Spiritual Assessments

Spiritual warfare is a vital matter of the human condition. It is the field upon which spiritual life and death is determined and the road that leads either to inward survival or to ruin. The outcome of this warfare determines whether one lives in unhappiness and discontent, or whether through mastering the self in spiritual struggle, one finds lasting inner peace. Intimate knowledge of the ways of spiritual combat, and the ability to fight in it, is of the utmost importance. Nothing is of more value, for the quality of one's spiritual life depends upon it.

To understand the nature of your spiritual condition and measure the outcome of any inner struggle, appraise your situation on the basis of the following five criteria advocated by Sun Tzu. The first is the Way (Tao); the second is the spiritual climate; the third is the earthly terrain; the fourth is character; and the fifth is discipline.

1. The Way, or the Tao, is the organizing principle of Taoism, a religion articulated in the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu in the sixth century BC. But know that "the Tao that can be spoken is not the true Tao." The Way is infinite and unknowable in itself, and yet it must be explored by anyone seeking spiritual growth. In the nontheistic Eastern tradition, the Way is the order of life, the flow of all things, the ineffable ground of all being. In terms of Western theology, the Way is God's creation, providence, operation, grace, and peace, all wrapped up together into a resplendent One. For the spiritual warrior, it becomes a path upon which one encounters both challenges and good fortune, sorrow and joy, victory and defeat. Through acceptance and a willingness to learn and grow, the master warrior is led by the Divine. The spiritual warrior allows life to unfold and does not fight against life, but rather learns the art of surrender to the Divine, and like a child, allows the Divine to lead toward all things blessed.

The way of the spiritual warrior is a paradox. It is a struggle and it is not a struggle. It is a war against self, and yet it is not against self. It is a battle that can only be fought alone, and yet the spiritual warrior never fights alone. It is a war which the spiritual warrior cannot win, because the opposing spiritual forces are too mighty, yet victory is achieved. The master of spiritual warfare controls life and individual destiny by allowing it to unfold and reacting according to its unfolding. The expert in spiritual warfare conquers himself by discovering the darker forces which move within, not through associating with them, but opposing them. In deep spiritual struggle, the powerful warrior surrenders to higher powers to achieve victory. Fighting alone, the spiritual warrior solicits aid from allies of a higher realm who gain the victory. The master warrior acts without expectation, fights without aggression, wins without winning. This may seem like a paradox, and so it is. But study it, meditate upon it, live by it, and you will understand its truth. And for now, know this: surrender to the Divine is the first step on the Way.

2. Spiritual climate refers to light and darkness and their changing positions in the spiritual realm. The greatest battle is waged on this higher ground and with forces far beyond human scope and imagination. It is an eternal conflict between the powers of light and darkness, love and hatred, good and evil, and between spiritual life and death itself. It is vast and immense, and though it manifests itself in earthly conflict and strife, it plays out its greatest contests on the battlefield within the human soul. The master warrior knows these forces and contributes to the greater victory through perseverance in the individual conflicts and inner strife. Through recognizing the forces of darkness and light, the master warrior enters this greater arena as a freedom fighter. As if awakening from deep sleep, the spiritual warrior rises to a new awareness and a new challenge: in fighting for one's own freedom, the spiritual warrior fights for all of humankind. And so it has been written of old:

For we do not struggle against the flesh and blood, But against principalities, Against the powers, Against the rulers of darkness of this age, Against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. (Ephesians 6:12)

Awareness of the higher realities in one's life and of the spiritual climate within which one resides comes easier to some than others. I have heard many say that in the darkest times they sense their destructive impulses springing from powers greater than their own which feed such impulses and direct them like troops on the battlefield of the mind and soul. I have felt this way time and again in the struggle to release myself from whatever personal demon may be attacking me. I have experienced bursts of rage, or fallen in lust, or being filled with a terror, acted irrationally. Who hasn't? But have you ever asked yourself, "How could I do that?" or said, "That just wasn't me"? This isn't just an excuse to blame someone else for our actions. It's not simply using the old line, "The devil made me do it," in order to get off the hook of responsibility. We are, indeed, responsible for our actions. But there is a driving force behind the fear and anxiety, behind the compulsiveness and desire, behind the selfishness and want. For me, these are the forces of hell working to dismantle my life and keep me a prisoner, while God and angels fight for my soul. Knowing this helps me not to identify with the destructive tendencies within me. I can side with the Divine and the forces of good, fight, and live life free from self-destructiveness.

