Lessons I Learned From The Movie The Peaceful Warrior

Lessons I Learned From The Movie The Peaceful Warrior is a guest blog post by Dennis Coppola author of How to Win Friends and Lose Social Anxiety.

Lessons I Learned From The Movie The Peaceful Warrior

The Peaceful Warrior movie moved me. Here are some of the teaching from the Peaceful Warrior movie.

• Socrates clarifies about, I think more than you know, instead of I know more than you think. In other words, Wisdom comes from the thinking of things, not the ego of knowing more than other people. Wisdom is doing it.
• Socrates states, “If you don’t make your goal of the Olympic team, then what will you do?” Dan, the main character operated from the external. He was controlled by his emotions. Socrates, played by Nick Nolte, stated to “live in the present moment, service to others, there is no higher purpose.”
• When Dan eats the food, Socrates says, “Slow down, you might taste some.” “Gather info from inside.” I felt moved from this because I am Italian and I eat fast. This reminded me to slow down when eating.
• Socrates offers to train Dan by helping him develop wisdom by throwing out everything you don’t need, all the garbage thoughts. Take out the trash keeping him from the only thing that matters, the present moment.
• Dan had the misconception of “When I get what I want, then I’ll be happy.” Socrates shows him on the hike, that life is a journey, not a destination. The impact on me was contemplation. What I would like to choose is finding peace in the present moment. At the end of the hike, Dan was looking for the glory in his 3 hour hike. Socrates gave him a rock. I think his message was enjoy the journey.
• During this 3 hour hike Dan learn 3 lessons:

1. Paradox – life is a mystery
2. Humor- laugh at yourself
3. Change- nothing stays the same

• Dan’s first realization is being “aware of not knowing” and “emotions are natural”, and “everything has purpose”. Socrates teaches, “You will never be better or less than anyone else”. Be conscious for choices, responsible for actions. “Every action has its price or pleasure. Most importantly, vulnerability. Letting down the guard of the ego.

I was working with an individual who wanted to make friends. He was talking about how his long time friend, how lived in his apartment building purposefully didn’t call him back. Seconds later, During our chat in the community room, that same friend walked by and sat down with us. The individual I was working with expressed the same emotions to his friend that he told me. It seemed as though both their guards were down as they were having a deep meaningful conversation about their friendship. Vulnerability can set you free.
The main point I learned for this movie is living in the present moment and make a conscious choice to repetitively manage thoughts and emotions to stay present.