; he’s not drunk, or crazed and he has neither

the time nor the disposition to bluff, or to lie to himself, or to make the wrong move. The stakes

are too high for that.”

“If I were ‘dreaming’ at night, my visions of the locale should be of nighttime. He said that what

one experiences ‘dreaming’ has to be congruous with the time of day when ‘dreaming’ was taking

place; otherwise the visions one might have were not ‘dreaming’ but ordinary dreams.”

Awareness

Equilibrium

Erasing Personal History/Eliminating Self

“… we only have two alternatives: we either take everything for sure and real, or we don’t. If we

follow the first, we end up bored to death with ourselves and with the world. If we follow the

second and erase personal history, we create a fog around us, a very exciting and mysterious

state in which nobody knows where the rabbit will pop out, not even ourselves.

We are actively constrained by the relationships that we have evolved in our lives, the

perceptions of those in our lives, and the perceptions of ourselves in relation to the expectations

that others have in our lives. Erasing our personal history is the only way to provide us with a

maximal level of freedom.

“… to ask questions about ones past is a bunch of crap.”

“It is best to erase all personal history… because that would make us free from the encumbering

thoughts of other people.”

Path With Heart

Energy

A central tenet in The Way Of The Warrior is the notion that we are all directly connected through

some form of universal energy. It is suggested that when one is able to See, he can directly

apprehend the flow of energy that connects all beings in the world. Due to the work of Einstein

and subsequent physicists, the interchangeability of matter and energy is not something that we

can question.

If one is able to make the leap that there is an intelligence that transcends what we are able to

apprehend through our own cognitive capacity, it is not difficult to come to the conclusion that this

flow of energy exists.

The Earth/World

As distinct from other spiritual traditions, the Way Of The Warrior is a tradition that strongly

emphasizes the importance of Earth. This is reflected in the fact that accessing Spirit, in some

cases, occurs through, and with the assistance of, plants, birds, animals etc. In fact the

orientation that is presented does not deify man at the expense of the Earth, Since we are all

some manifestation of Spirit, and a journey back to Spirit, there is no preferred position on this

path.

What is interesting to note is the fact that, our world presents us with ample evidence that the

deification of Man, and the subordination of the Earth, is a frame of reference that has created the

conditions for many of the global ills with which we are currently faced.

Practical Applications Of The Way Of The Warrior In Everyday Life

The Way Of The Warrior is a Path that is defined by the Warrior’s relationship with Spirit. As a result, the Warrior must cultivate a relationship with Spirit. This relationship with Spirit will be unique in the same sense that our relationships with others are all unique.

Take Action

“A warrior lives by acting, not by thinking about acting, nor by thinking about what he will think

when has finished acting.”

A warrior must invest a certain amount of time in determining which actions must be taken, but

also understands that the first priority is to take action as a warrior. This is to say that the

expectation of absolute clarity of outcomes is beyond the scope of our knowledge, therefore the

warrior must utilize a certain amount of intuition and understand that as long as he acts as a

warrior, his path will reveal itself if he continues to walk.

Invest In Yourself

Discipline/Habits

Getting Closer To Earth

If you have lived your life in the city, and have felt disconnected with nature, take the opportunity

to change this pattern. Our connection with Spirit cannot be independent of our connection with

the world as they are all expressions of Spirit.

The “behavioural patterns” of the Earth as not independent of our activities. The most obvious

example of this is what is currently happening to the world as a result of global warming. The

behaviour of humans is having a direct impact on the behaviour of the earth, which in turn will

have a direct impact on us.

Take the time to get to know Earth, to listen to what he has to say…

Physical Health

A warrior must be conscious of his own strength, and therefore must be attentive to the needs of

his body. He must ensure that he has a clear focus on his physical health and fitness, as well as

his diet. These areas of his life must represent the foundation upon which the pillars of his life are

erected.

The implicit assumption is also that the Warrior does not hurt himself through excessive

indulgence in drugs, alcohol etc.

“Don Juan stood up and stretched his arms and back. He suggested that I do the same. He said

that it was a good practice to stretch the entire body after sleeping, sitting or walking.”

