Grace Hui for Incentre
The word “warrior” is a relatively commonly used word in the English language. It is used in sporting team names, martial arts clubs, as jargon in the corporate boardroom, to describe industrial titans or in entertainment fights where fighters or “warriors” are pitted against each other. While not criticising how this word has been used in modern day parlance, it is also important to bring back the meaning of the word “warrior” in all of its purity and integrity.
We rarely pay attention to the words we use and how we use them these days but in the Mystery School tradition, words do have meaning. True Magick, is after all, spoken. Different words carry different meanings and to understand what words mean and to use them appropriately does matter.
Many of us, if we dwell on the word “warrior”, we associate it with over charged hyper masculinity, with physical fights and often, with violence, bloodshed, dominance and a winner takes all mentality. At times, it even has “bullying” overtones.
This type of “warrior” is highly regarded in some sectors of society with a “winning at all cost” mentality and whether unconsciously or otherwise, it is viewed by many in the healing or spiritual spaces as archaic and old fashioned at best and downright undesirable or uncomfortable at worst.
As a result of these biases, the word has not been accorded its due in our world and many of its wonderful qualities have been corrupted and eroded which is of great loss to the world.
Warriors in the ancient world and our modern understanding
Gallantry, chivalry and valour were all noble attributes. In modern lens, these traits are seen as a romanticised version of violence. But is this really accurate?
The knights in King Arthur’s realm would definitely have fought and killed if they had to but it was always to protect and serve. The same can be said of the epic wars in timeless classics such as the Lord of the Rings whereby the fight was always to fight for the good and that such fights were worth fighting and even dying for.
In the Samurai tradition of Japan, all Samurai warriors adhered to a strict code of conduct called the "Bushido". The Samurai's Bushido ethos is based on a set of moral and ethical principles that guided the lives of each Samurai warrior. A Samurai warrior is supposed to be loyal, courageous and live their lives with honour. Each Samurai faces physical death with valour and never backs down from an obstacle. While movies and stories might focus only on the warfare and the ritual of Harakiri, what is of great importance is actually that of respecting others and mastery over emotions, feelings and life itself. In pure Samurai culture, bragging and a love for violence are strict no-nos. In its pure and uncorrupted form, the Samurais are meant to be warriors of light - warriors who uphold justice, valour and what is right. Not dominance, conquest or subjugation.
It is like the righteous anger in the biblical parable of Jesus expelling the money lenders and gamblers from the temple space. It wasn't a tantrum on the part of Jesus or an attempt to exert himself over others. Rather, it was to upkeep the sanctity of the temple space - reinforcing a need to have reverence for divinity. In this case, Jesus was embodying the warrior of light, fighting for the divine to be recognised and upheld.
In a more modern version of the same concepts, we have the Harry Potter series whereby there is the age old battle between good and evil. Yes, the titular characters were not men in armour but children and teenagers. Yet, the concept is the same. The picture of a hard man holding a sword or spear is imagery for the meaning of “warrior” but not all warriors have to look that way. It is the warrior spirit that we each have to embody in every aspect of our lives. It is also not simply a trait associated with hyper masculinity. A woman or a child can imbue these as well. In fact, it is necessary for the warrior spirit in its purity to be present and alive in all human beings.
Sometimes, in order to protect that which is good, we have to be willing to fight and sacrifice. Using Harry Potter as an example, he was willing to lay down his life for the greater good but in so doing, he was not surrendering, he was not going down without a fight. Even if death was the only option, dying fighting rather than surrender made all the difference.
Of course, our day to day lives are not epic scenes of battle in the movie sense but we do have our own individual and societal battles and to battle them in a way that bear good fruit for us and our communities means that we have to each imbue the qualities of a warrior in the true and pure sense.
The warrior isn't simply a hero that is separate from the rest of us. Rather, we can all be heroes as we each have that ability within us.
As Sovereign Ipsissimus Dave Lanyon, a man that I have the deepest respect for said, we should never want to fight, but if we should be prepared to, if it is required of us. In the Lord of the Rings, Sam Gamgee appeals to Frodo’s sense of love and responsibility in fighting the good fight by reminding him of all that is good in the Shire, implying that all would be lost If they did not fight. "Do you remember the Shire, Mr. Frodo? It'll be spring soon," are a subtle way of saying "We have to fight to protect it, so we can return and it will be beautiful again".
While not always couched in the Armageddon sense, this is something that we can all do in our daily lives. Be it, protecting those that need it, being gracious in the face of drama, staying calm in escalating situations, rebuilding instead of tearing down and the list goes on.
The term “warrior” has been so linked with being the winner taking the spoils, that we have forgotten the nobility behind the fight. It’s never been about the spoils or the riches. While those can at times be collateral benefits, the fight is about fighting for what is right and saying no to evil. Even if we do not “win” as the world sees winning,
Often, the fight is also about standing in our own power, undiminished – showing up for ourselves in our highest and best goods.
