Peaceful Warrior part III

[Dana Sheets]

I'm reading Dan Millman's third peaceful warrior book right now, "The Journeys of Socrates."

In this coming of age text the future teacher in the "Peaceful Warrior" is coming of age himself and basically between revenge and higher purpose.

In the text there is an amazingly similar discussion of how you progress in training. The beginning is fundamentals of doing movements over and over again. It builds character, tenacity, spirit, and the body. Then - for advanced training you must let go of the structure of the basics and apply them skillfully, fluidly, and naturally as a child moves.

Both training approaches are relentless and austere in their own ways. The first is an outward journey and the second one is inward. Mastery is achieved when Socrates develops a complete awareness of himself in every moment and every situation while being fully alert, fully relaxed, and fully open to possibility.

While not overly well-written the text speaks plainly and clearly to the reader. This text is a bit darker than the other two Peaceful Warrior texts but I would definitely put it on the reading list for martial arts enthusiasts.

[jorvik]

How can you philosophise on such things? how can he? who is he anyway?
some poor black kid from a gettho somewhere could tell you a whole lot more.and from a far early age, with no black belt or style or lineage.reality is as stark as facing an angry bear....something that made me laugh ( ......and I guess it shouldn't )...was a couple of weeks back an "Expert" on bears and his wife got eaten by a hungry Grissly .................now I dunno, I would never go near a grizzly ( willingly).so am I more of an expert than he was...............didn't even bite me

[Dana Sheets]

Dan Millman is a widely read author. His has a whole slew of books on approaches to living a full and balanced life. And in the final analysis - it is one man's opinion. So he is no better or no worse than anyone else.

The Peaceful Warrior series other two books by Dan Millman are similar in nature to the text "Sophie's World" written by Jostein Gaarder. They use a fictional narrative and the device a central character who is coming of age to introduce the themes and ideas of several of the so-called "great thinkers" and "spiritual leaders" such as Plato, Socrates, Kant, Kieergart, Galileo, Christ, Muhamad, Ghandi, etc.

The rather fun part for Martial Artists is that martial themes and training are included in the fictional narrative. These are not "how-to" books for martial arts - rather they are books that invite you to explore your philosphy towards life through the eyes of the central character and their teacher(s).

[Bill Glasheen]

some poor black kid from a gettho somewhere could tell you a whole lot more.and from a far early age, with no black belt or style or lineage

Having stayed in a neighborhood as a child after "white flight" and experienced black culture... Being a resident of Richmond that used to be the murder capital of the U.S....

BS!!!

The romantic stories of someone finding themselves on the street, rising above it all, and achieving greatness is nonsense. The reality is that this culture suffers from fatherless homes where these boys never learn how to grow into men because they lack the proper role models. At the end of the day they get crappy jobs, live miserable lives, run a high risk of getting shot or landing in jail, and abandon their female companions the way their own fathers abandoned their own moms.

The exceptions are rare.

This reminds me of you romanticizing the boxing groups over the karate groups, jorvik. Having gone into the inner city of Charlottesville and trained with the Charlottesville Boxing Club, once again I beg to differ. They are just another group of kids with the same strengths and weaknesses as any other group, only they are even more in need of mentoring. They looked up to me. I was flattered and alarmed at the same time.

The exceptions are rare.

Don't take my word for it; experience it yourself. Get out of your comfort zone and be a part of their world. It's the best way to understand, learn from them, and make a difference in their lives.

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

Romantacizing "those other guys" is not an unusual phenomenon.

Years back, a former green beret and martial arts instructor used to talk to us about this. The stereotype was the sociopathic motorcycle maniac who would terrorize your neighborhood, rape your women, steal your money, and leave you for dead. Or whatever... And the reality? Take a good look at those guts, for Christ's sake. Anyone who spends too long sitting on their butt isn't going to be in the best of shape. And while groups such as Hells Angels who make a living producing and selling methamphetamine may have altered senses of empathy, the average motorcyclist with the funny helmet and the wierd clothing is just another conformist in his/her own world.

I know... A motorcycle was my only means of transportation for several years. I was "one of them" and I never felt special.

I got to talking to another motorcycle rider once in a bar. He was talking about how he once dumped his bike in a city. Some people came over and asked him if he was OK. He said he was fine. He picked his bike up and noted that the handle bar was bent, so he used all his strength to bend it back. The entire crowd that had gathered around suddenly looked in horror, and backed away.

He was laughing with me about it. He and I were both rail thin overachieving athletes. There was nothing scary about the way we looked in shorts and a T-Shirt. But put on those denims and the leather jacket, put the helmet and leather gloves on, and bend steel, and suddenly you are ONE OF THEM!!

Honey, hide the children!!



What-ever...

- Bill

[Dana Sheets]

Um...wow. OK let's see.

First off - you could replace "black kid from the ghetto" with any race. Every color of the rainbow lives in a ghetto someplace. "some poor black kid" is, unfortunately, what many people say first when they want to identify and individual from a disadvantaged background with a lack of familial support, educational and employment opportunities.

Second - our nation is filled with individuals who have risen above their circumstances to achieve greatness. I think it is very cynical to claim that this just doesn't happen. Recent examples include Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise (like him or hate him), Carter G. Woodson (the man who started Black History Week in 1926), Phil Roman (born in Mexico, he grew up to be one of the most important animators in film and TV history.), Donna Lease Brazile was born December 15, 1959, in New Orleans, Louisiana, one of nine children in a poor working class family and eventually become a major power broker in DC and head of the Gore 2000 campaign.

It is the rule? Nope. It is possible? Yep. What one person can do another can do.

