Issue nº 42

Reflections of the warrior of the light

     The warrior always hears the words of some preachers of old, such as those of T.H. Huxley:
     "The consequences of our actions, are the scarecrows of
fools, and the beacons of wise men.
     "The chess-board is the world, the pieces are the phenomena of the universe, the rules of the game are what we call the laws of Nature. The player on the other side is hidden from us. We know that his play is always fair, just, and patient."
     It is up to the warrior to take up the challenge. He knows God will not allow one mistake by those he loves to go unnoticed, and will not allow his chosen ones to pretend not to know the rules of the game.

Remembering the past
     The warrior remembers the past. He knows man's Spiritual Way, knows that on it were written some of the finest pages in history.
     And some of its worst chapters: massacres, sacrifices, obscurantism. It has been used for personal gain, and its ideals have been bartered with the most terrible intentions.
     The warrior has heard comments like: "how do I know if this path is the right one?"
     And he has seen many people abandon the way, not knowing how to answer this question.
     The warrior has no doubts; he follows an infallible formula.
     "Whereof by their fruits, ye shall know the tree," said Jesus. He follows this rule, and never errs.

Being attentive
     The warrior of the light knows the silence which precedes an important battle.
     And this silence seems to say: "things have stopped. Better forget the fight, and enjoy oneself a little."
     Inexperienced combatants put down their weapons at that moment, and complain about the boredom.
     The warrior is attentive to the silence; someplace, something is happening. He knows that destructive earthquakes come without warning. He has walked through forests at night; whenever the animals make no noise at all, danger is near.
     While the others talk, the warrior practices his swordsmanship and pays attention to the horizon.

The use of the sword
     Every time a sword is taken from its sheath, it must be used. It may serve to open up a path, help someone, or brush aside danger - but a sword is capricious and does not like having its blade exposed for no reason.
     This is why a warrior never makes threats. He may attack, defend himself, or retreat; each of these positions is part of the combat.
     What is not part of the combat is wasting the force of a blow, by talking about it.
     A warrior is always aware of the movements of his sword. But he must never forget that the sword pays attention to his movements, too.
     It was not made to be used through words.

Falling into the abyss
     The warrior - inadvertently - takes a wrong step and falls into the abyss. Phantoms startle him, loneliness torments him. As always he sought the Good Combat, and didn't think this would happen to him.
     But it did. Surrounded by darkness, he communicates with his master.
     "Master, I have fallen into the abyss," he says. "The waters are deep and dark."
     "Remember one thing," replies the master. "That it is not the fall which drowns, but the length of time underwater."
     And this causes the warrior to use all his strength to get out of the situation in which he finds himself.

Dealing with the moment
     The Latin root of the word "responsibility" reveals its meaning: the capability to respond, to react.
     A responsible warrior is capable of observing and training. And he is even capable of being "irresponsible": at times he allows himself to be lead by the situation, and does not respond, does not react.
     But he has learned the lessons; he has taken an attitude, heard advice, been humble enough to accept help.
     A responsible warrior is not he who carries on his shoulders the weight of the world; it is he who knows how to deal with the challenges of the moment.

Knowing when to remain still
     A warrior of the light never forgets that good men do not complain.
     Injustices take place. We all go through situations we do not deserve - generally when we cannot defend ourselves.
     At such times, the warrior remains silent. He does not waste energy on words, for they can do nothing; it is better to use the strength to resist, be patient, and know that Someone is watching. Someone who has faced unjust suffering, and who does not accept it.
     This Someone gives the warrior that which he needs the most: time. Sooner or later, everything will work in his favor once again.
     A warrior of the light is wise; He doesn't comment on his defeats.

Being master of your sword
     A sword may last a short time. But the warrior must endure.
     That is why he is not fooled about his own capability, and avoids being taken by surprise. He considers each thing with the importance it deserves.
     At times, when faced with grave matters, the devil whispers in his ear: "do not worry about that, it's not serious."
     At others, facing banal things, the demon tells him: "you should devote all your energy to resolve this situation."
     The warrior does not listen to what the devil is saying.
     He is master of his sword.