A warrior of light does not rely on strength alone, he makes use of his opponent’s energy too.
A warrior of light does not rely on strength alone, he makes use of his opponent’s energy too.
When he enters the fight, all he has is his enthusiasm and the moves and strikes that he learned during his training. As the fight progresses, he discovers that enthusiasm and training are not enough to win: what counts is experience.
Then he opens his heart to the Universe and asks God to give him the inspiration he needs to turn every blow from his enemy into a lesson in self-defence.
His companions say: ‘He’s so superstitious. He stopped fighting in order to pray; he even shows respect for his opponent’s tricks.’
The warrior does not respond to these provocations. He knows that without inspiration and experience, no amount of training will help him.
A warrior of light never resorts to trickery, but he knows how to distract his opponent.
A warrior of light never resorts to trickery, but he knows how to distract his opponent.
However anxious he is, he uses every strategy at his disposal to gain his objective. When he sees that his strength is almost gone, he makes his enemy think that he is simply biding his time. When he needs to attack the right flank, he moves his troops to the left. If he intends beginning the battle at once, he pretends that he is tired and prepares for sleep.
His friends say: ‘Look, he’s lost all enthusiasm.’ But he pays no attention to such remarks because his friends do not understand his tactics.
A warrior of light knows what he wants. And he has no need to waste time on explanations.
A wise Chinese man has this to say about the strategies of the warrior of light:
‘Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm.’
‘Do not be ashamed to make a temporary withdrawal from the field if you see that your enemy is stronger than you; it is not winning or losing a single battle that matters, but how the war ends.’
‘Even if you are very strong, never be ashamed to feign weakness; this will make your enemy act imprudently and attack too soon.’
‘In war, the key to victory is the ability to surprise one’s opponent.’
A warrior takes every opportunity to teach himself.
‘It’s odd,’ says the warrior of light to himself. ‘I have met so many people who, at the first opportunity, try to show their very worst qualities. They hide their inner strength behind aggression; they hide their fear of loneliness behind an air of independence. They do not believe in their own abilities, but are constantly trumpeting their virtues.’
The warrior reads these messages in many of the men and women he meets. He is never taken in by appearances and makes a point of remaining silent when people try to impress him. And he uses the occasion to correct his own faults, for other people make an excellent mirror.
A warrior takes every opportunity to teach himself.
The warrior of light sometimes fights with those he loves.
The warrior of light sometimes fights with those he loves.
The man who defends his friends is never overwhelmed by the storms of life; he is strong enough to come through difficulties and to carry on.
However, he is often faced by challenges from those he is trying to teach the art of the sword. His disciples provoke him into fighting with them.
And the warrior demonstrates his abilities: with just a few blows he disarms his students, and harmony returns to the place where they meet.
‘Why bother to do that, when you are so much better than they are?’ asks a traveller.
‘Because in challenging me, what they really want is to talk to me and this is my way of keeping the dialogue open,’ replies the warrior.
Before embarking on an important battle, a warrior of light asks himself: ‘How far have I developed my abilities?’
He knows that he has learned something with every battle he has fought, but many of those lessons have caused him unnecessary suffering. More than once he has wasted his time fighting for a lie. And he has suffered for people who did not deserve his love.
Victors never make the same mistake twice. That is why the warrior only risks his heart for something worthwhile.
A warrior of light respects the main teaching of the I Ching: ‘To persevere is favourable.’
A warrior of light respects the main teaching of the I Ching: ‘To persevere is favourable.’
He knows that perseverance is not the same thing as insistence. There are times when battles go on longer than necessary, draining him of strength and enthusiasm.
At such moments, the warrior thinks: ‘A prolonged war finally destroys the victors too.’
Then he withdraws his forces from the battlefield and allows himself a respite. He perseveres in his desire, but knows he must wait for the best moment to attack.
A warrior always returns to the fray. He never does so out of stubbornness, but because he has noticed a change in the weather.
A warrior of light knows that certain moments repeat themselves.
A warrior of light knows that certain moments repeat themselves.
He often finds himself faced by the same problems and situations, and seeing these difficult situations return, he grows depressed, thinking that
