In the Buddhist tradition, a spiritual warrior is someone who longs to attain complete spiritual realization so they can help others do the same and in so doing bring an end to all their suffering, and indeed, to all the suffering in this world. This is profound love and compassion steeped in wisdom, the kind of compassion that includes, but goes beyond good acts alone.
Some people feel averse to the word “warrior,” including me. But it has a precise meaning in this context: It means to courageously confront and overcome negative thoughts, emotions, and actions as well as misplaced notions about reality. It means to train in altruism, until it comes naturally for whomever you meet.
As a spiritual warrior, we vow to meet our own habits, patterns, and demons in a vigorous and determined way, as if we are doing battle with them. This doesn’t mean we’re hostile or violent. I always encourage people to be gentle with themselves. But it is a dedicated effort to consistently confront and address our own faults, remember our inherent goodness, and express our love and compassion to others.
These are some ways a spiritual warrior thinks and acts:
A spiritual warrior understands that we all want and deserve happiness and at the same time, no one wants to suffer. But often our actions are contrary to our aims. We go about trying to achieve happiness in confused and superficial ways, like accumulating excessive amounts of material possessions, which often leads to dissatisfaction instead of the happiness we seek.
A spiritual warrior trains in awakening profound compassion and living from that heart-centered place in their thoughts, words, and actions. At first, her sense of compassion might be just a tiny seed. That’s okay. She gradually waters and nourishes the seed until she’s able to extend her compassion to a wider and wider circle, not just her friends.
A spiritual warrior centers her action in the knowledge that the world and its inhabits actually are impermanent, interdependent, and subject to cause and effect (karma).
A spiritual warrior is centered in her highest self. She goes out of her way to help others however she can, but also uses discernment so her efforts aren’t ineffective, inappropriate, or ill-advised.
A spiritual warrior understands the need to eradicate self-cherishing, the feeling that she is more important than anyone else, in order to dismantle the false sense of a permanent self. It’s the clinging to a sense of permanent self and all the likes and dislikes that bring unnecessary suffering into your life. Helping others is one of the best ways to gradually dissolve an over focus on the self.
A spiritual warrior helps without expecting reward, praise, or acknowledgement.
A spiritual warrior helps even when it’s hard. For example, it may not be your first choice to sit and talk with a lonely, elderly relative, but you’re willing to give of yourself to bring a glimmer of joy or connection into someone else’s life. This isn’t martyrdom if it’s centered in the bigger perspective.
A spiritual warrior doesn’t act out of guilt, shame, or a desperate need to be loved, but from a profound understanding of the interconnectedness of all life.
A spiritual warrior focuses on both the inner and outer dimensions. She works with her own mind to change unhealthy patterns, transform negative emotions, and dismantle false beliefs about herself and the world. She also practices positive emotions like love and compassion to relieve the suffering of others and help them realize their full spiritual potential, as best she can.
Hypathia’s philosophy was concerned with the “mystery of being,” contemplation of Reality, rising to elevated states of consciousness, and “union with the divine, her disciples certainly regarded her in the light of a spiritual leader.
At the risk of her own life she refused to be swayed by mindless religious fanatics, and carried on doing what she loved, and that was teaching and pursuing science, mathematics and philosophy as the world around her tore itself apart. She remained true to her beliefs right up to the very end.
I cultivate my goals, setting intentions and applying energy and emotion to my dreams. I visualize what that may look like, what it will feel like.
I examine my accomplishments. I’m a survivor of extreme challenge, knowing experience grows in intensity the further along I go upon the path.
My life has been transformed. The old transmuted and released.
I rest now, receiving the abundance gifted me by my Divine Family. I am happy to know my goals will benefit not only Self, but those I share environment with.
This Earthly Pilgrimage has been long, but the finish is near. My “tools” are worn and broken, but they still work in my favor.
This is the final test of courage and resilience which will result in a much needed Celebration of accomplishment.
I release the burdens of others perceptions and fantasies about my life.
I consider the Greater Good in my Self, and continue to refine my goals. My most cherished desires and dreams will be my reality.
I plan, and move steadily forward, viewing my Creation as the Eagle, a well placed perspective of the whole.
I have gained Great Wealth through hard work, much more valuable than mere money or power perception. I watch as my dream grows, and connections expand.
I focus on what can be done, not those things currently out of reach.
One step at a time, One foot in front of the other, Moment by moment, Day by day,
And I avoid those tempting “short-cuts”.
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