Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives

Holy guacamole.
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This.
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Book.
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About thirty pages in, I wasn’t sure. I pick my first read of the new year so carefully, so thoughtfully, and I kept thinking...should I set this one aside? What will that say about the next 364 days?
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I’m so glad I pushed on; ironically, it’s a metaphor for its message: keep searching, don’t give up, you are all that you surround yourself with, be in the moment, the search for happiness is fruitless if you are never to realize that you already have the key to that door...
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As a graduate of a small, Catholic university, the existentialistic, winding manner of the writing was oddly comforting. The Jesuits do love their (mandatory) philosophy and theology classes, you know.
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Reminiscent of The Shack, Dan Millman threw in bits of vision quests and Mr. Myogi for good measure. “Wax on, wax off...”
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Bottom line? I’m so glad this was book 1 of 2019. It was precisely what I needed at precisely the right moment.
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“Life is not a private affair. A story and its lessons are only made useful if shared.”
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“Only the supremely wise and the ignorant do not alter.” -Confucius
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“Life is not suffering; it’s just that you will suffer it, rather than enjoy it, until you let go of your mind’s attachments and just go for the ride freely, no matter what happens.”
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“There are no accidents, Danny. Everything is a lesson. Trust your life. Everything has a purpose, a purpose, a purpose...Let the pain purify your mind and body. It will burn through many obstructions...A warrior doesn’t seek pain, but if pain comes, he uses it.”
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“‘When you sit, sit; when you stand, stand; whatever you do, don’t wobble.’ Once you make your choice, do it with all your spirit.”
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“...the House Rules reveal that you can control your efforts, not outcomes. Do your best; let God handle the rest.”
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“Love is not something to be understood; it can only be lived.”
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“Better never begin; once begun, better finish.”
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“There are no ordinary moments.”
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I enjoyed reading Dan Millman's book very much because through a fun and engaging character he exposes the reader to universal teachings. I found myself turning the pages to learn more and also found myself in many of them. I learned that one can train how to be unreasonably happy and is the ultimate goal of the spiritual warrior who discovers its true nature. I found reading this book a very simple way of accessing my inner peace and finding humor in my life as well. Millman opened my eyes to what a miracle life is and his book has found a permanent place on my bookshelf.

In a similar way, Ariel and Shya Kane's book [[ASIN:1888043148 How To Create a Magical Relationship]] has eye opening, enlightening stories. By way of their transformation principles they give us a new perspective on relationships, including the one we have with ourselves. The Kanes have a very practical approach that can be used in everyday situations, in which life gets light, fun and magical. I highly recommend them. Their books are pearls of wisdom.

Standard Spoiler Alert

Did not like. Did not teach me much. And what little it did illuminate was sprinkled between page after page after page of painful dialogue, old cliches, and cringey jokes.

The one thing I hated most of all was Socrates. He embodied everything I hate about how mentors are written into books nowadays. He was literally perfect: he had no flaws, could do anything, and knew everything (even how to coach gymnastics better than a gymnastics coach, WTF??). But worst of all he had that tired old "quasi-crazy guru" trope going through out the entire book. Imagine Luke trying to learn the Force from Yoda, but instead of him dropping the quirky, silly, feeble act and talking to Luke like an adult as he imparted his wisdom, he just kept it up the entire time. Well that's what it was like every time Socrates opened his mouth.

If there's one thing I cant stand in a book more than anything it's being spoken to like I am stupid, and since Dan is supposed to be the reader's avatar in the story, he reader is subjected to every barb and jab that Socrates throws at Dan. Or maybe that's just me; I guess I'm just not as enlightened as old Soc.

Toward the end of the story we find Dan in a broken marriage with a daughter he doesn't see. And I thought "Oh good, something for us grown ups to sink our teeth into". But no. He just skirts the entire thing and pretends like his running away to chase enlightenment wouldn't have caused horrible and lasting psychological and emotional damage to his young daughter. But, you know, I guess family isn't as important as being able to hold the vaunted title of Enlightened.

I'll grant that there are a few nuggets that did allow me to pause and reflect upon my own life, but I would so much rather the author have just written his book without all the magic, teenage drama filler, pseudoscience, and just focused on properly communicating the Buddhist teachings he is trying to convey.

I must admit, as I was reading this book, I radically changed my mind about what I wanted to write in this review. I went though a veritable roller-coaster of emotions; I hated it, I liked it, I loved it. By the end, I could almost guarantee that anyone reading this book will have a strong opinion on it.

I know that this book finds it's way into the 'self-help' section of many bookstores, but I really hesitate to place it in that category, as it's not a how-to; the book doesn't explicitly state "do this and you will feel better", but rather it presents the reader with a narration of the author's life, after which it is up to the reader to decide what they want to take away from it.

