A Metaphor for High Performance Living

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We typically think of a warrior as a brave, skilled and powerful figure, often from America's early, ancestral history. Names such as Tecumseh (Shawnee), Crazy Horse (Sioux), Geronimo (Apache), and Dull Knife (Cheyenne) are remembered for their courage and devotion to tribal, spiritual and ecological traditions. However, various philosophical traditions have also described and used the concept of “warrior” as a metaphor for describing the highest levels of human functioning. These “warrior” qualities add further power and potency to (1) an individual’s human presence and human effectiveness, (2) the existential experience of life’s present moment, and (3) one’s fundamental humanity. The following traits are frequently described as aspects of a warrior’s fundamental qualities:

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A “warrior” works to confront, process, and put in order his or her personal life and life history; this includes the process of confronting painful experiences and losses from the past;

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A “warrior” puts aside “petty indulgences” and preoccupations (e.g., compulsive or addictive behaviors) that tend to anesthetize or distort the experience of the present moment and blunt the expression of the warrior’s humanity and ultimate effectiveness. The “warrior” outgrows immature and childish behaviors and modes of coping, yet is able to experience life and the surrounding universe with child-like wonder and awe;

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A “warrior” strives to maintain an awareness of the challenges presented by the possibility of imminent physical and/or psychological death; a warrior uses this awareness to remain fully focused and anchored in the present moment;

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A “warrior” seeks expanded personal mastery and power through wisdom, self-understanding, and commitment to “the truth.” Wisdom is the possession of good judgement, mental clarity and knowledge. Truth is equivalent to personal integrity and self-honesty. Wisdom, self-understanding, and a commitment to the “truth” of one’s experience are recognized as sources of a warrior’s personal power and effectiveness.

A “warrior” assumes responsibility for his or her past, present and future; a warrior experiences “authorship,” or creation, of life and experience. With this grounded sense of a being who is responsible, there is a sense of vitality, energy and enthusiasm - there is no pervasive sense of weakness, powerlessness, or the sense that one is the victim of people or circumstances. From this stance, a warrior is capable of making a powerful impact upon the world.

A warrior strives to develop an attitude of “ruthless compassion”; this attitude is in relation to all aspects of life, and especially in attitudes toward onself and others. This means that a warrior is committed to making “ruthlessly” honest and accurate assessments of self and others, and that this committed stance is supported by the warrior’s compassion for the challenges and imperfections that are intrinsic to the human condition. The “warrior” has a profound sense of humility and knows that “there, but for the grace of God, go I.”