“Warriors of light are not perfect. Their beauty lies in accepting this fact and still desiring to grow and to learn.” – Paulo Coehlo, Warrior of the Light
Warriors of the Light is an Ottawa-based reformative self-esteem and empowerment program that aims to strengthen and to heal with training courses being designed to elevate the mind, body and soul. WOTL believes that in everyone’s past, there is hurt that hinders the individual’s ability to function to the best of their ability. To counter this ubiquitous pain, WOTL provides specialized training programs to help everyday people “find courage, fearlessness and compassion inside their minds.”
After the past is defeated, the future is limitless.
Their program generally runs through five to eight sessions, combining practices of guided meditation, energy healing, reflection activities, Japanese sword fighting, strength training and the martial art of Jujutsu into a single experience. It’s more than a just workout routine or a self-defence class; rather, it integrates spiritual and mental training with the physical.
What benefits should you expect from the program? Founder Beth Sturdevant says that they aim to help warriors-in-training to foster compassion, kindness and respect; feel more grounded in their everyday life; eliminate subconscious triggers; listen to their intuition; and establish healthy lifestyle choices.
Sturdevant explains that the concept of WOTL was developed over time, as she noticed that fear, anger and hatred seemed to be directing the course of world events. She realized that these forces are indicative and reflective of the very same elements that we all face within ourselves, and because of this, the need for self-reliance and strength was stronger than ever.
“What we feel universally and individually, how we manage our traumas, how we heal and learn from our mistakes, [all these things are] imperative in changing the course of our future,” she says. “Physical fighting only gets us so far… Only by learning to face ourselves, our own limitations, our own darkness, can we start to shift the energies around us.”
WOTL is also extending beyond their standard classes. They are introducing Youth Training Programs, offered from March 13-18, while co-ed summer camps for both adults and youth will take place in the following months. “Parents of today are looking for healthy ways to empower and inspire their children,” says Sturdevant. With WOTL Youth Camps, she aims to help kids gather the mental and physical tools that will help them heal from past wounds and thrive in the future. After all, surviving high school is no easy feat, and WOTL wants to foster the courage and compassion that is needed for them to get to graduation.
“Behind the mask of ice that people wear, there beats a heart of fire.” Paulo Coelho writes in his 1997 volume, Warrior of the Light. The question is, how do we come to fully realize our hearts of fire? Perhaps there is no definite answer, but Warriors of the Light wants to help you, whatever be your age, begin the journey to find it.
Click on the link to find out more about Warriors of the Light.