Sacred Journey of the Peaceful Warrior

Citation preview

T E INSPIRING SEQUEL TO THE INTERNATIONA~ BESTSELLER WAY OF THE PEACEFUL WARRIOR WITH A NEW AFTERWORD AND EVISIONS BY l HE AUTHOR

An H J Knm e:r Bouk Published in a joint venture with New World Libnry Editorial office: H J K=ner Inc. p. O. Box 1081 " ibufOn, Dlifornia 94910

Adnl;nismtive: nffice:: New World Libnry 14 Pamaron Way Novato, u lirornia 94949

Copyright C 1991, 1004 by nan Millman All righu rt'SCrve:d. This book may nOI be rcproduced in whole or in ~rr, stor~d in a retrieval system, or transmiued in any rorm Of by any me:ans ciectronic, mechanical, or othe:r without wrincn permil.sion rrom the: publisher, excepl by a reviC\\1:t, who may quote brier . . p.l.Wges III ~ revlcw. Editor: Nancy Grimley C:ulcton Cove:r Design: '\hry Ann Casler 'Iat DesiS" and Typography: Cathey flickin!;cr Cover lI1umation: Terry Lamb Library orCongrc» u taloging-in-PubliclIion Data Millman, Dan. S:lcn:tl journcry' of the: pt'lIccful wa rrior I Daci r..l illrnan. p. cm. &qud to: Way of the pe:lce:ful w:mior. IS8N 1-!n107J-lo-8 (pbk.: alk. p~pcr) I. Spiritual life. 2. MilIm~n, Dan. I. ·litle. BL614.MS 1991 191.4'4 -

dno

9t-II1304

CII' Revised edition -

First priming. May 1004 ISBN 1-9)107)-10-8 Printed in Canada on acid-free. p;1rtially recycled paper Dimibufetl to the tr.tdc by Publishers Group WcSt 109 8 7 6 5 4 J 1 1

Preface .. . ... """ ... """ ...... IX Prologue: A Suggestion from Socratcs ...............xi ""

"

Book One: Where Spirit Leods J 1

Out of the Frying Pan ........ " ... ...... "" ....... " ...] The ]ourncy...... , ...... "",.,." .. , .. ,.... ,,, ............. 11 Fool's Gold, .. """" ""'''',,' '"',,"',, .... ,,,'" ..... ,,18 A Fire at Sra, .... ,.. " .... """""", ........ ,.",,,,, ... lB

6 Barefoot on a Forest Path .. """"" ...... """ .... 42 Book Two· Illuminations

The Three: Sd ...cs.. " ...... "" ....... "" ...... " ....... 59 II E es of the: Shaman"" .... ", ........ " ........ "" ... GS 9 A Well-Rounded Woman ..... "" ...... " .. ,.... ",84 10 The Rawr's Ed 'c." ... ,,, .... , .... ,, .... ,.,,,,., .. ,,,,

7

II

Tower ofT jf01lt openi ng yo ur heart -

as mu ch as

yo u ca n."

"A week11 thought you said ;\ few d;LYS\" "Aloha," she said. IUssing

m~' a

horde of SULlscreen :1I1d

h e ad ~

ing off to visi t :l neaTb), setdemeur. Shakin g my heJd, I turned and walk~ d back down toward th e row o f co t!3ge~, thinkin g about

adversity, :\IId ahout spirit.

Courage of the Outcoll

167

I found my way to [he main hall, and entered. It rorned out to be the infirmary, full of slr.Ulge smells and p~'Ople in beds, behind curtains. A very lean, emaciated man about Mama Chia's age took me by Ihe arm. ~Come," he said, releasing my arm :lS we left the infirmary, indicating I should follow him, 11len he pointed 10 another larger, barr:lck-style building. ~Where you eat. Later, be said. Then, pointing [0 himsc:lf, he added, " My name _ Manoa. "Aloh~." I Solid. ·GI~d to meet you, Manoa," Not sure he underslood me, 1 pointed to myself and said, "Dan." He extended a stump with three fingers 10 shake hands; I hesitated only a moment. He smiled warmly, nodding as i(he understood. Ihen gC$lured for me 10 follow. We w:'Ilked [0 a large plot of eartll, now being cleared. Someone else greeted me, handed me a hoc, 3nd pointed to 3 seetion of earth. That was Ih:\!, I spent the rest of that day, until niglllfulJ. working in the garden. Disorientating as it was, I felt glad to have a clear taSk [0 do - to be helping Ollt - giving somelhing for a change. R

R

where I'd sleep; at least I had my own room. I slept well and woke up hungry. In main dining hall, I sar across from some people who smiled at me btl[ spoke mosfly to one another in Hawaiian with a bit of pidgin English. Everyone at my table was friendly, handing me food al?in and ab'l1in. while I tried to ignore: their lesions. That day. we - rhe g.lrdening crew and I - made good progress, turning and bmtking the soul, as r:tinsqualls passed over and were gone. I was careful (0 wear the sunscreen, and someone had loaned me a wide-brimmed hat, The first few days were the hardest - the: str.lngeness of being alone in this different world. The residents seemed to understand MANOA SHOW£D ME

me

168

DAN MILLMAN

this. Another day passed in that garden. I was getting used to the: routine. Though nothing changed outw:mlly. something shifted inside me. A5 the people of this colony had come 10 accept their lives, I came to accept them, roo, not as ~lcpcrs," but as people. I stopped being an observer :md st:arrcd

[0

fed .a sense of community.

