Feature Story January 2008
The Peaceful Warrior
Dan Millman Speaks on the Present Moment and the True Nature of Service
by Nicole Pugh
Vision Magazine: You have just published a new book, Wisdom of the Peaceful Warrior (New World Library, 2006) and the movie version of The Way of the Peaceful Warrior received rave reviews when it came out last year. The book version of Peaceful Warrior continues to be read by millions of people all over the world. Why do you think this story continues to attract people almost thirty years after it was originally published?
Dan Millman: The term peaceful warrior has a timeless quality that speaks to every human being. I believe that each of us is a “peaceful warrior” in training, striving to live with a peaceful heart even as we awaken the warrior spirit (because it takes courage to live in this world). These apparent opposites—peaceful and warrior—speak to a powerful archetype. The peaceful warrior’s way belongs to all of us. We have all faced adversities; we have all stumbled and fallen. But we rise again and move on in this divine school of daily life.
VM: One of the main themes in The Peaceful Warrior is the concept that who we are exists beyond not only our thoughts, but beyond our physical realities (i.e. our bodies) as well. Yet as a young athlete, you seemed to learn your lessons in large part by reframing your relationship with your body. Can you explain this seeming contradiction?
DM: Most contradictions aren’t what they see. When we are given a choice
between one thing and another, a good choice may be both. Perhaps who we
are is pure consciousness, or awareness, taking life through these billions
of human eyes. I leave that for the metaphysicians to discuss and decide.
But the truth remains that by becoming the body fully—a mindless body,
an egoless body—we paradoxically transcend [it] and can experience a moment
of satori [a Buddhist term for enlightenment], without clinging to a sense
of “self” as distinct from the world.
Enlightenment is simply a moment of illumination—seeing the nature of mind
and the nature of reality. And it can strike one as [both] wildly liberating
and humorous! Enlightenment is not some deep mystical experience because
there is no [separate] one there to experience it! This moment can occur
in deep meditation, or pouring tea, or sitting under a tree. [It is] totally
profound; completely ordinary.
VM: If someone lives in the present moment, are they still able to learn from the past and plan for the future?
DM: Few of us today have not heard or read about the recommendation to “live in the present moment.” But there’s a great deal of misunderstanding about what this means and how to do it. On the one hand, most physicists will tell you that there is no such thing as the present moment! How can you grasp a nano-second? Say “Now!” and it is already past. Life is flow. So when I (or others) speak of “living in the present,” we’re really advising people to focus on what is in front of them rather than letting the mind drift to illusions we call “past” and “future.” Past is illusion. Future is imagination. Now is real. The past and future are nice places to visit, but we don’t want to live there.
Yet even now, in the present, I can consciously and deliberately use memory to reflect upon the past or to plan what I’m going to do in the next few hours (or days or years). This is not a problem, as long as I don’t imagine my memories to be duplicates of what actually happened; as long as I don’t get too attached to my plans.
This idea of living in the present is not a dogma or a prison; [it is] just a reminder about what is real. By focusing on the quality of this moment, I enhance the quality of my life. If I want to change the past, I can change this moment, which will soon become my past.
VM: The theme for this month’s issue of Vision Magazine is Global Community. Is it possible to fully accept and celebrate the present moment and yet still work to make the world a better place?
DM: In [my writings], I tell a story about Socrates and I walking down a Berkeley street. This is during a period in my life when I’m doing a great deal of inner-directed work. We pass some posters about starving children and oppressed people, and I turn to him and tell him I feel strange about doing all this self-oriented work when there are political causes and others in need. Shouldn’t I direct my efforts to helping others rather than doing all this work on myself?
Socrates turns to me and asks me to take a swing at him. At first, I don’t understand why he’d ask this in response to my question. But I figure it’s some sort of test, so I bob and weave and finally try to slap him on the cheek. A few moments later, I find myself on the ground in a rather painful wristlock. When Socrates lets me up, he asks, “Notice how the right leverage can be very effective?” When I nod “yes,” he adds, “If you’re moved to help others, by all means do so. But also do the work on yourself so that you’ll develop the clarity to know how to exert the right leverage at the right place at the right time.”
I view each human being as a cell in the body of this living creature we call Planet Earth. The better, healthier and more aware each cell is, the better it is for the whole body. This is not to say we should only work on ourselves, but it provides a good foundation so we know how to exert the right leverage. That’s what I’ve been seeking to do since that time. As Hillel once wrote, “If I am not for me, who will be? But if I am only for me, who am I? And if not now, when?”