Places Of Power

In our journey into nature, we must locate places that we can claim as our own. As we wander

through nature and explore, we must maintain a heightened awareness for places in which we

feel comfortable and strong. These are places that the Earth has reserved for us. These places

we can call our own, and return to them from time to time in order to store and restore our Power.

“… I had found out that… in the world there were good and bad spots for me… I had also found

out the specific colors associated with them.”

Long Walks

Pushing Your Boundaries/Combating Fear

The psyche of a warrior is not constrained by fear. The warrior knows that he will die, and in that

way we are all in the same boat. Once we truly realize this, there is no reason to fear anything.

Expecting More From Oneself

Further Thoughts

The distinction between Personal Power and Self Importance

Personal power is a purely personal/internal state of being, therefore refers strictly to our own self

perception and cognitive state. Self importance refers to our awareness of the

cognition/awareness of others. This is to say that we are personally powerful because we have

acted impeccably, and therefore are in a state of well being. It is immaterial what the perception

of others is in relation to our actions.

On the other hand, we are acting from the standpoint of Self Importance when we attach our state

of Well Being to the perceptions of others.

When understood this way, we see that it is possible for the same act to be conducted both with

Personal Power as well as from the standpoint of Self Importance. The distinction lies in the

impeccability of our actions, and the extent to which we act as a warrior.

When asked, the universe will give you what you need. This may or may not be what you

want.

An example of this relates to those that may badly want to be in an loving relationship. If one is

not ready, the universe cannot provide one with love.

The more impeccable your life, the more the universe will offer you.

Evidence Of Impeccability: States Of Consciousness

Balanced Energy

Absence of Emotional Pain

Alertness

Wakefulness

Evidence Of Impeccability: Actions and Processes

Discipline

Absence Of Indulgence

Active State Of Becoming

Evidence Of Everyday Life: States Of Consciousness

Fear

Restlessness

Compulsiveness

Boredom

Fatigue

Evidence Of Everyday Life: Actions and Processes

Energy depleting habits

Inappropriate expectations of others

Taking things personally

Becoming

Becoming is a state of consciousness that we achieve when Spirit flows freely through us. When

we are in a state of Becoming, we are on the correct Path. This state is characterized by extreme

awareness, a focus on the present, a enhanced state of creativity. In fact, it is the most immediate

connection with God, and is the state to which we should most aspire. During this state, time

stands still as our destiny unfolds.

It is in this state that painters pain, writers write, composers compose etc. This is the state that

athletes call the zone; a state that is congruent with Spirit.

Being

Being is a state of consciousness where the Internal Dialogue ceases, and we completely

present. We are in a state of equilibrium with Spirit, and apprehend it's gentleness directly. Being

and Becoming are related states, as it is possible to access one from the other.

The Deification Of Man

The representation of God as an embodiment of Man (or vice versa) can be considered to be the

principle cause for much of the ill in this world as it can be considered the basis for the deification

of Man and therefore the ego(self). Christianity can take full blame for this.

It is this conceptual framework that allows for the rationalization of the killing of animals, as well

as the instrumentalization of the all that is not man. The deification of man provides the moral

basis for man to manipulate his world in whatever manner he sees fit.

In the Way of the Warrior, Energy, Spirit, Intent etc., are what man aspires to evolve a connection

with. In establishing this connection, man has no greater advantage than the fish, the dog or the

cow. In fact, in some representations of Toltec lore, the blue deer is the representation of Spirit.

The Relationship Between Habits and Identity

A critical element on the path to becoming a warrior involves the transformation of ones

behaviour patterns. In order to achieve Impeccability, a warrior must be absolutely precise and

accurate with respect to ones actions. It is not possible to waste any energy whatsoever.

Therefore, the first step is the elimination of bad habits. This may include, smoking, excessive

drinking, gambling, sleeping etc. Whatever they may be, they are a cause for depletion in ones

energy resources and must be eliminated.

How then can we go about this? Is there some way that we can observe the problem in order to

come to conclusions that can be of assistance to us? Is sheer force of will the only thing that we

have at our disposal?

Presuming that our path towards Impeccability carries with it a fine tuning of our actions, we can

then logically conclude that the adjustment that we are making in our actions is congruent with

the transformation of our identity towards that of a warrior. It this is the case, the next logical

implication is that the habits that currently define our behaviour somehow relate to our current

identity, and the extent to which we have bad habits is related to a lack of certainty as to what our

identity is.

