I can’t remember now whether I saw the film first or read the book but I suspect that I watched the film first as there is one scene in it where Socrates tells Dan to really look and listen to everything going on around him which really made an visual and mental impression on me.
Dan Millman initially looked into how talent could be developed in other gymnasts and then widened search to the question “ How can we as human beings develop a talent for living, for the actual changes of everyday life?”
In a mix of fact and fiction, Dan Millman recounts his days training as a college gymnast in his bid to become a World Champion, along with all the hardships he faced. During his time at university, Millman meets a semi-mystical character he calls Socrates, who works the night shift at a petrol station. Socrates reveals hidden knowledge and abilities and helps Dan learn life lessons that nourish him to a more than his formal education. He sets a training programme for Dan designed to reveal his true nature and guide him on a path to enlightenment through the various vicissitudes of life along the Way of the Peaceful Warrior.
The ‘story’ is about striving to live with a more peaceful heart but with the strength of a warrior spirit. It is about having a sense of balance: living with our head in the clouds but our feet on the ground. We need to incorporate both external and internal change into our lives. We can work to help others but we need to work on ourselves too.
Here is a link to a TEDTalk that gives a taste of the film
and here is the link to the complete film of the book The Way of the Peaceful Warrior
