Manual of the Warrior of Light by Paulo Coelho Read Free Book Online Page B

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.
    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 wise Chinese has this to say about the strategies of the warrior of light:
    'Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish
     his enthusiasm.'
    'Do not be ashamed to make a temporary withdrawal from the field if you see that your
     enemy is stronger than you; it is not winning or losing a single battle that matters, but
     how the war ends.'
    'Even if you are very strong, never be ashamed to feign weakness; this will make your
     enemy act imprudently and attack too soon.'
    'In war, the key to victory is the ability to surprise one's opponent.'
    'It's odd,' says the warrior of light to himself. 'I have met so many people who, at the
     first opportunity, try to show their very worst qualities. They hide their inner strength
     behind aggression; they hide their fear of loneliness behind an air of independence. They
     do not believe in their own abilities, but are constantly trumpeting their virtues.'
    The warrior reads these messages in many of the men and women he meets. He is never taken
     in by appearances and makes a point of remaining silent when people try to impress him.
     And he uses the occasion to correct his own faults, for other people make an excellent
     mirror.
    A warrior takes every opportunity to teach himself.
    The warrior of light sometimes fights with those he loves.
    The man who defends his friends is never overwhelmed by the storms of life; he is strong
     enough to come through difficulties and to carry on.
    However, he is often faced by challenges from those to whom he is trying to teach the art
     of the sword. His disciples provoke him into fighting with them.
    And the warrior demonstrates his abilities: with just a few blows he disarms his students,
     and harmony returns to the place where they meet.
    'Why bother to do that, when you are so much better than they are?' asks a traveller.
    'Because in challenging me, what they really want is to talk to me and this is my way of
     keeping dialogue open,' replies the warrior.
    Before embarking on an important battle, a warrior of light asks himself: 'How far have I
     developed my abilities?'
    He knows that he has learned something with every battle he has fought, but many of those
     lessons have caused him unnecessary suffering. More than once he has wasted his time
     fighting for a lie. And he has suffered for people who did not deserve his love.
    Victors never make the same mistake twice. That is why the warrior only risks his heart
     for something worthwhile.
    A warrior of light respects the main teaching of the
    
    
     I Ching
    
    
     : 'To persevere is favourable.'
    He knows that perseverance is not the same thing as insistence. There are times when
     battles go on longer than necessary, draining him of strength and enthusiasm.
    At such moments, the warrior thinks: 'A prolonged war finally destroys the victors too.'
    Then he withdraws his forces from the battlefield and allows himself a