After chis. I was able to tunc in to a spcciaJ camaraderie herc. born of isolation; from their own suffering came a deeper compassion for the pain of the world. returning from the latrine area, I saw an old man with twisted, deformed feet making his way across the com-

THIt NUT MORNING,

pound, trembling as he leaned on:1 p:tirof crutches. JUSt then. one of the crutches broke and he fdl. I ran over to help him up. He waved me off, muttering something and smiling a toothless smile, then s[Qod up by himself. Holding Ille broken crutch in one h:md, he hobbled on the other one off [Qward the infirmary. There was no more work to be done in the garden umil the seed arrived, but I was able to nnd plenty to do - in fact, I was busy morning till night, carrying water, helping change bandages. Someone even asked me to cut his hair, which I botched, but he didn't seem [Q mind at all. All the while we ch:m ered and laughed, only half understanding each other. These were among the most satisCying days I'd ever spent - lending a helping hand. And on the fifth day a wave of compassion washed over me - like nothing I had experienced before. Ever. And I understood Mama Chia's purpose. On that day J stopped worrying about getting "tainted" by the disease, and sC3Ited wanting, really wanting. to be of service. in any way I could. My heart was opcning. I sc:m;:hed for something more I could contribute. I couldn't leach gymnastics; most of them were tOO

Malcroal pro\.'Ooo par dcrochos de aUIO

Coutoge of the QuICO$1

169

old. I didn't have any other special skills that I knew of. TIlen, as I walked past a pC'olceful area juS! of}' the centrJI ~ompound. it came to me: I'd help make a pond. That was it! Something of beauty I could lca\'e behind. I'd worked for a landscape gardener one ;summer and had larned the basics. I found OUt that the commun ity had some bags of concrete stored. in a shed and all the tools we'd need. A picture formed in my mind: the vision of a heauti"II, serene pond. a place to si[ and meditate, or just take a brief rest. The ocean was just a few hundred yards away, but this pond would be special. 1 showed a sketch to Manoa; he showed it 10 some of the others. They agreed it was a good idea, and a few men and I began digging. just when we were ready to mix the concrete, Mama Chia showed up. "Well, Dan, ~ she Solid, ";1 week has "asset!. I hope you've stayed OUt of mischief.~ " It hasn', been a week already, has it? .. "Yes. One week," "Well, you see , .. look, we're right in the middle of a project - am you come back in a few days1~ "I don't know,H she saill shaking her head, "We have other things to do - your tr:lining . .. " "Yes 1 know, bUI I'd really like 10 finish Ihis." Mama Chia sighed and shrugged her shouldm. "Then we may not have time for a special tecllllique to gel in louch with - " "JUSt a few more dayst" "Have it your way," she said, turning toward one of the bungalows. I caught a glimpse of her face. She looked positively smug. I only gave it :lIllOmenl's reflection before lifling anOlher bag of concrete. THE NEXT DAY,

170

DAN MILLMAN

see us complcte the stoncwork. And the momenr it W:15 done, I knew it w:u time to leave. Several men came up fO shake my hand. We'd formed il bond based on working on a common goal. sweating together - a bond men must h:wc t'xperienced for thous.1nds years. It felt good. I was going to miss them all. 1 fclt even closer to Illese auteurs from society than to my profcssional col1cab'Ue5 back in O ll ia. Maybe because I had a[~y:; fdt like all omca.~t, too. Or maybe it MAMA CilIA IUITURN.£D jUs(

in time

(0

or

was because of our shared task, or their openness, directness. and

honesty. 'I1'e5C men had nmhing left to hide. They weren't trying to look good or ~avc face. They had dropped their social m:tSk.~, allowing me

10

drop mine, too.

I was turning to le:tvc with my wcll. roundt.-d kahuna when 'Ii:!. came over and huggo:d bO[h of us. 1 hugged her t~l\d~r1}', f~('ling h~r sorrow and COllr;Jge, knowing that she wou ld 500n have to give lip her baby,

As MAMA CHlA led me down to ....'ard the beach, other fedings surfaced. 100: All the gratitude, sorrow, and love for Mama Chia [ had SCI :l.Side these: past ten days flooded in. Facing her. I placed my hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. ~ You'vc b«n so good w me." I told her, M ] wi5h there were something more J could do for you ... , ~ I had to take a slow, deep breath w hold off my sorrow. MYoU'rc: such a ... kind person." it just doesn't secm r.1ir, and ... 1 don't deserve all the time, the energy, the life )'ou'\le given me. How Co1n I ever repay }'o u ~" In answer. she hugged me for a long lime. I held this old woman in a w'''y I'd ncver heell able 10 embmce SOCl';ltes. Stepping back, she flashed me a bright smile: M] fOL'e what I do - someday you will understand this. And what I do is not for you, nor for Socrm(,5, so thanks :m:n', necessary or appropriate, I

',\"t~ri .11

p'o'llUklo IX" dcre