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dan millman
November 2007 
Peaceful Warrior / Seeking Mind
Posted on Jul 11th, 2006
by 
Vince
Vince
[Crossposted from Numinous Nonsense]
It has been raining for the past two days. A rare occurrence in Boulder. After going to the gym this evening (a much needed visit) I grabbed some food, a book, and caught a movie.
Inspired by Dan Millman's book, The Peaceful Warrior in movie form was quite delightful. I read the book several years ago, probably when I was 18 or so. Right around the time I was getting turned on to other quasi-mystical new-agey sort of stuff (Conversations with God, The Celestine Prophecy, etc.). [Warning: This isn't so much going to be a movie review as it is a stream of consciousness post-movie reflection, which oddly may tell you some about the movie.]
The movie itself seemed to get pretty bad marks, in part because it was filled with a bunch of cheesy and awkwardly timed new-age platitudes. The other reason is that many of the reviewers probably didn't get the movie. It was simply over their heads. Here is what Roger Ebert had to say:
The odd thing is that our hero actually did achieve something in the movie, but in the end he realized it wasn't at all about achieving the "thing." Instead, it was about resting with the Truth of Things, just as they are and were. Achievement still happens (or not), but that isn't the point of this movie, or the point of the spiritual path. I'm coming to see now, as our main character Dan does, that it isn't so much about anything at all.
The seeking mind—the mind that wants to become—will never find what it's looking for. Once we realize this (which is bound to happen at least a few times if we care at all about true knowledge) why don't we just drop the seeking mind altogether?
"Who is it that wants to drop the seeking mind?"
Oh, you caught me again you little trickster! The seeking mind wishes to find the non-seeking mind. What a strange and funny thing! I've turned the spiritual path into yet another thing to attain, and I pat myself on the back for every step I take towards the perceived goal? When I ask, "What goal?" the question, or inquiry, reveals its own absurdity.
But wait... am I sure there is no goal? What if I'm wrong and I miss out on realizing what I've strove so hard to understand, that which is so dear to me, so important, so...
"So what?"
When you hear the truth, it sounds familiar. Like seeing a reflection of something you already posses. This film is that clear and simple reflection. I enjoyed every moment. - Jim Carrey
It has been raining for the past two days. A rare occurrence in Boulder. After going to the gym this evening (a much needed visit) I grabbed some food, a book, and caught a movie. Inspired by Dan Millman's book, The Peaceful Warrior in movie form was quite delightful. I read the book several years ago, probably when I was 18 or so. Right around the time I was getting turned on to other quasi-mystical new-agey sort of stuff (Conversations with God, The Celestine Prophecy, etc.). [Warning: This isn't so much going to be a movie review as it is a stream of consciousness post-movie reflection, which oddly may tell you some about the movie.]
The movie itself seemed to get pretty bad marks, in part because it was filled with a bunch of cheesy and awkwardly timed new-age platitudes. The other reason is that many of the reviewers probably didn't get the movie. It was simply over their heads. Here is what Roger Ebert had to say:
The story arc of Peaceful Warrior is so familiar that in addition to being inspired by fact, it is inspired by at least two-thirds of all the sports movies ever made.
It's true that many movies, where the main character is trying to achieve some fantastic feat (in this case a sports related one) they are confronted intense obstacles, dig down to find some deeply buried or newly cultivated self-confidence, and then go on to accomplish their original goal to the amazement of everyone around. Ebert is right that many of the best movie-makers have perfected this kind of movie. But Peaceful Warrior wasn't really about that. It was actually about self-transcendence, of going beyond and dropping the bondage of self-referential anything.
The odd thing is that our hero actually did achieve something in the movie, but in the end he realized it wasn't at all about achieving the "thing." Instead, it was about resting with the Truth of Things, just as they are and were. Achievement still happens (or not), but that isn't the point of this movie, or the point of the spiritual path. I'm coming to see now, as our main character Dan does, that it isn't so much about anything at all.
The seeking mind—the mind that wants to become—will never find what it's looking for. Once we realize this (which is bound to happen at least a few times if we care at all about true knowledge) why don't we just drop the seeking mind altogether?
"Who is it that wants to drop the seeking mind?"
Oh, you caught me again you little trickster! The seeking mind wishes to find the non-seeking mind. What a strange and funny thing! I've turned the spiritual path into yet another thing to attain, and I pat myself on the back for every step I take towards the perceived goal? When I ask, "What goal?" the question, or inquiry, reveals its own absurdity.
But wait... am I sure there is no goal? What if I'm wrong and I miss out on realizing what I've strove so hard to understand, that which is so dear to me, so important, so...
"So what?"
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