The Way of the Warrior: Holding Space for The Fourfold Way

[Harrison Owen]

As we begin to deal with the changed realities of our world, it is natural
that we see the new world from our own perspective. For this group, the
vast majority of us, I suspect, come from traditions of human service,
pacificism and the like. And God knows we need a strong dose of all of the
above to counter the anger and estrangement that hang palpably in the air.
Having said all of that, I believe it to be true that other perspectives
are essential as well. They may not be our own, and indeed may make us feel
extremely uncomfortable. It is not our way -- but our way is not the only
way. Call that other way -- The Way of the Warrior.

Unfortunately there come times in our common experience when the use of
force is essential. At the community level, as much as we wish it were
otherwise, direct, perhaps violent, police action may be required. A
psychotic husband beats his wife, and is doing so again, but this time for
the last time. Should we just talk about it? Can we afford to sit at the
edge of this domestic disaster and pray? Should these be our only
alternatives, I guess so. However should we have a well trained SWAT team,
I must feel that it is morally imperative to send them in to do whatever
needs to be done to save the life of the lady.  Of course, there are, and
have been abuses, and this is where our part of the conversation, our
perspective, becomes critical as a corrective. And God forbid that every
incidence of domestic violence is dealt with by a SWAT team. But there are
times, it seems to me, when the Way of the Warrior is  essential.

Those of us who were around during the dark day's reign of The Third Reich
will recall the counsels of the Pacifists and Isolationists. I do not think
they were wrong -- but I think that events overtook them and it became
tragically clear to all that the power of evil manifest in Hitler would
respond to only one thing. It was (again) time for The Way of the Warrior.

Are we at such a time again? That is a critical question, subject to no
easy answer. For sure the terrorist cause has been aided and abetted by
many shortsighted policies and practices of the West and the USA. When we
fail to hear the cries of the dispossessed and downtrodden we inevitably
create the rich and fertile soil that grows terrorist like mushrooms. And
are these terrorists wrong, for surely their cause appears just. It is
probably useful to remember that the United States of America began as a
revolutionary movement, perceived, I am sure, as "Terrorists" by the
British Empire. And one could argue that Hitler could never have risen to
power had it not been for the shortsighted (greedy, vengeful) terms of the
Versailles Treaty. Add the misery of a world depression and something like
a Hitler seems almost inevitable.

Or how about our wife beater? He probably grew up as an abused child, just
lost his job, had been marginalized because of his lack of social graces...

It is not, I think, that one way is right and all others wrong. From the
deep wisdom of the First Nation People comes the Medicine Wheel, and as
Angie Arrien reminds us (The Fourfold Way) the ways are four: The Way of
the Warrior, The Way of the Visionary, The Way of the Healer, and The Way
of the Teacher. All are necessary, none are sufficient, and the health of a
people, the health of a person, is dependant upon the continuing (sometimes
contentious) dialogue amongst the Ways. Should that dialogue cease, we will
cease, but even in dialogue, there is a time for speaking and a time for
listening. It may well be that this is the time in which The Warrior must
speak, not to the suppression of all other voices, for their time will
surely come as well.

The writer of Ecclesiastes (Chapter 3) understood all this very well --

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to puck
up that which is planted.
A time to kill, and a time to heal: a time to break down, and a time to
build up.
............................................
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war and a time of peace.

I tremble to know that it is the time of the Warrior, but if it is such a
time, I prey that The Warrior speaks with strength. It is one of The Ways,
and it may be the way of the moment. Those of you who have read The
Bhagavad Gita will remember the core story of the great Warrior Arjuna's
anguish as a he seeks to realize himself as he is -- a warrior, even though
that necessitates killing members of his family.

If in fact it is time for the Way of the Warrior, so be it. To all those
young men and women who will be set in harm's way, I pray that you follow
your chosen path with pride and competence. And I pray that you may return.
But live or die, please be fully what you are. Warriors. It seems that you
are needed.

I have fears for sure, but my greatest fear is NOT that it is the time of
the Warrior. My greatest fear is that in the heat of the moment, our space
becomes closed so that there is no room for the necessary, ongoing
conversation between The Warrior, The Visionary, The Healer, and The
Teacher. This closure of space begins the moment we conclude there is only
one Way, and all others must be demonized. It is so easy for Warriors to
condemn Healers as softheaded and gutless. And the Healers to scorn
Warriors as being beyond the moral pall and pariahs in the land of the
civilized.

The great conversation must continue, and I believe we in this community
have the special obligation to keep the Space open for that continuance. It
won't be easy, for sure, and especially difficult will be our peculiar task
of holding the space without blame or judgement -- letting go of any
attachment to particular outcomes. We won't always succeed, but fortunately
there are a lot of us, and when one space closes, another can be opened.
Good Luck.

Harrison




Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, MD 20854 USA
phone 301-469-9269
fax 301-983-9314
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website www.mindspring.com/~owenhh

OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu
Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20010923/936f5a1b/attachment-0016.htm>