The term "peaceful warrior" is itself a paradox - how can we be both at the same time? Yet when these two apparent opposites combine, they form a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts: love and courage - a peaceful heart and a warrior spirit.

- Dan Millman

I first read Dan Millman's The Way of the Peaceful Warrior in 1980 when it was first published, and I resonated with it immediately. Since then, Millman has written several other books related to this theme, including his most recent one, Wisdom of the Peaceful Warrior, published in 2006. A few days ago, I saw the film Peaceful Warrior, which is based on his first book. This movie, and Millman's wonderful series of spiritual, biographical, allegorical, metaphysical, semi-factual books, pulls together many threads of wisdom, and gives us much food for thought about how to live a life that is truly "alive".

Both the book and the movie are centered around two main characters - Dan, a college student and world class gymnast studying at UC Berkeley in the 1960's (Millman, himself), and an "old" man (age is relative, just like time!) whom Dan meets at an all-night gas station near campus, and whom he nicknames "Socrates". "Soc", who works at - perhaps owns - this Service Station (emphasis on the word "service") becomes Dan's spiritual mentor, helping him to make the transition from being an arrogant, though bright and talented, "know-it-all" student to becoming a mature human being - a peaceful and spiritual warrior.

What IS a "peaceful warrior" anyway? Isn't this a contradiction in terms? How can a warrior be peaceful? And if you are a person like me, for whom being a warrior (in the traditional sense) is not an attractive proposition, then why aspire to being a warrior at all, peaceful or otherwise?

Although this is a masculine allegory, told from a male perspective, the Way taught here transcends our concepts of "warrior", especially when we are accustomed to connecting this word to all the senseless military engagements and terrorist acts we are experiencing today. It also transcends our beliefs about the connection between being a "warrior" and being masculine or feminine.

The "peaceful warrior's" Way is a path of courage. The courage to do what is right even when it's not easy. The courage to trust your own inner voice above input from others. The courage to pursue your passion and your dreams even when the obstacles seem overwhelming.

The "peaceful warrior" Way is also a path of love and compassion, of awareness and of deepening consciousness, of living in the here and now and being fully present to ourselves and to everything around us in this moment.

In the next three short articles, we explore three of the many aspects of "The Way" - wisdom, purpose, and love.

Dan is a straight-A student and a master gymnast. He is proud of what he knows. And, yes, a bit arrogant. His knowledge, at the point when he first meets Socrates, is based primarily on academic training. So, naturally, Soc begins Dan's mentoring by challenging what he knows, or thinks he knows.

As Socrates points out to Dan in a series of lessons, there are many types of knowledge besides that acquired through academic learning. He leads Dan into the arenas of emotion, of all the senses, of intuition and inner reflection, of body wisdom, and most of all, of personal experience. Ultimately, he teaches Dan the difference between knowledge and wisdom: Knowledge is knowing what to do; Wisdom is doing it.

Many years later, Dan comes eventually to this understanding: I possess no certain knowledge or ultimate knowledge - not a smidgen, not a drop. All my "facts" are but a house of cards, balanced upon a realm of wonder.

Just last week, I had my own eye-opening mentor-type experience. I was at the doctor's office and we were discussing the issue of my taking off some weight. I kept talking about all the nutritional information I had been gathering through books, articles, lectures, and meetings with nutritionists. Finally, she got impatient with me and said, "You know all the right things to do, Connie. Why aren't you doing them?"

THAT was a wake-up call - a real moment of truth. And I thought about Dan and Socrates and the difference about knowledge and wisdom, and about my desire to be a very wise woman, and I realized that, in my own way, I was being called to being my own version of the peaceful warrior.

And what about you? Is there an area in your life, where you know what to do, yet you're not doing it? What would it take for you to be a peaceful warrior and transform your own knowledge into wisdom?

"The highest purpose in life is service to others."

This is what the mentor character Socrates says to his mentee Dan in the movie, Peaceful Warrior.

Do you agree with this point of view?

If so, what are you doing about it in your own life?

If not, what is YOUR highest purpose in life?

In the movie, Peaceful Warrior, there is a scene where Dan and his mentor, "Socrates", are walking through a dark alley at night. Suddenly, they are confronted with two muggers - young, strapping men, one brandishing a gun. The muggers demand that Dan and Soc hand over their wallets.

Dan whispers to Soc, "We can take them", and starts to move forward as if to attack them.

Socrates gently restrains Dan, and slowly reaches into his back pocket, pulls out his wallet, and offers it to the men gently and with a smile. He then nudges Dan to do the same.

Dan is disappointed in Socrates, expecting some "magical" move on Soc's part that will get them out of their situation with their wallets, and lives, intact.

The two muggers, somewhat surprised and pleased with the ease with which their "prey" gave in, say "thanks" and begin to walk away.

"But wait," says Soc, "wouldn't you like our watches? They're fine brands. Should bring you a good price if you sell them."

Again, Dan is annoyed and confused, and complains under his breath, as the men take the watches, and again turn to leave.

Soc stops them once again, offering their jackets, which the muggers gladly accept.

At this point, the scene breaks and then resumes as Dan and Soc are walking home in the dark wearing nothing but their underwear and socks.

"Why did you do that?" Dan asks crossly. "They would have been happy with just our wallets."

And this is how Socrates answered: "Because the people who are hardest to love are the ones who need it the most."

Is this, then, the Way of a peaceful warrior - to stand up to demands and threats not by resisting them but by giving not only what is asked of them but more - much more - and with a spirit of love and generosity?

How might this translate to our lives? What might happen, for example, if a wife demanded five minutes of quality time with her husband and he gave her an hour? Or a husband petulantly asked for two hours on a Saturday to go play a few rounds of golf, and she responded by suggesting that he take all day and play the full 18 holes? Imagine this kind of response ratcheted up to the level of two countries in conflict! What "magic" might happen then?

Perhaps there is someone in your life who needs a peaceful warrior's love? Perhaps a parent or child? A spouse or significant other? A friend or enemy? A colleague or competitor? An acquaintance or a stranger? Perhaps even you, yourself?

How will you give some love this week to those who need it the most?