We have all chosen a side. Whether we know it or not, we have all staked a flag in the ground, and declared our allegiances. Most of us have chosen the path of absolute loyalty to one thing: the physical world. How could we do otherwise?
We live in it. We eat from it. We breathe within it.
The physical world is all that we see. It is obvious and undeniable, yet, it is the very thing that needs to be denied. Not for its existence, but rather, for its allure.
The material world is exactly that: alluring. It tempts us to explore it. To travel. To taste. To smell. To touch. To listen. Everything about this world is designed to feed our desire for more of it. But there is one thing that this world always does. No matter how deeply we try to understand or rationalize it, this world will always fall short of fulfilling the deepest, insatiable desire: the desire for more.
More requires us to constantly and mundanely affirm its existence. This is where the battle begins. This is the war we all face and endure, day in and day out. The desire for more consumes us. It calls to us, tempts us, first with simple cravings which grow into full blown addictions. It might take the shape of a noble task like work.
When done in moderation, work can feed our families, support our spiritual nurturing, and help the world around us. When taken to an extreme, addictive state, work becomes divisive and destructive.
Another simple idea of more would be food. We need a modest amount to survive, but when taken to an extreme, we fall into ill-health. High cholesterol, blood pressure, cancer all grow from excessive eating. Once again, the more-factor becomes our enemy to conquer.
So what is the first step in the battle? What is the first step to becoming a peaceful warrior?
In order to conquer anything, the enemy first must be named. We all need to be aware of the “more-factor” in our lives, call it by its name, and purge it with modesty and patience.
If we overeat, call it by its name: gluttony. Frame it as the enemy needing to be conquered, and create a plan that will enable its defeat.
“Gluttony! I see you! I will conquer you! With the powers of concentration and patience, I will be victorious.”
This is how the first step towards becoming a peaceful warrior is taken. See the enemy, and call it by name.