The Warrior Within (Conference 2025)
Note: This article is a brief summary of the topic covered during my lecture at the Antioquia University in Medellin, Colombia, on August 9th, 2025.
The Warrior Within
A Journey of Inner Transformation
Awaken the Power of Peace, Purpose, and Presence
The Call to Remember
Whether you are a martial artist, an athlete, someone in the midst of healing, or simply a human being navigating the complexities of life, this message is for you. Whether young, middle-aged, or older, male or female, wealthy or poor, life is not only meant to be lived, but to be lived with meaning.
Have you ever paused to ask what will happen if, for any reason, you can no longer work or train? What becomes of you when the things once central to your identity no longer matter? What happens when the body cannot compete, perform, or keep pace, whether through age, accident, illness, or unexpected change? When retirement comes, will you simply sit and wait for life to pass? Or could you discover a deeper and more powerful meaning starting now—regardless of circumstances or ability?
If any of these questions stir something within, then this is your call, not to battle, but to remembrance. Consider the old parable of The Jewel in the Robe: a poor man lived his entire life unaware that a precious gem had been sewn into the lining of his garment. He died in poverty, never discovering the treasure he carried every day. So, it is with us, we wear the robe of the body, unaware of the jewel of truth and strength within: the warrior within, our essence.
This warrior within is not built by struggle or ego but rests in presence, clarity, and unshakable inner strength. It is not something to become, it is who you already are, hidden beneath fear, conditioning, and noise. Awakening is simply the return to what is most real. It begins as a whisper of incompleteness, then cracks open through search, challenge, loss, or silence. Eventually, we discover what we sought outside can only be uncovered within.
The warrior within does not fight others. To the contrary, it enters chaos with peace, meets darkness with light, and transforms conflict with compassion. It does not shout; it listens. It does not force; it breathes. This warrior is your True Self—the essence beneath all roles and masks, the eternal presence that holds strength and serenity in harmony. This path is not about becoming extraordinary, but about becoming deeply, vibrantly ordinary (more ordinary than the ordinary)—awake, present, and real. In this journey, we will walk through the six phases of awakening, uncovering the hidden warrior within.
1. The Sleep Phase – The Default Mode
The Sleep Phase is the most common state of human experience. Life is lived in autopilot…unconsciously, shaped by habits, conditioning, and social expectation. From childhood, an ego-identity forms around roles, achievements, and appearances, mistaken for the true self. Outwardly life may appear productive, yet inwardly it feels shallow and disconnected.
Many in this phase chase possessions, money, image, or recognition, believing it will bring fulfillment. But beneath activity, there is often emptiness and quiet dissatisfaction. Reflection is avoided, discomfort numbed, and deeper questions silenced. Still, a subtle whisper of the soul emerges, calling toward something more authentic.
The Sleep Phase is not failure, it is fertile ground. Like a seed hidden beneath soil, nothing appears to grow, yet life is preparing. The ego’s shell softens, absorbing what is needed for transformation. Without this stillness, true awakening could not begin.
2. The Wakeup Phase – The Call to Awaken
The Wakeup Phase marks the cracking open of the seed. This may arrive as crisis, loss, illness, burnout, or gently, through awe, beauty, or meditation. Its purpose is to shatter illusions of ego and awaken longing for truth. What once gave meaning loses power, leaving one vulnerable yet open.
In martial arts, sports, or work, this often arises when achievements or recognition no longer satisfy. Skill feels hollow, and emptiness prompts deeper questions: Why am I truly doing this? What lies beyond success? Such questioning is not failure but readiness, the seed pushing toward the light.
This is the threshold where life becomes a mirror for self-inquiry. Every challenge becomes an invitation to awaken. To cross it requires courage, for illusions fall away. Yet those who answer discover joy and freedom, rooted not in ambition but in presence and truth.
3. The Seek Phase – Walking Toward the Unknown
The Seek Phase is the sprout breaking through the surface, reaching for the sun. The soul feels a hunger for what is real, a force whispering: “There is more, go find it.” This is not about gathering new beliefs but about pursuing direct experience.