Sensing that there is a greater battle taking place on a spiritual plane also gives my life a deeper meaning. This is true for anyone who desires to become a spiritual warrior. Illumination from the spiritual realm confers upon me the knowledge that life is not just about learning to think and act more successfully, overcoming pesky habits, getting what I want, and feeling healthy and ready to tackle the world, but also about learning to live with integrity, love, and usefulness; not only because it will help me, but more importantly, because it will help fulfill the Divine cause of bringing love and goodness to the world.

3. Earthly terrain refers to the inner landscape upon which the warrior travels and to the circumstances in which the warrior faces inward foes. Earthly terrain concerns the difficulty of passage and the degree of opportunity for spiritual gains. It has to do with the dimension in which each battle takes place and with the measure of spiritual safety in each circumstance. It is the plane where the greater contest is ultimately played out. Within a lifetime of challenges and decisions and through a variety of external scenarios, predicaments, illusions, and revelations—mostly in the context of the mundane—the spiritual warrior fulfills the warrior role. Though the warrior is generally conscious only on one level, it is a role played out in two worlds simultaneously, of natural and spiritual life, each displaying its own changing terrain. The master warrior recognizes the ebb and flow of the battle and takes action accordingly.

The earthly terrain, thus, is the conscious, everyday world in which the warrior lives. It forms the surroundings and circumstances which the warrior faces every day. Becoming aware of the circumstances in which one lives—for example, of how one's occupation, marriage, hobbies, household, and friends affect one's spiritual being—is the way the warrior begins to take control of life. The warrior learns to distinguish between what situations cause pain or happiness and what circumstances will initiate some inward struggle or lead to peace of mind, and takes appropriate action. The master warrior doesn't sleep through life, but knows life intimately, and the terrain precisely, and walks with attention and care.

4. Character is a matter of wisdom and integrity, humanity, courage, and direction. It is not something inborn but rather is cultivated through spiritual combat, in both victory and defeat, for each teach their own lessons to the one who longs in humility for truth. The wise warrior is not borne of intelligence and wit on the battlefield, but of the struggle of the heart. It is love which creates wisdom, and love and wisdom joined together give birth to integrity.

The spiritual warrior is on a personal mission. This mission is as vast and comprehensive as the earthly terrain itself, and it is as high and noble as the heavenly realm. Yet the mission begins with changing not the world, but oneself. For if one battles the destructive tendencies within, the world gains a victory, the heavens gain victory, and the spiritual warrior claims the prize of victory for self.

The spiritual warrior vies against hate for the sake of love, against indifference for compassion, against cruelty for kindness, against the profane for what is sacred and holy, against what is evil for the sake of what is genuinely good. Therefore, the master warrior strives to be truly human, never raising an angry hand against an opponent, fighting only for what is right, taking up the sword of truth in defense of the neighbor, and offering the fire of love for comfort and for warmth. Therefore, the warrior challenge is of old:

Let those who would exchange The life of this world for the hereafter, Fight for the cause of God; Whoever fights for the cause of God, Whether to die or triumph Shall be richly rewarded. And how should you not fight ... For the helpless old men, women, and children Who say, "Deliver us, Lord, From the city of wrongdoers; Send forth to us a guardian from Your presence; Send to us from Your presence one who will help us"? (Koran 4:74-75)

5. Discipline entails organizational effectiveness, an ability to respond to higher commands, and logistical support. Inertia, disobedience, pride, and willfulness cripple the spiritual warrior and cut off connection with spiritual allies. Making quick decisions and taking swift action according to developing circumstances, following through on orders from higher sources, and calling for support in times of need from spiritual forces in the heavenly realm are the marks of spiritual discipline.