Dan's recount of his tales was really captivating. As I was reading it, I felt myself really associating with him and understanding the feelings he went through in his time with Socrates. At various points in the book, Millman recounts these short tales that almost read like fables. I would often stop and just try to extrapolate the morals behind these tales before going on to read what Millman had to say about them.

Probably one of the most impressive things about this book is its emphasis on the value of hard work. Millman doesn't just experience a single event with Socrates: he embarks on a journey, a process that takes a great deal of time and effort to help transform him, to help him learn. At the beginning of the book, I had this great fear that the book would present Socrates as this 'silver bullet', this one magical fix for Dan's life, and so I was really pleased to see that that wasn't the case.

Although I truly appreciate the message that Millman was trying to get across with his book, I have to admit that there were some things about it that put me off. First off, Millman's 'embellishments' in his story-telling were too much to take at times. While they may spice up the plot, I think it clouds some of the points the book is trying to get across. Reality is reality, fantasy is fantasy, and with a subject like this, getting the two confused can be dangerous.

Another sticking point with me were some of the values that Socrates deemed unimportant and those he deemed invaluable. The care-free attitude that he and his friend Joseph embodied may work for them, but it forgets the responsibility that many people in this world have. A key example of this is parents: if their children make them unhappy, they can't just up and leave them. If they don't like their job, they can't just quit it if they don't have another one.

At one point in the book, Socrates made a comment criticizing moderation, saying that it was only something for the bland, apologetic, and fence-sitters of the world. I feel Socrates is making a mistake here by confusing moderation with indecision. I don't think there's anything inherently wrong or harmful with being patient and making good, calculated decisions instead of foolish, impulsive ones.

I do honestly believe this is a good work by Millman, and one that just about everyone reading it can get something out of. However, I would encourage people to take it with a grain of salt, and to really decide for themselves whether or not what they got out of the book applies to their own life.

Dan Millman's "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" is a wonderful adventure! It's a fun story, as the main character, "Dan", meets an enlightened teacher, Socrates, who shares insight on living life with ease, and free from the limiting thoughts of the mind. It's an engaging story line as Dan's world shifts from the ordinary to the extraordinary. I love how Dan Millman has created a novel that teaches with enlightening wisdom.

As Dan Millman's character, Socrates, shares stories and jewels of wisdom that helped Dan find new meaning in his life, I have found that Ariel and Shya Kanes' books have done the same for me. [[ASIN:1888043180 Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment]], [[ASIN:1888043148 How To Create a Magical Relationship]] and [[ASIN:1888043040 Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: A Book About Instantaneous Transformation]] are three books that teach a practical approach on how to live life in moment. It is such a revolutionary approach, instantaneous transformation - enlightenment can be experienced by all - EASILY and with consistency.

If you find that you crave and search for well-being as Dan Millman's main character, the Kanes' books hold the keys that end the search.

This book had me enthralled from the beginning. As soon as I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. I ended up reading the whole thing in less then twenty four hours. Some very valuable lessons to be learned here. This is a must read for anyone that has the time. Even if you don't have the time, make some for this book!

How far would you go to reach unreasonable happiness? Would you set your whole life aside for a man the promises you a life time of happiness, before you even know who the man is? In this book a student named Dan, puts his college and carrier to a sudden stop when he meets a man named Socrates. He tells Dan that he knows the path to finding unreasonable happiness, and Dan is willing to find that path.

Way of the Peaceful Warrior is a funny book, and very good book. It shows you while reading the book, how you can live your life and reach happiness on another level, then just laughing all day. It shows how you can in joy life, to the littlest detail. The best part in the book I would have to say is when Dan pushes past his mentally expectations and pushes his body to it's limits, breaking past his blocked mind from seeing, life to its fullest.

This mind is the one thing that holds back yourself and the body from reaching great height. The constant thoughts that pass through your head, the talking that you do to yourself, and telling yourself that you can't do anything. It's like a poison that holds you down from accomplishing anything. The mind is a limitation to our body and our spirits. I think that this is the message that Dan Millman was trying to send to his readers, that when u move passed the mind, you can live life to its fullest.

The book is a great book, one of the best I have read. It was hard for me to put it down, and thoughts were always racing through my head of what was going to happen next, and why something happened the way it did. I recommend this book to who ever would want to read it.

In some ways the movie is better than the book; in some ways the book is better than the movie. Each is great and I heartily recommend them. An excellent unintended presentation of a lot of Buddhist and Advaita insights.

This is an easy read, with plenty of delightful stories. Whether fiction or not, it's a very empowering, and life changing book.

I got this book as a gift, and didn't know what to expect. I read about 3/4 of it in a 12 hour plane flight back from Thailand, and the rest when I got home. This books is incredibly enlightening, but you must be ready for it. People who understand the simplicity of life and just how much we as humans tend to complicate it (worry, anxiety, etc...) will relate most to it. Beautiful story with incredible life lessons. I shed tears a few times. Highly recommended.