The seeker often explores teachings, practices, and traditions, martial arts, Yoga, meditation, retreats. These bring clarity but also overwhelm, and sometimes the rise of a “spiritual ego” that confuses progress with identity. Yet over time, humility refines the seeker, revealing that truth is not collected, but uncovered through surrender and presence.
Gradually, the fire softens. What once felt like striving becomes a quieter devotion. The seeker learns that truth cannot be possessed but lived. Like the sprout aligning with the sun, one learns to simply open and receive, discovering that what was sought outside has always been within.
4. The Shedding Phase – Death Without Violence
The Shedding Phase, or “Dark Night of the Soul,” is like a plant releasing dried leaves so new life can grow. Practices lose spark, teachings feel empty, even the identity of being “spiritual” no longer comforts. Though painful, this is not regression, it is purification.
This silence is sacred, though terrifying. Familiar anchors vanish, leaving the ground seemingly gone. In martial arts, sports or work, this may appear as burnout or disillusionment. What once felt powerful now feels hollow. Many try to escape, yet those who remain find authenticity beyond performance.
Like a tree gathering strength in its roots, energy retreats to essentials. Eventually, subtle grace returns. Simplicity, presence, and beauty reemerge. The Shedding Phase is the death of illusion, where the false falls away and the soul stands bare in truth.
5. The Presence Phase – Coming Home
The Presence Phase is the plant opening to the sun in natural balance. Awakening is no longer sought but lived. Striving dissolves, and life is embraced as it is. This is a gentle, unforced return to one’s essence.
Here, peace, compassion, and authenticity flow naturally. Thoughts and emotions still arise, but they no longer define the self. In martial arts, sports or work, practice becomes meditation, breath and movement merge, and even daily tasks carry awareness. The line between practice and life disappears.
Presence is about inhabiting the ordinary as sacred. Growth is no longer forced, but unfolds in harmony with life. To come home is not to arrive somewhere new, but to finally live the truth that has always been within.
6. The Embodiment Phase – Living the Truth
The Embodiment Phase is the mature tree bearing fruit. Awakening is no longer an idea or peak moment, but the natural expression of being. The ego no longer manages the path; life itself has become the practice.
Here, light and shadow, joy and sorrow, strength and vulnerability are embraced as one. Simplicity is sacred, authenticity more valuable than perfection. In martial arts, sports, or work, this is when the Warrior-Sage, the warrior within, emerges, no longer just practicing the art, but becoming it. Presence itself teaches, uplifts, and inspires.
Embodiment transforms life into service. Like a tree offering fruit and shade, the embodied soul no longer seeks recognition but simply gives. Every breath, gesture, and choice become an expression of truth. This is not the end of awakening; it is the beginning of truly living it.
Conclusion: Coming Full Circle — The Warrior’s Return
The journey through the phases of awakening, Sleep, Wakeup, Seek, Shedding, Presence, and Embodiment, is not about becoming someone else, but about remembering who you truly are. The warrior within has never been lost, only hidden beneath fear and conditioning. What you sought, peace, purpose, strength, presence, has always lived within.
To embody this truth is to live not as a seeker, but as presence itself. No longer running from yourself or striving to prove worth, you walk with grounded grace. Each moment, joyful or painful, becomes an invitation to live authentically and love courageously.
This freedom reshapes perception. Challenges appear not as enemies, but as teachers. Ordinary moments, breath, gesture, conversation, become extraordinary. The warrior’s path is not escape, but fuller inhabitation of life, with open eyes and unarmed heart.
The true warrior does not fight to win; they serve. Their strength is clarity, their weapon compassion, their mastery presence. Whether in training, sports, work, relationships, or silence, their life becomes an expression of truth.
So, return, not as someone different, but as someone whole. Walk with humility and fierce kindness. Lead with love. And remember: the warrior within you is awake, and always has been. Allow it to shine. Set it free. Come home, to your true self.
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Author: Maurice "Mao" Correa
Website: pathtoone.com
Blog for Articles: pathtooneblog.blogspot.com
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