One
reason we make poor life decisions is that we are not practiced at making good
moment to moment decisions. We run our
lives on cruise control. We get to a
crossroad and have to make a choice between a, b, and c, we feel crushed. We don’t trust ourselves to make the right
decision. We panic and call our friends,
our therapist, post on facebook or twitter.
To overcome the problem, Invoke the Warrior.
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| Art by Amberle Stoffers |
It is only our
separation from nature and God that has thickened our skin, made us need
caffeine and sugar to feel alive.
Society's addiction to violence is in some ways a call of the wild. When the animal in us isn't fed, we need to
watch Rambo movies or join a gang to satisfy the craving.
When we were
young, most of us loved adventure. Something about the unknown draws us in. Which is why we like stories so much. But many of us like to leave the theater
at the end of the play, knowing that the dilemma of evil has been resolved by
the characters on the stage or screen. Like Peter, Susan, Lucy, and Edmund, to
find ourselves not as spectators but as central characters in the play itself
is somewhat daunting. The stakes are truly high, sometimes literally life or
death, and God rarely if ever yells, "Cut!" just as the dangerous or
painful scene descends upon us. No stunt doubles come onto the set to take our
places. Many of us feel that we have been playing these kinds of scenes ever
since we were children. We wonder if the hero will ever show up to rescue us.
We like to
picture goodness as being synonymous with safety. When we think of God being
good, we perhaps picture someone like Al on the popular TV program Home Improvement. He was someone who
carefully planned out each task ahead of time and had all the proper tools and
safety equipment in place; someone who thought out every possible danger
ahead of time and made allowances to ensure our safety as his workmate; someone
who goes to bed early, gets plenty of rest, and wears flannel shirts as a mark
of his reliability.
Being in partnership
with God, though, often feels much more like being Frodo's sidekick in the
Lord of the Rings…
If you're not pursuing a dangerous quest you don't need a
Guide. If you haven't found yourself in the midst of a ferocious war, then you
won't need a seasoned Captain. If you've settled in your mind to live as though
this is a fairly neutral world and you are simply trying to live your life as
best you can, then you can probably get by with a Christianity check list.
Maybe…
But if you intend to live in the Story that God is telling, and if you
want the life he offers, then you are going to need more than a handful of
principles, however noble they may be. There are too many twists and turns in
the road ahead, too many ambushes waiting only God knows where, too much at
stake. You cannot possibly prepare yourself for every situation. Narrow is the
way, said Jesus. How can we be sure to find it? We need God intimately, and
we need him desperately…Most of us have a hard time sustaining any sort of
devotional life because it has no vital connection to recovering and protecting
our strength; it feels about as important as flossing. But if we saw our lives
as a great battle and knew we needed time with God for our very survival, we
would do it…"
(The
Sacred Romance, John Eldredge)
"If you have
any doubts as to whether or not God loves wildness, spend a night in the woods
. . . alone. Take a walk out in a thunderstorm. Go for a swim with a pod of
killer whales. Get a bull moose mad at you. Whose idea was this, anyway? The
Great Barrier Reef with its great white sharks, the jungles of India with their
tigers, the deserts of the Southwest with all those rattle-snakes-would you
describe them as "nice" places? Most of the earth is not safe; but
it's good. …It's his way of letting us know he rather prefers adventure,
danger, risk, the element of surprise. This whole creation is unapologetically
wild. God loves it that way." (Wild
At Heart, John Eldredge)
"A woman is a warrior, too… But she is
meant to be a warrior in a uniquely feminine way. Sometime before
the sorrows
of life did their best to kill it, most young women wanted to be a part
of something grand, something important. Before doubt and accusation take hold,
most little girls sense that they have a vital role to play; they want to
believe there is something in them that is needed and needed desperately.
Think of Sarah from Sarah Plain and
Tall . She is needed; their world is not right until she becomes a part of it.
She brings her courage and her creativity to the West and helps to tame it. We
are awed by the nurses in Pearl Harbor, how in the midst of a horrifying
assault they bring their courage and strength to rescue the lives of hundreds of
men. The women in The Lord of the Rings trilogy are valiant and beautiful -
women like Arwen, Galadriel and Eowen bring change to the fate of Middle Earth.
And what about women like Esther and Mary and Ruth, biblical characters who had
irreplaceable roles in a Great Story." (Stasi Eldredge, Captivating.) |
| Art by Amberle Stoffers |
Thoughts from Kirk Duncan given in a
"Master Your Influence" seminar-- "If
you're not being challenged, you're not pushing hard enough. Lukewarm gets spit out. Welcome to the earth, messengers. As long as you pack the sword, no one
argues. Don't flinch in the face of
doubt. Join an army of people who pack
their swords."
The following exercises
are from Psychic Living by Andrei Ridgeway. They are good enough to
summarize and reprint.
"As children, our
bodies crave a feeling of wildness. If
we don't experience this through a sport or physical challenge, it is difficult
to feel confident and grounded in
the world and act from our own
foundation. Develop a practice that keeps the warrior alive,
keeps us breathing through our bellies, alerts to all that will help us stay on
our soul’s path. Martial arts, archery,
mountain climbing, hiking.
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| Art by Amberle Stoffers |
Warrior exercise; Go
to a place in nature where as a child you felt invigorated and alive: the ocean, the mountains, desert. If that is not possible, go somewhere that reminds
you of that place.
Pick out your
favorite animal, one that gave you a feeling of strength, wildness and
protection. Write about that animal—its
eyes, fur or scales, how it defends itself, walks, hunts for food. Don’t write scientifically. Get into the Spirit of the animal, the
secrets of its being.
