“Don Juan had a beaming smile as he spoke to me. ‘A petty tyrant is a tormentor,’ he said. ‘Someone who either holds the power of life and death over warriors or simply annoys them to distraction.'”
Don Juan continued: “We know that nothing can temper the spirit of a warrior as much as the challenge of dealing with impossible people in positions of power. Only under those conditions can warriors acquire the sobriety and serenity to stand the pressure of the unknowable.
“My benefactor used to say that the warrior who stumbles on a petty tyrant is a lucky one. He meant that you’re fortunate if you come upon one in your path, because if you don’t, you have to go out and look for one.”
Carlos writes about his reaction: “I vociferously disagreed with him. I told him that in my opinion tyrants can only render their victims helpless or make them as brutal as they themselves are.” Then don Juan retorted: “The difference is in something you just said. They are victims, not warriors.” Our choice is always: do we react as victims or respond as warriors?
"We are not alone - not ever - and never forsaken."
KW
“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end – which you can never afford to lose – with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”
“Don Juan had a beaming smile as he spoke to me. ‘A petty tyrant is a tormentor,’ he said. ‘Someone who either holds the power of life and death over warriors or simply annoys them to distraction.'”
Don Juan continued: “We know that nothing can temper the spirit of a warrior as much as the challenge of dealing with impossible people in positions of power. Only under those conditions can warriors acquire the sobriety and serenity to stand the pressure of the unknowable.
“My benefactor used to say that the warrior who stumbles on a petty tyrant is a lucky one. He meant that you’re fortunate if you come upon one in your path, because if you don’t, you have to go out and look for one.”
Carlos writes about his reaction: “I vociferously disagreed with him. I told him that in my opinion tyrants can only render their victims helpless or make them as brutal as they themselves are.” Then don Juan retorted: “The difference is in something you just said. They are victims, not warriors.” Our choice is always: do we react as victims or respond as warriors?
Precisely. Great comment thanks.
Thank you for linking my post, The Matter of the Heart.
Thank you so much for writing it. It is beautiful and I hope everyone reads it!
"We are not alone - not ever - and never forsaken."
KW
“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end – which you can never afford to lose – with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”
The Stockade Paradox
Yes thanks and they could not become much more brutal!
Excellent post. And thanks for the shoutout, KW!