The practical reality is that those that decide to pursue spiritual transformation, typically do so as

a result of a realization that there is something missing. It would be wonderful if all human beings

pursued a path towards a greater level of purity, but this is simply not the case. Therefore, from a

purely practical perspective, it is reasonable to say that the basis for the arduous journey towards

becoming a warrior is fueled by a desire to transform oneself: to change ones identity.

Therefore, we see that habits are related to identity and bad habits are related to a lack of a clear

sense of identity.

The elimination of bad habits is not simply positive in the sense that quitting smoking will reduce

your chance of getting lung cancer, it will actually help you to become someone else! Hopefully a

Warrior!

In the Toltec tradition this process unfolds as energy is conserved through the transformation of

habits, and eventually one is able to move ones assemblage point, thereby modifying our

perception of ourselves and the world and becoming someone else!

Love and Energy

If we understand that the universe consists of the interrelation of energy, and that power is related

to the accumulation of energy, we can postulate that love is related to the creation of energy.

Therefore, when two people are in love, we can assume that individual energy levels (power)

increases, and there is power that is created by their duality. This postulation has its basis in

practical life and is evident to anyone that has been in love. When one is in love, one is in a state

of happiness that is clearly more expansive than the state of happiness that preceded it.

Furthermore, the new unit has been created, and this unit potentially has power. For example, the

new couple exerts a certain influence over their in-laws that likely did not exist previously.

If we extend this idea, we can also conclude then that there must be a certain “resonance” or

similarity in “frequencies” between those that are in love. It is a congruence of energy that stands

distinct from consciousness. Those with whom we have the possibility of falling in love with are

those with whom we have some resonance with.

Energy And Happiness

Our own personal energy can be envisioned as a lightbulb. The lightbulb is on when electricity is

flowing through it. Similarly, we are at our most powerful, when spirit if flowing through us freely –

when we are an expression of Spirit. Just as a lightbulb will not burn brightly if the filament is

damaged, Spirit will not flow through us properly if we are “damaged” in any way.

Energy will not flow properly within our bodies if there are certain blockages. These blockages

need to be resolved in order for Spirit to flow properly through us.

If Energy is not flowing through our bodies properly, we will experience fluctuations in our energy

field. In certain instances we will feel surges of energy as Spirit flows through us, and in other

instances we will feel very depleted.

These surges will be dependent upon circumstance, as we are not receiving energy properly from

Spirit. For example, we may feel a surge of energy and power after delivering an effective

presentation to colleagues, but this may be very short lived as soon as the energy from that

particular situation has stopped. Therefore, after we leave the meeting and go home, we may feel

completely differently.

If we think of energy in these terms, it becomes clear that happiness can be understood as the

result of a balanced form of energy, and it is this balance that facilitates resonance with another.

This is intuitively obvious and has some basis in science in the sense that the more irregular and

inconsistent ones energy patterns are, the more difficult it is to establish any kind of congruence

with another. It is almost as though there is no frequency; just random energy fluctuations.

Balanced Energy and Happiness

The energy of our beings comes to us in only one way: directly from Spirit. However, whether or

not we can access this energy is dependent upon some form of resonance. We must be attuned

to Spirit at all times in order to receive energy from Spirit. We must be receptive to Spirit equally

at all times. Imbalance is created when there are certain circumstances or conditions in life in

which one is more likely to be receptive to flows of energy. If this is the case, we will experience

periods of well being followed by periods of discontent.

This inconsistency is precisely what separates states of well being, bliss, euphoria etc. from a

state of happiness. In fact inherent in the definition of happiness is that there be balance and

consistency. This is what separates it from moments that are merely positive emotions.

Happiness carries with it a more spiritual connotation – something more than simply a feeling.

Drugs, sex or specific acts can generate feelings, but happiness is a sustained state of being.

