His companions say: “He’s so lucky!” And the warrior does sometimes achieve things far beyond his capabilities.
That is why, at sunset, he kneels and gives thanks for the Protective Cloak surrounding him.
His gratitude, however, is not limited to the spiritual world; he never forgets his friends, for their blood, mingled with his on the battlefield.
A Warrior does not need to be reminded of the help given him by others. He is the first to remember and he makes sure to share with them any rewards he receives.
All the world’s roads lead to the heart of the Warrior; he plunges unhesitatingly into the river of passions always flowing through his life.
The warrior knows that he is free to choose his desires, and he makes these decisions with courage, detachment and—sometimes—with just a touch of madness.
He embraces his passions and enjoys them intensely. He knows that there is no need t
o renounce the pleasures of conquest; they are part of life and bring joy to all those who participate in them.
But he never loses sight of things that last or of the strong bonds forged over time.
A Warrior can distinguish between the transient and the enduring.
A Warrior of the Light does not rely on strength alone, he makes use of his opponent’s energy too.
When he enters the fight, all he has is his enthusiasm, the moves, and strikes that he learned during his training. As the fight progresses, he discovers that enthusiasm and training are not enough to win: what counts is experience.
Then he opens his heart to the Universe and asks God to give him the inspiration he needs to turn every blow from his enemy into a lesson in self-defence.
His companions say: “He’s so superstitious. He stopped fighting in order to pray; he even shows respect for his opponent’s tricks.”
A Warrior does not respond to these provocations. He knows that without inspiration and experience, no amount of training will help him.
A Warrior of the Light never resorts to trickery, but he knows how to distract his opponent.
No matter how anxious he is, he uses every strategy at his disposal to gain his objective. When he sees that his strength is almost gone, he makes his enemy think that he is simply biding his time. When he needs to attack the right flank, he moves his troops to the left. If he intends beginning the battle at once, he pretends that he is tired and prepares for sleep.
His friends say: “Look, he’s lost all enthusiasm.” But he pays no attention to such remarks because his friends do not understand his tactics.
A Warrior of the Light knows what he wants. And he has no need to waste time on explanations.
A wise Chinese man has this to say about the strategies of a Warrior of the Light:
“Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you. This will diminish his enthusiasm.”
“Do not be ashamed to make a temporary withdrawal from the field if you see that your enemy is stronger than you; it is not winning or losing a single battle that matters, but how the war ends.”
“Even if you are very strong, never be ashamed to feign weakness; this will make your enemy act imprudently and attack too soon.”
“In war, the key to victory is the ability to surprise one’s opponent.”
It’s odd,” the Warrior of the Light says to himself. “I have met so many people who, at the first opportunity, try to show their very worst qualities. They hide their inner strength behind aggression and hide their fear of loneliness behind an air of independence. They do not believe in their own abilities, but are constantly trumpeting their virtues.”
A Warrior reads these messages in many of the men and women he meets. He is never taken in by appearances and makes a point of remaining silent when people try to impress him. He uses these occasions to correct his own faults, for other people make an excellent mirror.
A Warrior takes every opportunity to teach himself.
The Warrior of the Light sometimes fights with those he loves.
The man who defends his friends is never overwhelmed by the storms of life; he is strong enough to come through difficulties and carry on.
He does, however, often face challenges from those he is trying to teach the art of the sword. His disciples provoke him into fighting with them.