Peaceful Warrior

I’d like to wrap up these last few posts with a movie recommendation. The theme has been along the lines of hero’s journey, and this movie is one of the best I’ve seen with that theme. This one did not make the big theatres, but I was lucky enough to have a friend recommend it. It is based on a true story, so who knows just how much is true. The main character is a real person and has also written books which are available in print or audio. He is still around, so you can even get on his Twitter list, if you are into that. He is not a military type warrior, he is an athlete, a gymnast. He had accident early in his life, but through some very special mentoring, went on to be a world champion athlete.

You can find all of this at his web site.

What I really like about his story is that he includes the hard work and setbacks when he tells it. It has the usual magic and its spectacular scenes of soaring to new heights that any good story needs to make it interesting, but it keeps its feet pretty well planted on the ground. When the young apprentice warrior applies his new found ability to visualize his routine, he nails it. He returns to the master, excited to tell him the story of what a good boy is. The master shakes his head because the young man is not getting that you don’t learn to excel, just so you can show off.

I won’t do any more teasing, the web site has movie trailers and plenty of goodies for that. Hollywood rarely does a good job with a movie that has any spiritual element to it, but this one, I like.