The Ability To Love

Requires personal energy to be congruent

The Spiritual Malaise Of Modernity

The primary problems of modernity are:

1. That the foundations of modern culture are disconnected from Spirit.

a. Emphasis on Abstraction and Rationality: impediments to immediacy

b. Emphasis on Mediated Interaction: impediment to immediacy

2. God In Man’s Image

The Importance Of Immediacy

Human salvation will flow from Love and Respect for Everything. This includes all sentient beings

as well as the earth that is the giver of life to all sentient beings. We cannot Love and Respect

any subset of the above as this becomes a contradiction in terms. For example, to say that it is

satisfactory to love only Man, is to presume that we do not leave to love the earth. Since it is the

earth that provides us with food and water, we are not truly Loving and Respecting Man, if we do

not Love and Respect Earth. We are simply shooting ourselves in the foot, and this is obviously

foolish. Therefore we see that the love and respect for Everything is not just an arbitrary

statement that provides some initial grounding for a spiritual paradigm, it is a strategic and tactical

requirement for the survival of the species. If we do Love and Respect Everything, we will

eventually kill ourselves. This is simply a statement of fact.

Love and Respect have the following requirements: Knowledge and Trust. We cannot love and

respect that which we do not know and trust. Ask yourself, in very simple terms. Would I love my

wife, girlfriend or family if I did not know and trust them? Love requires safety. We must believe

that our love will not be the basis for our Death. We will not, nor should we, walk knowingly

towards death.

Knowledge and Trust flow from Immediacy. We must be able to touch and feel that which we

love. We must be able utilize our senses, feel the vibrations, smell the perfume, here the

heartbeat, feel the force of the water etc. We must be able to Be with that which we love.

Therefore, we cannot emphasize too strongly the importance of immediacy in our lives. When we

are devoid of direct experience, we cannot know anything and therefore we cannot form the

bonds and connections that will sustain our Spirit.

Lack of Immediacy becomes the grounds for lack of clarity, deception and confusion and this is

dangerous.

Religion Versus a Connection With Spirit

In order for this idea to be properly understood, it is important that there be a clear distinction

between organized religion and a true connection to spirit. The contention is not that the powerful

religions of the world do not command vast numbers of people, nor that they are necessarily in

any state of substantial decline, but that they have lost their true connection to Spirit. This is

assuming they ever had a true connection to Spirit.

Spirit will find us when the time is right

Identity And Spirit

The fact of the matter is that we can choose (either consciously or sub consciously) to walk a

path without any attention to the voice of spirit. This path may be adequate or it may not.

If we think of ourselves as inextricably linked to this world as we are all a part of the larger flow of

energy, we can reasonably conclude that our perception of ourselves is also linked to this flow of

energy (the location of the Assemblage Point). If this is the case, and this flow of energy lacks

resonance with ones own personal energy, then we can postulate that ones Identity is not

properly aligned with Spirit.

Therefore, we construct our own identities, but resonance with Spirit is the most harmonious

option. This is also what provides for balanced energy flow and happiness as well.

Hardship And The Warrior Spirit

When one looks at ones life, there are likely many things for which we may be able to feel sorry.

However, this is not becoming of a warrior. First of all, self pity is merely an indulgence that is

absolutely not worthy of a warrior. More importantly, without hardship, we may never have been

forced to walk the path of the warrior. If things had been too easy, we may simply have grown

accustomed to our humdrum routines, and the context and expectations of every day life. With

hardship, however comes additional struggle; a struggle to overcome what has been presented. It

is only through the identification of the need for this path that a warrior can truly make the

connection with Spirit that he seeks. For this a warrior must be grateful!

Can The Warrior have a sense of Personal Destiny?

Only in the sense that his destiny is an expression of Spirit in some form. The warrior does not

entertain defined notions of the outcome of his life, as this would reflect self importance. A warrior

knows that the path to knowledge and power is the path that he walks towards Spirit. There is no

other destiny, nor would he want any other one.

It unfolds as he moves forward impeccably.

Consciousness and Boredom

Boredom is a peculiar characteristic of consciousness that wants consciousness itself to be

directed elsewhere. When we are bored, the present is not sufficient. For whatever reason, the

present moment does not provide consciousness with sufficient stimuli. Consciousness is not

properly directed or focused.

This can also be understood as the fact that, during the state of boredom, Energy is not flowing

through one properly. Somehow, congruence with Spirit has been lost, and we begin to feel

depleted. This is why, at that moment we seek to transport ourselves elsewhere in order to

somehow revitalize our flow of energy and to feel interested and active once again.

