[pct-l] The Warrior Class

[goforth@cio.net (Joanne Lennox)]

 For me,Thruhiking or doing a long walk, or going out for a dayhike when
you have never walked in your life is about being a Warrior.  It is doing
something heroic in your life, that you have not done before.

This is a powerful archtype that is for the most part unavailable in modern
life. The energy that is available in this artform is tremendous.
Culturally, it connects us very strongly to other people.  I think this ,in
part, accounts for trail angles and the trememdous comraderie between
hikers.  We are not only heros to ourselves but to those others that
understand what we have began and hope to finish. 

Each person knows when they are aspiring to be a warrior.  It has nothing
to do with speed or how far we go every day.  It has to do with going
forward into the face of uncertaintly, doubt, and fear, and seeing of what
each of us is capable.  It is the ability to keep going , to regroup, to
change and find a way to make things work when the "oppositional forces"
and obstacles are against us.

I believe a true warrior is only competing against himself; nevertheless,
he can use opponents to make himself stronger.  But when he compares
himself to others, there is a a loss of belief in himself.  However, since
we are social animals there will always be some jostling for position.  We
are not simply animals and aspire to more long term goals, and over the
long run the "king of the hill, and pig in the trough " games will damage
our warriorship and our spirituality (the master game).

For me, hiking is about being a spiritual warrior.  but that is a whole
other game.

Goforth