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Chapter One

A Warrior of the Light knows that he has much to be grateful for.

Angels help him in his struggle; celestial forces place each thing in its place, thus allowing him to give it 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 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 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 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.

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Excerpted from Warrior of the Light by Paulo Coelho
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