The Way of the Peaceful Warrior
by Dan Millman

As a new student of Ninjutsu one of the most attractive aspects of the art to me are the spiritual views. I have found the physical techniques are readily practiced but they seem such a small part of the art. I think many students would welcome some sort of guide for some parts of the art that lie beyond the physical, specifically living in the moment and understanding how we act or react to life.

For a number of years I have been reading a couple of books that seem to compliment the spiritual views of this art. Dan Millman, author of "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" and "No Ordinary Moments" awakened my senses with these two books.

"Way of the Peaceful Warrior is based on the true story of Dan Millman, a world champion athlete who journeys into realms of flesh and spirit, romance and terror, light and darkness, laughter and magic. Guided by a powerful old warrior named Socrates, and tempted by an elusive, playful woman named Joy, Dan is led toward a final confrontation which will deliver or destroy him. Join Dan as he learns what it means to die — and live — like a warrior." (editor Nancy Grimley Carlton.) It is about a college student that meets an unusual teacher in an unusual place whose lessons challenge all that Dan knows. Through experience, magical journeys and powerful anecdotes this unusual teacher shows Dan the way of the peaceful warrior.

"Way of the Peaceful Warrior" does illustrate some very important lessons but it does not quite teach them to you. It exposes you to many important universal concepts while entertaining you. This book hooked me into learning how to live in the moment, experience life, gain a better understanding of myself and how to open my heart.

After a few years of reading "Way of the Peaceful Warrior", I stumbled onto "No Ordinary Moments". On the cover under the title it says, "A Peaceful Warior's Guide to Daily Life". The book is true to the cover and is just what it says, a guide to daily life. It guides the reader through daily life in the way of the peaceful warrior. In the words of the books editor, "Our lives are like a journey up a mountain path. As we climb, we face challenges in relationships, sexuality, money, work, and health. We can find abundant information and advice about all of these subjects. Many of us know what to do, but to make real changes in our lives, we have to turn knowing into doing. Here, Dan Millman presents a peaceful warrior's way to turn our intentions into action, our challenges into strength, and our life experiences into wisdom."

For me, the peaceful warrior, as I have come to understand it and as expressed by the author, has the courage, commitment, and inner strength of ancient warriors and the peaceful heart of famous peacemakers of the past. Dan gives Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King Jr. as examples of peaceful warrior's that have applied a warriors spirit to the cause of peace. Two paragraphs he adapted from a poem by Lao-tzu illustrate the way of the peaceful warrior even further:

Peaceful warriors have the patience to wait
until the mud settles and the waters clear.
They remain unmoving until the right time,
so the right action arises by itself.
They do not seek fulfillment, but wait with open arms
to welcome all things.
Ready to use all situations, wasting nothing,
they embody the light.

Peaceful warriors have three great treasures:
simplicity, patience, and compassion.
Simple in actions and in thoughts,
they return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies,
they live in harmony with the way things are.
Compassionate towards themselves, they make peace with the world. ...

I have read each of these books several times. Every time I pick them up I discover something new about myself and about reality. They have given me the ability to accept the gift of disillusion. The more illusions I am able to cut through the greater my awareness is heightened. I personally use "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" to gain perspective and focus. "No Ordinary Moments" is sort of a hand book for daily life. Its many exercises are both helpful and enlightening. I hope these books will help some of you to find the answers you have searched for. I would remind you that these are only my interpretations of what the author has written.

Please e-Mail: JEAST1024@aol with responses to this article or to the books. He welcomes discussion and the sharing of your experiences.