Mirabai Starr - Saint Michael: Devotions, Prayers & Living Wisdom

Michael the Archangel is the prototype for the virtues of the spiritual warrior, a paradigm we find at the heart of every spiritual tradition.

The spiritual warrior is committed to non-violence in all his relationships. The conflict he engages in is the battle within. This is the struggle to discern his true calling from the endless stream of lifes distractions. It requires great courage and forbearance to step onto the inner battlefield and strike down whatever internal demons stand between our real self and our false self.

The spiritual warrior is the most peaceful person in the community. Because he has dedicated himself to truth at all costs, he is incapable of engaging in any behavior that creates misunderstanding or strife. He is the champion of those who suffer and the protector of those who long to be free. In ancient England, he is represented by Saint George, the legendary dragon slayer.

The only legitimate war, says the Quran, is the war between the forces of good and evil inside ourselves. This is called the inner jihad. Jihad means to strive. We never stop striving to overcome our own negativity and to live righteously. This view challenges the bias we so often encounter when the media attempts to define Islam.

The spiritual warrior wields the sword of discrimination. With this weapon always at his side, he is ready to cut through illusion and liberate that which is real. He is never unkind, but he is not always gentle. He is perpetually honing his blade, and his powers of detection are sharp. When he perceives falsehood, he names it, and then he destroys it. He is not afraid. He has nothing to lose.

When we call upon the spirit of Michael, we are invoking the courage and strength to see the truth and live it, to hear the truth and share it, to know the truth and let it change us.

We fearlessly fling open the doors of our own conscience and examine what we find there. Where we see petty jealousy, we smite it. Where we see irritability toward the people with whom we share our lives, we banish it. Where we see selfishness, indolence, and cynicism, we cut them out of our hearts.

And yet we must always practice compassion toward our adversary: we must forgive ourselves.

Where we see kindness, let us tenderly cultivate it. Where we see playfulness and joy, let us protect it. Where we see self-appreciation, let us embrace it. Wherever there is love, let us hold a feast in its honor.

In Hebrew, the name Michael means who is like God? This evokes Exodus 15:11: Who is like to you among the gods, O Lord? Who is like to you, magnificent in holiness?

Michael embodies the spirit of inquiry. With his sword of discrimination, Michael continuously cuts through the layers of illusion to uncover the truth. He never ceases to question reality.

Is there any other god but God? Do our efforts to define the Divine, to enumerate its attributes and explain its functions, violate its essential unity and sovereignty? Does naming the Holy One diminish the Holy One?