Consciousness and Unhappiness

To be unhappy is not just to want ones state of consciousness to change, to want it to be directed

elsewhere, or to be stimulated by something else. In contrast to boredom, unhappiness reflects

the fact that consciousness directed inwards is not at ease.

However, it should be noted that there is a very fine line between boredom and unhappiness, and

that both reflect the need to change the focus of consciousness.

The “Emotion” Trap

On the surface it would appear that it is a positive thing to be emotional. That is conventional

wisdom, and in many ways I would agree with this, however things are not a simple as they may

appear. We all know that to be emotional is the antithesis of the socio path, for whom nothing

stimulates an emotional response. Since most dark characters are sociopaths, we would all like

to think that it is better to be emotional. Since there is no definitive gradation to define who is

emotional and who isn’t, we can all safely consider ourselves to be emotional.

The problem results from the fact that those that are emotional, respond impulsively to what we

FEEL. We feel things strongly in our beings and this spurs us one way or another irrespective of

the correctness of the actions that are generated. Very soon we become addicted to these

feelings. This addiction is no different from the feelings generated from the ingestion of a drug. In

fact, all that happens when we take drugs is that we ingest a chemical of some sort. Similarly,

those that are emotional experience the release of certain chemicals in response to specific

stimuli.

Just as the excessive ingestion of drugs results in the creation of negative habits and the

repeating of patterns, the same thing happens to those that are excessively emotional. We

respond to stimuli in a particular way, and therefore increasingly crave certain stimuli. Triggers for

these stimuli can range from sex, to TV, cigarettes etc. Whatever it is, it can generate a stimulus

based response.

Therefore, those that are emotional tend to be much more subject to compulsive behaviour and

patterns that are difficult to break. The feelings that are generated when the bad habits are

started, are feelings that we find difficult to disengage from.

The end result of this is that those of us that feel deeply can be grateful for the “compass of the

heart” that is provided; the guidance that is provided by a very strong sense of what is right and

wrong, and an aversion to creating pain in others. This is a wonderful quality that none of us

would want any other way.

However, it does come with a price…

To be emotional is to know that Spirit knocks on your door regularly, and that your compass is

aligned with Paths that have Heart. The challenge for the Warrior is to find the sobriety and

strength necessary to walk this path.

Loneliness and Faith

Loneliness implies a sense that things would be better in the presence of another. This can be in

the larger sense that one would like a life partner, or in the smaller, more temporal, sense that it

would be nice if there were someone present to share ones time with right now. In reality,

however, we are all alone in the face of Spirit, and therefore the concept of loneliness has no

rational meaning. (not sure if this is true – I now believe that human connection is fundamental to

survival)

Furthermore, if we are living our life as an impeccable warrior, and allowing our life to be the

natural unfolding of Spirit as we Become, there is no sense in which things should be any

different. We must acknowledge that the stability of our psyche and our peace is strictly our

responsibility, and have faith that there is no other condition that would make this any better.

We can know that we are on the correct path if we are awake, have eliminated negative habits,

and have incorporated positive habits.

Strengths and Weaknesses

It is important to try to strengthen your weaknesses, but it makes more sense to strengthen your

strengths!!

In his humility, a warrior is governed by rationality. As a result, a warrior never attempts to be

someone that he will be unable to become. Impeccable behaviour requires the efficient utilization

of his energy, and therefore it cannot be consumed frivolously on pursuits that will be a waste of

time. Ultimately it is all about survival, and survival requires the utilization of ones competitive

advantage. A warrior therefore takes advantage of the areas of his life in which he is superior, but

crafting and honing his skills. He accepts that those areas in which he has an advantage are few,

and he thanks Spirit for the opportunity to express himself in these areas. He does not try to

compete in areas in which he is weak, and in contests that will deplete his Power.

Accessing the Energy of Spirit

There is something that each of us firmly believes, loves to do, is passionate about and so on.

This might be understood in terms of actions, ways of being, ways of spending ones time or any

other way of describing states of being. For some this might be extremely clear, for others it might

be elusive, yet for all of us there is a unique way that we can connect with Spirit in a way that our

energy is positive and generative. We can find contexts where the energy we create for ourselves

brings joy and happiness to ourselves and to those that are around us.

