Again lots of ground to cover here so we’re going to dive in right away.
The Law Of The Warrior Poet IV – You Must Do These Four Things
I like to give a lot of leeway with what I recommend, after all everyone is different. And while we may all have the same general direction to go in, the specifics are what matter. Because of this I like to offer many different paths for one to take. However there are some things that I consider nonnegotiable and the more I think about them the more nonnegotiable I think that they are. There are four things, four nonnegotiable things that I think every one who aspires to be a warrior poet needs to do.
And those four things are read, write, fight, and spend time in nature.
Let me make it clear I’m not saying that’s all that a man needs to do, or that a warrior poet needs to do. I’m not saying that those four things right there are the totality of life or the totality of thing worth doing, I’m saying nothing of the sort. However these four things are four key things that I just don’t think are negotiable. Now what they look like might be different for different people but these fours things need to be done. Let’s dive into them one by one.
Let’s start by fighting as I think that’s the one that might cause the most protest. Now let me it clear I’m not saying everyone has to be a competitive level fighter. At first I thought to make this broader. As a warrior poet you could do a combat sport such as MMA, wrestling, boxing, or the like or you could do things like combatives, gun training, and self-defense type stuff. But here’s the thing while combatives, gun training, and all that self-defense stuff is great in so many ways and I think every man should be doing aside from this, it’s doesn’t give the same benefits as a combat sport.
And here’s why. In those scenarios you never actually go live. The skills and knowledge are great to have and I encourage them but it’s not the same. We’re looking at a daily discipline to become better, become more. And combat sports are to me the best, most efficient, and most effective way to do this. Do self-defense on your own but for development as a man combat sports can’t be beat. Again you don’t have to be competitive level but just participate in them.
Part of being a warrior poet is fighting. And there’s nothing as visceral as hand to hand fighting. Guns, survival, and small unit tactics are great and something everyone should study. But they don’t give the immediate tangible benefits that combat sports do on a day to day basis. There is no substitute for combat sports. Pick one, doesn’t matter what, MMA, wrestling, boxing, muay thai, kickboxing, BJJ, whatever so long as it has a live component to it that you can participate in. It’ll give you confidence, it’ll humble you, it’ll give you strength, it’ll give you hard fought wisdom.
There is no substitute for combat sports.
Now on to the other three. Reading, writing, and time spent in nature.
Just as we were meant to fight, we were also meant to spend time in nature. Now this can be many different things. It can be something as intense as mountain climbing or as simple as camping in a tent. Just look to spend time in nature. Go camping once or twice a month. Throw up a tent in the woods behind the house and experience the seasons and the rhythm of nature. Go on a walk through a nature preserve close to you. Go for a walk through your backyard every day.
Just understand that you need to spend time in nature. Nature is healing, nature is calming, nature is ennobling, and nature will strengthen and recharge you physically, mentally, and spiritually. Get out in nature. Again what this looks like to you might be different than what it looks like to me. But find ways to spend time in nature. Camping, walks, hikes, canoeing, swimming, skiing, whatever, find ways to get out in nature and make time spent in nature a normal part of your life.
Reading. Pretty self-explanatory, you need to be reading, and by reading I mean books. Not articles, not social media posts, not PDFs, but real books that people put book level effort into. Books are what count as reading, nothing else. I recommend having one fiction and one non-fiction book that you’re reading at any given time. Trying to read a couple of pages in each every day. When you first wake up or when you’re getting ready to go to bed are times that work for a lot of people.
Writing. Another self-explanatory one. Write something every day. Could be an article about something, could be a fiction book, poetry, could be journaling in one of its many forms. Could just be problems that you’re trying to work out. Writing makes your thoughts exact and is a process that no one can do without. So find something to write each and every day even if it’s only a couple of paragraphs.
Stay Tuned For Part IV
We covered one law today which might not seem like much but its quite the law. So do these four things fight, write, read, and get into nature. Those are the four nonnegotiables. Remember you don’t have to be a pro or competitive fighter. Just get in the ring and move around a little. You don’t have to be young to do this. Maybe find another training partner your age to work basic stuff with. Find some good books to read both fiction and non, as each methodology has something to teach you. Write something, anything, poems, journaling, random nonsense stories, problem solving, whatever just write everyday. And then of course don’t forget to spend time in nature, it’s where we are supposed to be anyways.
