Good Morning SuperForest!! This Friday’s film is: Peaceful Warrior. For any of you who have read the book The Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman, you will be familiar with this story. For those of you who have not yet read that book, I definitely recommend reading it prior to watching this film, as I feel that you will get more out of it. However, I am biased, having already read the book. How do I know that someone who hasn’t read the book still might get a lot out of this film? I don’t. “The first realization of a warrior is not knowing.”
Often times a film version is not as good as the book, and in some ways this rang true. However, the core messages were still present, and the reactions I got to some of the sage advice Nick Nolte’s character offers were still as powerful as when I read them on the page. A common quest narrative with a teacher/student relationship at the centre, this film sometimes reminded me of The Karate Kid (although perhaps the current movie trailers for the sequel are influencing those thoughts). Regardless of the narrative itself, it is the subtext in this book and film that is amazing, enlightening and transformative.
As I would recommend with the book as well, I suggest experiencing this narrative more than once. Let the lessons and spoken words sink in. Think about them. Then act. “Knowledge is not the same as wisdom — wisdom is doing.”
Essentially this film is about uncluttering the mind, “taking out the trash” or getting rid of the things you don’t absolutely need in your life in order to live in the present moment. Some of the reflection it offers might not be new to you, but it is presented in a creative way through the real life story of Dan Millman. Visually the film is quite interesting and there are a few visual effects that set it apart from the average movie. The stunt work is great as well, and if you’re really into gymnastics, then there’s the added bonus of seeing top gymnasts at their peak performance! Although at times there is some mediocre acting, I think the film version has done a great job of relaying some of the basic highlights of the book — although the book offers so much more!
I thought I’d share with you a few more quotes from the film that made me think. Hopefully since they are out of context I won’t be ruining anything for those of you who haven’t yet read the book or seen this film. I hope you enjoy both the book and the film as much as I have, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
Quotes:
Dan: I know more than you think.” Socrates: “And you think more than you know”.
Socrates: “You can live a whole lifetime without ever being awake.”
Socrates: “Everyone tells you what to do and what’s good for you. They don’t want you to find your own answers — they want you to believe theirs.”
Socrates: “I want you to stop gathering information from outside yourself and start gathering it from the inside. People are afraid of what’s inside — and that’s the only place they’re every going to find what they need.”
I just now realized that I have already written about this book, on the first blog I ever started called Heather’s Inspiration Garden — it is called “Inspire and Grow” in our list of SuperForest links. Click here if you’d like to read my first thoughts on the book and how it impacted my perspective.
In closing, I will ask a question of all you SuperForesters out there: What is currently cluttering up your mind that is preventing you from living in the moment? Is it something from the past? Worries about the future? Let’s all try to “take out the trash” together and hopefully we can get a lot more positive work done in our lives.
Yours peacefully,
SuperForester Heather
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