It is our responsibility to search for such ways to generate the energy of Spirit.

How does one know when one is on the right path? When ones interactions are characterized by

a smile. When others want to share time with you.

Questions

If an old lady is crossing the street and drops her handbag, what should a warrior do?

If an old lady is being mugged in the park by a gang of thugs that appear to have a gun, what

should a warrior do?

What is the distinction between Power and Spirit

Structural Notes

I may want to write this such in a way that it is segmented into the following four categories:

1. Ontology: how things are: The structure of Energy

2. The Warrior: What is a warrior

3. Why: Rationale for becoming a warrior

4. Process: How to become a Warrior

Must address Mind/Body or Physical Realm

How does a Warrior relate to women? Like he relates to everything else, with Impeccability! Furthermore, he certainly does not attribute excessive importance to women. In fact he does not attribute excessive importance to anything.

The state of Becoming is not a state of expectation or ambition. It is simply a state of unfolding…

Is the Love paradigm somehow in contrast with the Warrior paradigm?

What is the first principle of the Warrior paradigm? Survival.

What is the first principle of the Love paradigm? Survival

The reason for this line of enquiry is that it is necessary to somehow figure out how the concepts of love, compassion, kindness, selflessness etc. are related to the Way Of The Warrior

Why must a warrior be selfless? Must a warrior be selfless?

Impeccability: the act of being Patient and Purposeful

Reflections

What do I want do with my writings/reflections on spirituality?

1. Expose what is problematic in existing traditions; inconsistency, hypocrisy etc.

It must be noted that there is much that I love about the Warrior tradition, but the problem is that it

does not solve the problem of love.

The warrior does not do things for the sake of today nor does he do things for the sake of

tomorrow. This does not mean that he does things with no thought, only that, for him, the

distinction between today and tomorrow is an illusion.

On the Identity of a Warrior

You could say that certain identity constructs are relational while others are intentional. Certain

identity constructs require Other(s) to be satisfied, others don’t. For example, being a lover

requires the affirmation of ones lover. Being a warrior is something one can do all by oneself.

In the hands of a warrior, the pen is mightier than the sword, but the sword will suffice.

The warrior is the embodiment of the synthesis of the Dionysian and Apollonian sides of our

nature.

The essence of a warrior is a state of perfect equilibrium

A warrior does not cheat on women, nor does he try to satisfy his desires through them. He

honours all those that grant him the privilege of their presence.

A warriors relation to others must reflect respect. There is NO condition under which lack of

respect need be shown.

Thoughts on the Uniqueness of the Warrior

The State of Being that makes love a possibility is also the State of Being that fully realizes ones

authenticity – that which is the full realization of ones uniqueness.

The Consciousness of the Warrior must be understood as that which IN THE MOMENT (or state

of simultaneity) makes this possible.

Therefore the warrior paradigm is best understood as the conditions necessary such that the

pattern of ones State of Being make Uniqueness a possibility.

A necessary condition for a warrior’s consciousness is the ability to focus consciousness

intentionally on objects that are desired as objects. Needless to say, this requires command over

ones emotions.

A warrior has a balanced Inside Space/Outside Space intentional structure

A warrior should always expect resistance, as resistance is constituent of the interaction

paradigm of the warrior. Since this is so, the warrior should never feel anger or frustration in the

face of resistance.

If resistance is the backdrop against which a warrior must operate, he must cultivate a certain

relationship towards it; one that allows him to maintain momentum within the constraints of that

which he intends. The key is to understand that ones momentum need not be linear in any sense.

A warrior must focus on the discipline of his consciousness. The discipline needs to be

understood as the mitigation of the impacts of phenomenal stimulus

The reason that I espouse the warrior tradition is that it is the orientation that best enables

survival of Being-for-itself. Therefore to properly ground the warrior tradition, it needs to flow from

the concept of Being-for-itself.

Remember that a woman CANNOT reject a warrior. However, a woman CANNOT NOT resist a

warrior; such is the relation between the energy of a warrior and a woman

A warrior must, at least to a certain extent, be steadfast in his relationship with his environment.

