The Peaceful Warrior

Thursday 10 June 2010

Last night instead of our usual Lotus Link Dharma class we watched The Peaceful Warrior movie. This is a main stream movie with strong Buddhist teachings. Most of the eleven people who watched the movie have been attending the meditation classes and are new to Buddhism. However, they were enthralled in the story and I could feel the energy of their concentration; looking for the meaning, talking to themselves as they recognised actions and events that they could relate to their own lives. No-one shuffled, fidgeted or coughed, not even the young boy at the front. At the end everyone sat in silence for a few minutes contemplating the impact of the messages.

This is the second time I’ve watched the movie and I realised that I had missed many of the messages the first time and will see many more when I see it again. This is quite unique for me because I rarely watch a movie or read a book twice. However, in the past few months my enhanced awareness, or mindfulness, has led me to appreciate the benefit of revisiting selected movies and books to look more deeply, to feel more deeply and to ask more questions.

What were the messages? I wonder if the author of The Peaceful Warrior realised the powerful messages it gives, although I guess some may be lost on many who do not have insight into the powerful teachings of the Great Buddha. These are some of the lessons I learned from my second viewing of the movie:
• There is never nothing happening.
• Live in the present and cherish the moment – it’s all we have.
• Practice, practice, practice.
• Control and focus the mind – it is our greatest strength which comes from within.
• Follow your intuition.
• Those you like least need the most love.
• What is happiness? It isn’t material wants or needs. It comes from removing the ‘chatter’ from our mind to see the real self.
• The journey is more important than the destination because we don’t know what the destination will be.
• Eat mindfully – taste the food, appreciate the care with which it has been grown and prepared.
• Gratuitous pleasure has no meaning and doesn’t lead to happiness and self-fulfilment

Next week Venerable Miaoyu will lead a discussion about the deeper meaning and application of the lessons.