Manual of The Warrior of Light

A warrior of light never resorts to trickery, but he knows how to distract his opponent. However 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 instead 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 light knows what he wants. And he has no need to waste time on explanations.

A warrior of 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 and 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.' The warrior does not respond to these provocations. He knows that without inspiration and experience, no amount of training will help him.

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 to 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 those things that last or of the strong bonds that are forged over time. A warrior can distinguish between the transient and the enduring.

A warrior of light knows that he has much to be grateful for. He was helped in his struggle by the angels; celestial forces placed each thing in its place, thus allowing him to give of his best. 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 makes sure to share with them any rewards he receives.

'Just off the beach to the west of the village lies an island, and on it is a vast temple with many bells,' said the woman. The boy noticed that she was dressed strangely and had a veil covering her head. He had never seen her before. 'Have you ever visited that temple?' she asked. 'Go there and tell me what you think of it?' Seduced by the woman's beauty, the boy went to the place she had indicated. He sat down on the beach and stared out at the horizon, but he saw only what he always saw: blue sky and ocean. Disappointed, he walked to a nearby fishing village and asked if anyone there knew about an island and a temple. 'Oh, that was many years ago, when my great-grandparents were alive,' said an old fisherman. 'There was an earthquake, and the island was swallowed up by the sea. But although we can no longer see the island, we can still hear the temple bells when the ocean sets them swinging down below.' The boy went back to the beach and

MANUAL OF THE WARRIOR OF LIGHT Paulo Coelho