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“A prayer without a deed is an arrow without a bowstring; a deed without a prayer is a bowstring without an arrow.”- Ella Wheeler Wilcox.

Archery is not just about pulling the bowstring and aiming the arrow, it is the art of understanding and respecting the bow and arrow. This is what archery is all about.

The book ‘The Archer’ by Paulo Coelho is about a retired once famous archer named Tetsuya who lives a peaceful life in a village hiding his identity. He works as a carpenter and everyone in the village knows because of his carpentry skills. One day, a stranger comes in search of Tetsuya as he wants to witness Tetsuya’s perfection in archery. A young local boy leads him to Tetsuya’s workshop. Tetsuya remains silent when the stranger declares his motive to meet him. After that, the stranger presented his ability by shooting a cherry tree 40 meters away. He just wants to prove that he is better than Tetsuya in archery. After observing these all, Tetsuya took out his old bow and borrowed an arrow from the stranger and went to a bridge. He shot a peach 20 miles away and asked the stranger to try as well. But when the stranger attempts the same stunt, his arrow sails past. Seeing this, Tetsuya told him that everything he did was correct but his mind was unsettled as the situation was unfavourable. So he requests that he should learn to adapt in a difficult situation. Tetsuya also illustrates the way of the bow and tenets of meaningful life. Taking advice, the stranger leaves him promising to keep their meeting as secret as possible. But the young boy who led the stranger is shocked by what he has witnessed. He is so curious to know more about Tetsuya. He assumes that Tetsuya, who is best known for his carpentry skills in the village, is not as simple as he appears to be. So the young boy insists Tetsuya teach him the skills of archery. So Tetsuya teaches him some of the important skills of archery. And then, they return to Tetsuya’s workshop where the young boy expresses his will to know about Tetsuya’s story about hiding his identity. He wants to know why Tetsuya is living a simple life as a carpenter when he is a famous archer. In reply, Tetsuya discloses his reality and tells him that he has a prodigious gift with bow and arrow. He used to be a famous national archer but Tetsuya leaves his life as the nation's greatest archer to become a carpenter as he wants to find true fulfillment in the craft he truly loves, and he believes fame and the pressure to maintain his reputation would destroy him and his inner peace. He seeks a simpler life to pursue his passion for carpentry, which he sees as his true calling, and to avoid the loss of self that fame can bring. This book ‘The Archer’ is all about the philosophy of archery, which is to be one with the bow, arrow, and target, and the importance of finding joy in the journey itself, not just the outcome.