Advantage and Disadvantage are color blind. I think it is absolutely incorrect to measure potential by race. You can observe and measure outcomes in various groups by ethnicity - however, I don't believe anyone can predict the potential of anyone else by the color of their skin. You may be able to make generalizations about group trends but you simply cannot predict what an individual is capable of achieving.

From that point of view - Dan Millman is as qualified as anyone else to give his world view through a book. Each and every one of us is entitled to the same.

[jorvik]

Don't really understand either of these posts Iwas talking about fighting ......and in my town a kid from a poor black background will be able to fight ( and probaly Rob and steal cars and push drugs).....................but Sadly, perhaps, he will not philosophise on it, write books make a good living out of said books...........he might not even be black .............
As to "rising above circumstances"..does that mean because you are poor you are somehow inferior ....I don't think so.....I get on far better with poor folks than I do with get rich quick dudes.or your "Alpha" folks .................I don't need to be rich to appreciate beauty.I can read Shakespeare for next to nothing.heck I bought a DVD of Richard3 for under a dollar..
As to Black people or whatever we call them now.....some I like some I don't
.same as Pakistanis.....I was aweful grateful to the ones who gave me a titanium hip.but I sure don't like the ones who want to decapitate folks

[Dana Sheets]

The books are not about being a better fighter. The books are about being a better person. The ideas I discussed are life lessons more than they are fighting lessons.

If you can be fluid and open to possibility, as is a child, then you can move through life with less fear, less worry, less anger, and greater joy.

[Bill Glasheen]

Wow... You sure can get some strange interpretations from what people write.

FACT: I grew up in a neighborhood that became well over 90% black. Let's just say I have some street cred here.

FACT: Minorities are disproportionately represented in our prison system. Some may argue it is prejudice in our law enforcement and judicial system. Maybe. But...

FACT: A disproportionate number of those minorities come from single parent homes. And that single parent environment puts those individuals at considerable disadvantage through adolescence and early adulthood. This includes an increased risk of teen pregnancy, and increased risk of dropping out of high school, etc., etc.

FACT: Richmond city has both a high minority population AND used to be in the top three in the nation in per capita murders.

That being said...

The environment jorvik refers to is one I am familiar with. It is one I grew up with, because my dad chose to keep his kids where they were rather than follow the classic white flight during the sixties. Because of that, it is an environment I am quite familiar with and quite comfortable in. What may strike fear in some due to differences in culture, language, and habits is something I find "comfortable." I had no problem being the only white kid in the Charlottesville Boxing Club. I felt more comfortable there than I did around frat row where the kids typically wore Izods, kakis, and Topsiders.

This isn't a world of absolutes. It never was and it never will be. That being said, there wouldn't be such a thing as affirmative action if a kid wasn't disadvantaged growing up in a poor and/or minority community. We're talking percentages.

That is the environment I'm talking about.

some poor black kid from a gettho somewhere could tell you a whole lot more.and from a far early age, with no black belt or style or lineage

From personal experience, I find that to be highly unlikely. From personal experience, "some poor black kid" is no different from the start than "some rich white kid" being sent to play football, wrestling, and maybe even martial arts classes. And what "some poor black kid" (or pick the disadvantaged class of your choice) learns on "the street" can be random, ruthless, and hateful. It is not a nurturing, learning environment; it is an environment that can beat you down and make you less than what your potential deserves. Consequently I don't see what jorvik means.

That's what I meant.

- Bill

[Stryke]

I think both sides are right .

Jorvik does have a point ...

while the kid in question might not be wise , he sure could tell you a lot about reality that many more privelaged folks often miss .

But nothing wrong with a good Book and bit of mindbending either .

always confront your paradigms ... never know what you might learn .

[Bill Glasheen]

always confront your paradigms ... never know what you might learn

Amen, brother!

- Bill

[Stryke]

Still doesnt make me wrong mate !!!

[Bill Glasheen]

Just to give you a point of reference...

Here are two players on the USA Olympic team. Both of them - you can say - made it big.



The fellow on the right, Tim Duncan, went four years to an Atlantic Coast Conference school. He plays for San Antonio, and has quite the smooth reputation. He is eloquent, sophisticated, and a Madison Avenue dream when it comes to product advertising.

The fellow on the left was conceived in the back of a car by a single mom. In high school he severely injured another woman in a fight by throwing a chair at her, and ended up in prison. But his basketball talents were well known. The first (and only) black governor of Virginia (Wilder) commuted his sentence, and Coach Thompson of Georgetown took him under his wing. Because of his highly unusual talents and the few lucky breaks he got, he was allowed to make it big. REALLY big. But he is the exception. Without supernatural talents, he would have finished his prison term and been just another bum. But even with his NBA status, he has not achieved the same earning potential as Tim Duncan. His life remains soap operatic and troubled.

The fellow on the left, Alan Iverson, grew up in my home town.

It's a different environment. Life can be pretty mean without some lucky breaks.

- Bill

[Dana Sheets]

Life can also be pretty mean if you don't try.

I just don't think we should focus on the most likely outcome of an individual based on group trend data. I think we should hold a candle that each individual is capable of achieving great things. Yep - I'd rather err on the side of being an romantic optimist than a pragmatic realist when thinking about the potential on individuals. There is enough pessimism to go around without my adding to the heap.

[jorvik]

Still don't know what you folks are on about .Bill your Daddy was a stockbroker..not the wrong side of the tracks in my book .........say all you want but blood will out........and more so, social conditioning.....and Bill you can't squat on both sides of the fence you are either pro conservative or not.........and in my book you are very "Pro" even with a fool like Dubya who has gone against US interets you are still behind him..........and just on his politics...........far as I can see
I see social injustice in lots of places................ in my country it's the opposite, you have to apologise for being white,married, brought up your own kids, worked for a living, and being a Christian..Bliars britain not mine