The Willow Sword
09-09-2002, 10:52 AM
Taking references from BUDO and the thoughts of master Ueshiba Morehei, and my own.
What the principles say is that in order to be a true warrior you must be in harmony with the heaven and earth,,,water and fire,,,light and heat,,,,yin/yang etc. The principles also state that you must be just, compassionate,,and peacfull. We learn these combative arts so that we can better understand ourselves as human beings and also to better understand what our relationships with others are as well. Can we really blend the art of peace with the art of hurting mameing and killing another? Since the philosphies of Budo and zen stem from the apparant hardship and atrocities of conflict,,war and death by violent means, can we as new people who do not experience this violence and war first hand,,TRUELY UNDERSTAND and master the essence behind the arts that we practice?
I meditate alot on this concept,,,,for i do not consider myself an inherently violent man,,but definately one capable of such violence. in related posts i have put down and spoke out against sporting events involving fighting(ufc,etc.) For to me and what i have been taught over the years,,that THIS in it of itself is wrong and a waste of time and energy. I get heated responses from those who participate or endorse such activity.
I feel it to be vital to our survival as intellectual and rational thinking beings that we heed the teachings and warnings of such masters that have gone through the realities of war and destruction and seek to steer us away from that path and lead a more peacefull life. To only use your abilities for the life/death situation,,and for healing.
I write all this and i REALIZE the contradictions that i make for i have issued challenges in the past,,,wanted to fight, and hurt seriously, members of this board who would insult me,,and in the past with whom would insult my teachers and system. i have met a challenge and lost. am i walking the path of a true warrior? are you? are any of us?
i would like to think that these arts of combat and philosophy serve to a better end other than to hurt and kill another.
there was a time when i wanted to enlist in the military,,,and experience for myself what these masters experienced so that i could truly understand where they were coming from. i then looked back on my own life and the violence that surrounded it and i thought to myself, " i have gone through my own war, a personal one involving family." "i wonder if this be as great a tragedy as fighting in a war.?"
without this becoming a "lets bash willow sword thread"
i would like to read others views on the concepts i have discussed. i hope that in THIS thread we can actually exchange thought and opinion in a peaceful way.
Many Respects,,,The Willow Sword
What the principles say is that in order to be a true warrior you must be in harmony with the heaven and earth,,,water and fire,,,light and heat,,,,yin/yang etc. The principles also state that you must be just, compassionate,,and peacfull. We learn these combative arts so that we can better understand ourselves as human beings and also to better understand what our relationships with others are as well. Can we really blend the art of peace with the art of hurting mameing and killing another? Since the philosphies of Budo and zen stem from the apparant hardship and atrocities of conflict,,war and death by violent means, can we as new people who do not experience this violence and war first hand,,TRUELY UNDERSTAND and master the essence behind the arts that we practice?
I meditate alot on this concept,,,,for i do not consider myself an inherently violent man,,but definately one capable of such violence. in related posts i have put down and spoke out against sporting events involving fighting(ufc,etc.) For to me and what i have been taught over the years,,that THIS in it of itself is wrong and a waste of time and energy. I get heated responses from those who participate or endorse such activity.
I feel it to be vital to our survival as intellectual and rational thinking beings that we heed the teachings and warnings of such masters that have gone through the realities of war and destruction and seek to steer us away from that path and lead a more peacefull life. To only use your abilities for the life/death situation,,and for healing.
I write all this and i REALIZE the contradictions that i make for i have issued challenges in the past,,,wanted to fight, and hurt seriously, members of this board who would insult me,,and in the past with whom would insult my teachers and system. i have met a challenge and lost. am i walking the path of a true warrior? are you? are any of us?
i would like to think that these arts of combat and philosophy serve to a better end other than to hurt and kill another.
there was a time when i wanted to enlist in the military,,,and experience for myself what these masters experienced so that i could truly understand where they were coming from. i then looked back on my own life and the violence that surrounded it and i thought to myself, " i have gone through my own war, a personal one involving family." "i wonder if this be as great a tragedy as fighting in a war.?"
without this becoming a "lets bash willow sword thread"
i would like to read others views on the concepts i have discussed. i hope that in THIS thread we can actually exchange thought and opinion in a peaceful way.
Many Respects,,,The Willow Sword