The Spiritual Warrior – Impractical Application

There are at least two sides to being a spiritual warrior. In the previous post, I mentioned that engaging with Reality is a hallmark of the spiritual warrior. There is another hallmark … trusting your heart, even when it doesn't seem practical or make sense.

When I was 50 years old, I sold everything but my home, some books and objects d'art and moved to Johannesburg, South Africa for 2 years. My logical mind thought that was a crazy thing to do – totally impractical – in fact, abnormal. Fifty-year-old women do not behave like that. But spiritual warriors do.

I was in South Africa in May 1994, training a More To Life Weekend, 3 weeks after The Election (when black South Africans voted for the first time in decades). The country was ripe with possibility, instituting one of the most enlightened constitutions I've ever seen. There was so much hope, pride, and energy – chaos as well. I wanted to be in the mix of a country in transition – bringing order out of chaos. It was a compelling time for me, having been there during the apartheid years, and now being in the midst of a complete change of context and leadership.

There were times before, during and after those 2 years that I wondered about my sanity. Seeing some of my cherished 'stuff' being pawed through by strangers at the garage sale before I moved, opening my eyes on my first morning in my new home in Jo'burg and seeing a foot-long gecko on my ceiling, having to buy all new appliances upon my return to my home in Houston – and many more moments of self doubt and self recrimination.

And it was the right thing for me to do at that time. I gained more self-reliance, made life-long friends, had wonderful adventures, and started working in the corporate sector – as well as More To Life courses. Most of all, I got a huge experience in faithing – trusting that tenuous whisper in my heart of hearts, even while wondering if I heard it right.