VM: Can present moment consciousness help governments govern better and leaders lead better? Can it create peace between warring parties?
DM: Please let us not turn “present moment consciousness” into some universal panacea. Paying attention to this moment has many benefits in terms of less mental distraction, peace, wisdom, and so forth. It helps the individual re-attune to simple reality. It reduces stress (because we can usually manage to deal with this moment, whereas past and future tend to get overwhelming). As Mark Twain once said, “I’ve had many troubles in my life; most of which never happened.”
To better respond to your question
about how we can help create a more peaceful world, I point to two of my
books. The first book is The Laws of Spirit, in which an ageless woman
sage teaches me twelve spiritual laws while we trek through the wilderness.
In particular, the final law in that book—the Law of Unity—reminds readers
of who we truly are and how we are all One consciousness, spirit, family.
Until this Unity consciousness pervades more of our world (in contrast
to the divisiveness and tribalism so evident today), we will continue warring.
Once we realize that we humans have far more in common than we have differences
(while acknowledging the rich treasure-house of diversity as well), then
fighting or hurting anyone else will become an act of insanity—like our
ears fighting our eyes or the heart fighting the liver or the arm at war
with the leg. It takes time to drive this truth home. And it will take
some time for us to realize it as a living truth.
The second book of mine that speaks to the way to peace is titled The Journeys
of Socrates, the life story of my old mentor (that I gave to Nick Nolte
before they started shooting the film so he would have a sense of his character’s
back-story). This story, which unfolds in Russia in the late 1800s when
he was born, reveals how a boy became a man, why a man became a warrior,
and most importantly, how a warrior found peace. At a deep level, it serves
to remind readers how to break the cycles of revenge and it reminds readers
of the [sense of] retribution that still characterize our “international
relations” today.
VM: In the movie and in the book, Socrates says, “There is no higher purpose than service to others.” In your opinion, what does true service to others mean?
DM: True service isn’t just doing something for someone else (which may not always be wise). True service is an approach to living that recognizes someone else’s needs, values, and life as [just as] important and worthy as one’s own. It is a way of living without constant self-reference, but rather a turning outward in relationship to the world.
In my book No Ordinary Moments, in the section called “Little Things,” I point out how even small acts of service—a kind word to a tired grocery or postal clerk (or even one’s spouse or partner!)—can have a healing influence. Paying a toll for the driver behind you, picking up some litter you didn’t drop, speaking from the heart, giving someone who doesn’t have a smile one of your own—all these little things can make a big difference.
VM: In chapter one of Wisdom of the Peaceful Warrior, in the section “No Turning Back,” you say that “Socrates never told me to reject the conventional activities of life but rather encouraged me to move beyond the conventional mind—to realize that there’s far more to life than the usual distractions and temporary diversions.” Can you expand on this?
DM: Carl Jung once wrote, “Enlightenment consists not merely in seeing luminous shapes and visions, but in making the darkness visible.” He added, “the latter procedure, however, is more difficult, and therefore, unpopular.” The reason I call people to live with a warrior spirit is because it may be frightening to let go of familiar beliefs and limitations, to take risks, to express our feelings, to live our truth and to walk forthrightly into life. Confronting our shadow side [and] seeing ourselves as we are takes courage. We may seek distractions instead, ways to avoid making the darkness visible. We find ways to pleasure ourselves, entertain ourselves, amuse ourselves by buying “stuff” and do all that we can to postpone this inevitable meeting with ourselves.
Those in recovery, who follow the twelve-step program for example, have had to take a hard, clear look [at themselves]. You will find an honesty and directness in such people that is really quite charming. No more B.S. for them—they can’t afford the luxury. The same is true for us all. We can recapture that authenticity we once lived as a child before we learned the social lies [needed] to “get along.” Sometimes we have to deal with the darkness before we see the light.
This is part of the peaceful warrior’s way.
Author-teacher Dan Millman is a former world champion athlete, university coach, martial arts instructor, and college professor. His thirteen books, including Way of the Peaceful Warrior and Wisdom of the Peaceful Warrior, have illumined the lives of millions of readers in 29 languages worldwide. The feature film, Way of the Peaceful Warrior, starring Nick Nolte, was adapted from Millman’s first book, based upon incidents from his life. His time is devoted to writing, speaking and family. For more information, visit www.danmillman.com. Dan Millman will be a keynote speaker at the 6th Annual Conscious Life Exp, February 8th-10th in Los Angeles. Visit www.consciouslifeexpo.com or call 1.800.367.5777 more information on this event.