Once you have
written a page, close your eyes and meditate on the life force of that
animal. How does he perceive the world?
What is he thinking? What part of the
world stands out to the animal the most?
Stay in this meditation for about 10 minutes. Merge with its rhythm and breath.
This meditation is
similar to some Native American traditions of animal totems.
Next, without
thinking, write down a list of all the physical activities you were drawn to as
a child that stimulated the Warrior in you.
Sports, hobbies, games. Look for
activities in which you felt intensely alive and dynamic in your body. Begin bringing as many as you can back into
your life.
If you desire,
find a symbol or picture of the warrior—that will remind you of this
intelligent fire that lives inside you.
Instinct Exercise;
Take a minute before each activity you engage in during the day and
determine what your instincts are telling you.
When you look in your closet for clothes to wear, see if you can feel
what color represents your mood. Do the
same with breakfast. Ask your body what it wants to eat and in what order. Take your time, go purely by instincts.
It is not about
fantasy escapes, it is about fine tuning.
If you get something really far out, like burn all your ties and move to
Bermuda, make a note in your journal.
Later on while you
are lying in bed, review how your day was affected. Take time to write notes if
possible.
MOVEMENT
Walking: When you bring more
awareness into your walking, it excites the instinctual channels in your body,
increasing alertness to events before they happen, accidents, crimes, chance
meetings.
If you are open,
you can feel the presence of a lot of other travelers. Walk with a straight posture, relaxed open
chest. Breath is important. Be aware of rhythm and mood and speed. Merge with the environment. Look at the horizon rather than the ground
Be aware of your
posture.
Breath is also
important. Keep it deep and steady.
Look at the
horizon when you walk, rather than the ground in front of you. Keep your eyes
on the treetops and buildings rather than the cracks in the sidewalk. (refer to
the movie Dead Poets Society, scene
where teacher has them find their own walk)
Driving: What better time to practice being receptive?
1. Before you get in the car, check your emotional
state. Don’t take frustration and anger with you. If your destination can be
reached by a method other than driving, consider the alternative.
2. Before you start the car, visualize your
destination. See yourself already there,
happy and refreshed. Then imagine a
field of protective energy, shielding and surrounding you and the vehicle. When ready, pull out slowly and mindfully.
3. Once you are on the road, feel a cord of
magnetism reaching from the base of your spine into the concrete. Feel yourself
centered on this cord. Feel it
straightening your posture and making your whole body brim with alertness.
4. Travel a speed that doesn’t interfere with
your intuition, a speed at which you can monitor everything around you and stay
focused. See if you can feel this speed
without looking at your speedometer.
5. Allow a comfortable space between yourself
and others “Own a piece of the road”,
but not in an aggressive way.
6. Trust your instincts moment by moment. Be conscious every second whether to stop,
change lanes, change your route, accelerate, slow down.
7. Once a month, or so, go for a psychic
drive. Just get in and drive, following instinct. Go places you wouldn’t normally visit.
Dancing:
Give
yourself a few moments each day to move to music. Dance a color. Dance a character. Dance opens the eyes on
our skin.
Each
of us has style of movement in which we are most psychic—it could be flying in
a plane, skiing, swimming, riding a horse, gardening.
Other Ways to invoke the
warrior.
1. Practice silence. Go on a hike or eat dinner with someone
without saying a word for two hours.
2. Go to the zoo and study the animals. Which do you relate to and why. Discover ways
to activate their awareness in your body, ways that are subtle and discreet.
3. Be more aware of smell. When you are with people, take in their
scent. Smell never lies. Smell the world
everywhere and find out which smells you like the best. Smell, smell and your instincts will become
more refined.
When feeling stiff
and out of tune with your instincts, lie down somewhere and visualize
effortless movement. An animal, a wave,
leaping flames. Climbing stairs, dancing, (I also
add here--hang gliding, rock climbing, rappelling, ice skating, skiing,
horseback riding, running, playing tennis.)
Give the body a
color and let it rush through your being.
See the body as firm and grounded, but also weightless and full of
light. The quickness of a jaguar and the
fluidity of water.
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| Art by Amberle Stoffers |
The ELEMENTS:
Fire: in
the presence of fire, messages that stir inside us, become easier to interpret
or speak. Think of “sitting around a campfire” or watching a candle burn—the
feelings and expressions that are invoked.
Water:
purifies the body, wipes away static in your magnetic field, so your
perceptions are clearer. The cells relax
whenever we return to a liquid environment.
Soaking
in warm springs
Hands in bowl of water during meditation. Add
salt to give the qualities of the sea.
Wading
in the waves on the ocean beach, wading in a creek, etc.
Run
a bath, go swimming, dance in the rain.
Earth: the
more psychic you become, the more you need connection with the earth to keep
you grounded.
Sculpt
clay.
Work
in the garden, plant flowers and vegetables.
Hike
anywhere in nature. Walk on the beach.
Spend
time around large animals such as horses or cows. Just hang out around them or
even pet them if possible. (Watch them graze.)
Hug
trees.
Air:
All thoughts are air.
Make
up stories.
Perform
skits with your friends.
Walk
through a new city without a guide.
Air
means letting go of agendas, control, plans.
Have
a spontaneous poetry gathering. Gather in a circle with friends. Make up poetry
on the spot.
Air
is also about humor.
References:
Eldredge, John, Wild
At Heart, Sacred Romance, Way of the Wild Heart, Waking the Dead
Eldredge, Stasi, Captivating
Ridgeway, Andrei, Psychic Living
Ruiz, Don Miguel, Four Agreements
Duncan, Kirk, notes
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