He is mistaken, however, when he interprets the responses of his environment in a personal way.

For it is not him to which the response is being directed.

A warrior is not about victory, perfection or vulnerability, he’s about absolute vulnerability

The warrior’s path is one of authenticity and autonomy…

My thought will be dictated by my life and my life will be dictated by certain constraints; namely

what it is imperative that I do now.

It seems that what I must sacrifice is the hedonistic side of myself. This does not mean that I must

sacrifice Dionysius. I must walk the edge of the abyss and Dionysius must be present.

That life poses challenges for me is the result of the extremity of what is essential about me. I am

strongly hedonistic, and strongly intellectual/disengaged. I am strongly extroverted with a

requirement for massive levels of introspection. I abstract my states of being but am as present

as a musician must be. All of this leads to internal conflict.

This is the way of the warrior; retreat when necessary into periods of solitude.

A true warrior does not fear solitude, as he understands that this is the only way that individuality

can be cultivated.

The Intentions of a Warrior

As a warrior, ones intentionality leads ones essential nature to be transformatory – to be

someone that is an agent of change; someone that pushes forward…

In pushing forward into the world one necessarily is engaged with others and therefore speaks for

certain others; takes on a cause so to speak. Note that this is true whether one sells vacuum

cleaners, stocks or is a garbage man. In being in the world one is endorsing something.

A warrior, however, does more than this; he crystallizes his position – takes on the challenge

explicitly and actively – for how else can he move forward. He must tell some story; be a part of

the narrative. The only question is what ones relation is to the narrative. Is one is in a state of

activity or passivity in relation to it?

But he does not take on any challenge explicitly, he takes on only challenges that require his

involvement; challenges that require the articulation of principles – sets of actions that flow from

sets of principles.

One might ask why this is so. It is because the source of a warrior’s power is internal – from

which all that he can articulate is situated. The source of his power is the core of his being; that

place within that he has managed to access from which everything else flows. He talks of

principles about that which is essential because that which is essential is what he has managed

to access within; that which he loves, those whom he loves and that which must be done for

those whom he loves.

In coming into contact with that which is essential, he is coming into contact with his humanity;

that which connects him to all others; that which is essential about all of us. He sees that which is

common; he sees past that which divides.

A warrior’s transformatory power, therefore, is drawn towards those that are less privileged,

disadvantaged as well as those issues and ideas that threaten us all!

A warrior fights for humanity; on behalf of the human race…

On The Demands Of Exploring The Way of The Warrior

The difference between the Warrior Paradigm and other religious traditions is, at least in part,

exemplified by what is involved in seeking out teachers. Some religious paradigms seek to

convert – to impose their doctrine on others. Active evangelism is not the case for all religious

paradigms but it is safe to say that virtually all religious paradigms make their doctrine easily

accessible – they want you to join their group. In contrast the source of Warrior wisdom is hard to

locate – one must traverse treacherous territory deep in the depth of certain South American

forests. It is not that what is on offer is closely guarded, it is just that they have a certain distrust

and disdain for the nature of institutionalized religion and choose to leave in harmony with

themselves and the world by themselves. They are not zealouts about the nature of their path.

What is even more compelling than this is what happens when one actually finds a teacher. It is

said that after hiking for days, maybe weeks, through the forest and finding a teacher one is faced

with a conversation that proceeds something like this:

‘Who is the one that you love most in the world?’, to which you answer:

‘My girlfriend Sue’

‘Whom have you most wronged in the world?

‘My ex-girlfriend Jane’, or something like that.

‘Well, young man, if you want to be a Warrior the first thing you must do is return home and divide

all of your possessions into two piles. Then give half to Sue and half to Jane. Once you have

completed this task you are ready to commence your studies on the Way of the Warrior!’

This conveys what is essential – the journey is inward towards identification of that which is

essential, and from which one can build anything… To embark on this journey authentically one

cannot be constrained by any crutches whatsoever.

THOUGHTSEmotion, Feeling and Pain

Pain and EnergyWe can think about

QUESTIONSEmotion and PassionHow do you turn feeling or emotion into passion?

What is the relationship between power and energy?

What is the relationship between doubt and energy?