The idea of a Spiritual Warrior

When I first heard the term 'Spiritual Warrior', it sounded a little pretentious and I don't even know what it meant.

After one of my journeys where I had an understanding that I chose to live this life, I remember thinking everyone that chooses to come here is a warrior. We all are whether we realize it or not

I used to think a warrior implied fighting and conflict. But I don't think fighting in the traditional sense is what qualifies here. I think it has more to do with facing what needs to be faced without shying away. Or at least that's one perspective.

There are 2 related perspectives on this idea that I think I understand these days. I'm guessing there are more that I've yet to comprehend.

One perspective is having the acceptance and courage to feel everything life and the experience of it offers. To feel the amazing joy of love and beauty. To feel the pain of loss, betrayal, hatred, isolation and more. Without the contrast, love and beauty fail to have real meaning. The pain is necessary to understand.

The other perspective is having the acceptance and courage to face yourself and your shadows. To sit with them and take a long detailed look at them. To stare at them in the face without flinching. To understand them and take on all the pain and ugliness they have to offer until they start to dissolve. It can be downright brutal. In my last journey I experienced eternal isolation and understood the depth of my own selfishness. I left the journey feeling like consciousness was a prison with no good options. It felt like existence was meaningless. It felt like a terrible truth that I didn't actually want to know. I didn't know how I was supposed go on like everything was ok. I didn't want to hurt myself or anything. But I didn't know how motivate myself to do anything if it was all meaningless anyways.

I came to understand that my experience in that journey was my choice. I didn't realize what I was choosing in the moment. But after reflecting, I started to see it. I was so embarrassed of myself I wanted to be alone. And I got exactly that and it was terrible.

The lessons can be hard and require a warrior mentality I think. Not to fight. But to have the strength to be vulnerable and honest and surrender to the truth. To accept where you've been and where you're at. So you can see clearly how to choose where you're going next.

Om Shanti my friends.