Facing the Enemy within
Frequently, when we think of the term “warrior” we think of an external enemy that needs to be vanquished. However, the warrior of the highest order is one that is able to face oneself and defeat the internal enemy. In other words, uncovering our darkest shadows, bringing them to the light and facing them. It is only in so doing that we can truly have purity of actions.
For example, how often has charitable works been a mask for other agendas? While these are not always nefarious but rather, based out of an unconscious projection of our own unhealed traumas, they nevertheless send out inauthenticity into the world and leads to counterproductive mistrust in the world.
Another example would be the proxy wars that are fought throughout the world today where the reason for the war is not always what it was said to be about in the first place.
The biggest mission of the true warrior is to transcend the war within and to purify the self. It is in the day to day facing of ourselves and our own inner demons so that we do not project it out into the world that we are truly fighting to make our communities, societies and the wider world a better place.
Know Thyself
In a simple sense, we all think we know ourselves. We are able to provide identity documents, state our likes and dislikes etc. But are these just roles we play in life? Do we really know ourselves and who we truly are? This is the perennial question!
In the Mystery School tradition, initiates walk the path of progression and the path is that of “Knowing Thyself”. It is not a quick fix. It is a path of progression, a path of reflection, contemplation and action. One of authenticity and of daily facing the self and choosing the light in every decision and action.
This is the real fight and purpose of the warrior. The rest is but imagery and illusion.
No one can make the world a better place without first facing themselves.
How can we not project if we had no awareness of our own shadows?
How do we heal if we are not willing to face our traumas?
How do we ask others to change, if we ourselves do not change?
How do we remain in integrity if we are ignorant of our inner conflicts and true intentions?
The Humble Warrior
One of the most important qualities that the true warrior must embody is that of humility. By humility, I do not mean false modesty or making yourself small in order to make another comfortable. It is also not about domination or the control of others. It is about knowing your own power and being able to wield it with discernment.
In other words, know when to fight, how to fight, how to de escalate and to embody peace.
It goes back to Know Thyself. By knowing yourself and being in your true power, you will see the same essence in others.
Peace is not built by inauthenticity, fear or control.
As within so without.
The Warrior of Light
A warrior of light fights for what is right and what is good. He or she does not shrink out of fear of causing offence nor does he or she fight false battles so as to appear nice and correct by societal standards.
As a society, we have come to view nice as good and inoffensive as a virtue but this is not always true. Being nice in order to be liked and viewed favourably does not contribute to a better world if it was inauthentic to begin with. By authenticity, I don’t mean to deliberately hurt someone’s feelings. That would be unkind. I mean standing up for what is right even in the face of being unpopular.
What is right? In Hermetic principles, what is good and what is right is that which bears good fruits regardless of the change in times, be that political changes or such like.
This might not always be easy to discern – which is why it is important to walk the initiatory path like that of the mystery school traditions. With the influx of light brought in by each step along the path, we gain greater wisdom, greater clarity and discernment gets easier.
It all begins with a Life Activation.
What is a Life Activation?
In the Mystery School traditions, this is when we realise that we have a divine purpose and reconnect to our higher selves. It is that awareness of our eternity and divinity that we truly embrace the multi-dimensional existence and the infinite possibilities that are open to us. In the Modern Mystery School, this begins with a Life Activation.
Through the use of a Crystal wand, this ancient modality reawakens dormant DNA so that we are once more connected to Spirit.
The second step is the Empower Thyself Class and Initiation
While the Life Activation reawakens us to how much potential there is and floods our structure with light so that we may see with clarity what it is that we need to heal in order to progress, it is through taking action to truly heal ourselves that we can grow.
In this, I don’t mean going for a massage or an exercise class. Of course, these things are important and have their place. However, I mean actual transformation. Not just something that helps you to cope or feel better temporarily but something that actually helps you to surmount, transcend and overcome. Not that you will no longer have obstacles, but you now have the tools to become bigger than the problem and you are not running round in circles with your mind creating endless loops and drama. You have a way to go beyond the problem as opposed to remaining stuck in it.
The Empower Thyself Class and Initiation is a game changer in this respect. It gives you the tools to understand and work with your own energy so that you understand yourself far better. Often, it is our thoughts and patterns that hold us back. However, we are so attached or distracted by our behavioural patterns that we are not consciously aware of a way out. Working with the tools and the light that is brought into our structure through initiation, we suddenly see our own attachments and where we self-sabotage.
While awareness is crucial and definitely part of the progress, it is not enough of itself. You need to release those patterns. And, very often, these patterns are so ingrained that our minds alone are not enough to eradicate them. They need to be released energetically and be energetically kept out!
In the Mystery School traditions, we believe in empowering each individual to be able to be the master of their own life. We do not want people to constantly feel like they need an external healing session. While a third party healing session is sometimes required and useful, the best form of healing is when you are empowered to heal yourself and through that, to also be able to serve another human being to help them heal.
Through this path, you learn to show up in the world in the purity of your true self – the true Warrior of Light.
*Image Credits Unknown
