| "A warrior of light is never predictable, He is not afraid to weep
over ancient sorrows, or to feel joy at new discoveries. A warrior
does not spent his days trying to play the role that others have chosen
for him". ~Paulo Coelho |
| There is a Native American prophecy, which states that when the planet of healing is discovered in the sky, the sacred warrior teachings will return to earth. Every time a new heavenly body is discovered, there is a quantum breakthrough in consciousness. Chiron was discovered on Nov 1, 1977, an event that I believe was the seeding of the New Age and Alternative Health Movement. The proliferation of health food stores, New Age bookstores, yoga and meditation centers, and the return to the earth through organic gardening began to emerge in virtually every community. Perhaps even more importantly, the discovery of Chiron coincided with the return of the Sacred Warrior consciousness through the reemergence and popularization of various martial arts such as kung fu, tae kwon do, aikido, t�ai chi, jujitsu, and the Way of the Sword Teachings that resonated with millions around the world. |
| The term "martial arts" refers to the art of warfare from Mars, the Roman god of war. In mythology, Ares (Mars) was a dancer before he became a warrior and was trained by the ancient phallic god Priapus. Many martial arts take the form of dance. Ancient Celtic proverb says, �You don't give weapons to a man until you've taught him how to dance.� Chiron not only taught the art of healing, but also warrior-ship, philosophy and music. To teach someone to be a warrior is not necessarily to teach him how to fight military battles. From a spiritual perspective, the enemy is ego; the warrior needs to battle his own resistance to the spiritual process. |
| Chiron's initial wound was the abandonment by his mother Philyra, who was terrified by his appearance. He was raised by the gods of light and reason, Apollo and Athene. They had chosen Chiron, who lived so close to wild nature, to be their pupil and the teacher of mankind. All of the great Greek heroes were first brought to Chiron as children, to be raised in his cave. There he taught them all to ride, to shoot, to dance, and to tell the truth. To each he passed along a different branch of knowledge. |
| Chiron taught Orpheus, the great musician who made trees weep and rocks melt, how to play the lyre. To Asclepius, who became the god of healing, he taught medicine. To Jason, who sailed the seas, he taught the art of navigation by the stars. Even Sir Isaac Newton believed that Chiron had been the first to chart the heavens and to create the constellations. He brought up Castor and Pollux (Gemini) the twins of the zodiac. They learned to ride from him, and later joined Jason when he set off on his quest. It was Chiron who told them which stars to follow. |
| Chiron's discovery indicates that we must admit our need to be taught; indeed, most of us cannot transcend ego alone. The need for a teacher has long been accepted in the East, so we can be encouraged that it is a tested sacred principle. We can see the link to Chiron not only as healer, but also as mentor, the teacher of bravery. We need to cultivate mentoring and initiation, rites of passage, in order to awaken the sacred warrior. |
| Today the archetypal warrior is betrayed by the modern warrior. Our soldiers are not taught to behave as mythic warriors. The mythic warrior never kills for vengeance. Rather, he fights for a cause that is morally sound, a quest that transcends self-interest. Yet, it is the shadow side of the warrior, that is violence, aggression, and selfishness, which runs rampant in our culture. Gang members are shadow warriors initiating themselves in the absence of a sacred initiation by a community of elders. But the shadow warrior doesn't always take the form of criminal activity or abusive behavior. Many men in our culture feel lonely, disconnected and disempowered. That too, is the shadow warrior. |
| Without meaningful rites, we sustain the most grievous wounds to the soul--life without depth. Rites of passage are essential, for all passages imply something ending, a death of sorts, and something beginning, hopefully a rebirth. Initiation implies entry into something new and mysterious. Given the fact that the rites of passage have largely disappeared from our culture, it behooves men to reflect on what these rites had to offer and their gift of wholeness. For what is not available through our culture, we are now obliged to find ourselves. |
| Since Chiron's discovery, the call to unlock the sacred warrior teaching and the quest for wholeness have bestowed empowerment and healing upon those who choose to walk between the two worlds of spirit and instinct in a sacred and earth-honoring manner. |
| END OF PART 1. PART 2 COMING SOON |
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