To learn the art of discipline takes time and practice. Without practice, one cannot become an expert in anything. This is true in spiritual warfare as well. Practicing time and again to let go of self-concern and follow the Divine will, to become accustomed to giving when one would rather back away from helping others—these are ways of learning warrior discipline and control over one's self. Through such practice, one's right actions come, as it were, instinctively. They are not forced, nor contrived, but genuine offerings from a loving heart. And so we are told by Chogyam Trungpa, a wise warrior:

Warriorship is a continual journey.
To be a warrior
Is to learn to be genuine
In every moment of your life.
That is the warrior's discipline.

Many spiritual warriors know something about these five criteria—the Way, the spiritual climate, the earthly terrain, character, and discipline—yet the one who seeks to understand and master them will find success in spiritual combat and take the victory, while the one who does not will not prevail. Therefore, ask yourself these questions for the sake of comparison:

Which warrior walks more closely in the Way?
Which warrior has the clearest grasp of the spiritual climate and earthly terrain?
Which warrior has gained the greater wisdom through both victory and defeat?
Which warrior shows more heart?
Which warrior has mastered discipline and displays obedience to principles and
higher commands?
Which warrior calls upon higher forces for aid?
Which warrior has better instruction and training in spiritual combat?

Using these criteria, it is easy to see who will win and who will lose when confronted by the spiritual foe.

If you pay attention to these assessments, taking up the challenge against inward spiritual foes will mean certain victory. If you do not pay attention to these assessments, challenging spiritual foes will be futile and mean certain defeat. You will have lost before beginning your campaign.

Knowing what can be gained from these assessments, shape a strategic advantage from them to strengthen your position. Making the most of favorable conditions will tilt the scales in your favor. You cannot win every spiritual battle, but you can win more than you lose and ultimately win the greater war for your own well-being and that of your soul.

Spiritual warfare is the art of deception, but the deception of the deceivers in the spiritual realm. When alone, act as if you are not alone. When powerful, claim no power. When in wisdom, plead ignorance. Acting as if you are by yourself while relying on the Divine, calling for power from the heavenly realm, and realizing you know nothing even though you seem to know much, are ways of defeating the spiritual foe. This is not truly deception, but paradox, causing the spiritual enemy much confusion. Yet act with care, for deception is also the greatest weapon of the spiritual foe. Where is the denial in your life? What lies are your spiritual enemies telling you that allow your self-destructive tendencies to go unchallenged?

For instance, if you are filled with righteous anger or indignation, ask yourself what right you have to judge another. What is the lie feeding that anger? If you are tempted to leave the responsibility of relationships to flee to greener pastures, ask yourself what the grand fantasy of happiness is that your spiritual enemy has set out before you. Discover the lie and you discover the truth.

If your spiritual enemy seeks some advantage entice him with it. Let him expose his true nature, for any destructive force, within or without, cannot be confronted until it is seen. Allow yourself to imagine acting on your desires, fear, lust, and rage. Imagine the effects of such an emotion in its final stages and you will see its destructive nature. Exposing the true nature of your destructive tendencies will help you defeat them, because you see them for what they really are and how devastating they can become. For instance, if you are not aware of the destructive nature of your anger, how can you deal with it? If you cannot see your selfishness, how can you give with sincerity? If you do not recognize the lust behind your love, how can you love purely? Expose your enemy! When he is exposed, attack him. However, don't tackle some defect that you know is too powerful for you to overcome until you have become fully prepared to deal with it.

The spiritual forces of destruction can truly devastate the strongest warrior, but the enemy is not wise and is often in disarray. If he is incensed, provoke him by jabs into his lines. That is, when faced with laziness, thrust yourself into action; in bouts of self-pity, force yourself to do one good thing for another. Refuse to give ground. If the enemy is rested, wear him down with new resolve. Use humility to make him haughty. Call upon a greater power to cause him to abandon the field. Attack where he is not prepared; travel by way of places where it would never occur to him you would go. These are the military strategist's calculations for spiritual victory.

The warrior who is prepared for spiritual battle even before taking the field will have the victory. One who is ill-prepared has the least strategic advantage when spiritual struggle commences. One with no preparation does not partake of the battle, having already been conquered and made prisoner. When you examine it in this way, the outcome is apparent. Therefore, know the criteria, the surroundings, and the Way, for this is the path to victory.