Yes, To the Totality of Life
It is a connection to the truth and light. It will take me through the darkness to get there but this is all part of the hero’s journey; the warrior’s path. It connects me with everything; light and dark, love and fear, truth and deceit, good and evil, and truth and illusions.

This connection is ineffable. It is not to be described as that only loses its beauty. It’s an invitation to not trust appearances; to look beyond. This isn’t a magical realm to be discarded upon leaving. We must keep to this vision as we re-enter the ordinary world.
The call to adventure is to enter the realm of altered states. To meditate, to learn from the wise men and women, to gain allies in strength, courage, discipline, and perseverance for our inevitable battle with the underworld. This journey climaxes with slaying of the dragon. This dragon whips us and beats us into submission. Only the few among us who are courageous enough and have the mental fortitude to press on can defeat this dragon. But it can and will be done.

The difficult part can be re-integrating this treasure we gained from the dragon’s lair. This treasure is not ours. It is the world’s. And we are simply a conduit to return the gift to the world in our unique message. Our skills, talents, and aptitudes determine the path of the message but it is not ours. We must remember this.
Ego is the enemy of the hero and warrior on the return from the underworld back into the ordinary world. We must protect against hubris and a “better than” attitude. We are selfless servants to the world; to give the gift we were called upon to take from the darkness. This was our suffering. But we chose it.
“What is to give light must enduring burning” Viktor Frankl

We must endure the burning not only in the fight against the darkness but on the return home. We must give this gift to the rightful owners; all of our brothers and sisters. We must practice our daily disciplines each day never forgetting what allowed us to fulfill this journey in the first place.
We must continue to practice after the journey has been complete. But this completion is an illusion; the hero and warrior know this. They continue to practice because they will be met with more dragons. And to become fat with pride is a sin; missing the mark.
Everything is practice and everything matters. The warrior chops wood and carries water after enlightenment. He doesn’t allow for the feelings of pride and ego to become actions. He purifies his thoughts, words, and deeds. He becomes the great teacher and mentor for all that are willing to walk the narrow path. He is their guide. But he doesn’t conquer the dragons for these students. For he knows that everyone must walk their own path; picking the weeds daily and sweeping their own path of rocks.

The hero and warrior are always with their students. They live on as legends.
The hero and the warrior utilize whatever tools needed. I know when it is time to use and when to act in the ordinary world. I am guided by good, truth, and light. Each day evil, deceit, and darkness come into my life. But I practice their opposites. I practice each day. There is no end game. There is only now.
And I am resolved to be here, in this moment, the best I can be.

If not me, then who?
I don’t trust the world to give me what I need. I discipline myself and let life lead me.
I tried the opposite for 27 years and was depressed, suicidal, and walking other people’s paths.
Now I walk my path, planting seeds every day. Times when I look back, the beauty is ineffable; like the psychedelic experience.
The hero and warrior are selfless servants; manifested to a higher calling.

In strength,
Coach G
