War + Valour + Victory = Warrior

Jan 2010

‘Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be in peril. When you are ignorant of the enemy, but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain in every battle to be in peril.’ – Sun Tzu,  Art of War

The archetype of the warrior is in myth and mythology a person who is formidable in the face of the enemy, the adversary and all adversity. The warrior is deemed as having almost super human powers together with Herculean prowess, tenacity, caliber and belligerence for the greater good. The shadow aspect of the warrior is someone who is saturated in their ego, a tyrant, or an oppressor.

 Throughout history there has been the rise, and fall of empires, civilizations, and  kingdoms. There have always been kinsman, swordsman, tribesman, nobility, heroes, heroines & warriors. The Ages have seen noble, honourable warriors from all continents, from the ancient worlds of Mesopotamia and Babylonia. The Ottoman, Persian Empires, the Byzantine, Greek and Roman Empires. Warriors from Scandanavia, the  Nordic and Celtic countries. Warriors  from Africa the Zulu, Rajputs from India, the Shaolin from China, and the Samurai from Japan.  Warriors from the Americas and Austro Asia as well.  Throughout history there have been powerful leaders such as Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Mark Antony, Genghis Khan, and then there have been the righteous leaders such as, Guru Gobind Singh, Joan of Arc, Chandi the Goddess of Battle and Warfare,   Marus Aurelius. They took up alms to defend, guard and protect in righteousness and truth they were all great warriors.

‘He who knows when he can fight, and when he cannot, will be victorious’ – Sun Tzu

 Who is a warrior ? A warrior is so much more than a super inflated ego, arrogance, self – conceit, pride, and vanity cleverly disguised as physical strength. A warrior is more than a uniform, a label, a cause, a belt, a badge, or a costume. A warrior is more than hours of pre - emptive striking, hours of perspiring, rigorous training in the Dojo. A warrior is more than a win on a Saturday night fight. A warrior is more than a disciplined dietary intake, and an Olympian fitness regime. A warrior is more than jousting and sparring, gouging and grappling. A warrior is more than standing in horse stance for hours and hours, days upon days underneath icy glacier fountains fashioning the sinews into carved marble. A warrior is more than being able to raise one’s temperature at will.  A warrior is more than being adept in the art of illusion, deception and assassination. A warrior is more than, rearing and staring at goats, and then preparing them for sacrificial slaughter.  A  warrior is more than the partaking of the medicinal remedy laced with cannabis.  A warrior is more than simply roaring the hypnotic war cry. A warrior is more than a horseman, a skilled artisan or having the capacity to perform arduous, challenging physical feats. The concept of the warrior is not limited to someone who has mastered an ancient fighting technique, skilled in martial valour, adept in weaponary, or warfare.

Why do so many  people feel that they are worthy to adorn themselves with such a prestigious title ? The status of the warrior is not a title to be adorned frivolously. The Tao Te Ching says, ‘He who knows does not speak. He who speaks does not know.’ The concept of the warrior is to be held in the highest esteem, it is the highest privilege, and  the highest honour.

The warrior is someone who has first and foremost  mastered themselves, the heart and mind. The warrior through committed diligence and  severance has battled with themselves day after day. There is no luxury of attacking external factors when you realise that you yourself are your own worst enemy. The warrior endeavours to conquer themselves first and foremost. To wage this type of war on oneself is very destructive to the ego. Which is why only the rarest of the rare will take up such an uncomprehendable feat.  After all, why would we want to remove the shadowy self, the dark little voices, the little voices that befriend us. Those little companions that never leave us. The shadowy parts will always want to stay. Such is the unfailing loyalty of the dark side.

All suffering, all pain, all desire is born out of illusion, the illusionary self. The part of the human psyche that is the me, myself and I. The part of us that is composed of the unlimited, unquenchable, emptiness. The part made up of the incessant need for continuous, excessive, unfathomable desire for more, more, more. Everyday in our meditation we attack and annihilate our egoic mind. We take down it defenses we create the death of the illusionary self.

The following excerpt from the Hagakure,  The Book of the Samurai, by Yamamoto Tsunetomo explains, the meditation on one’s own death, ‘The Way of the Samurai is found in death. Meditation in inevitable death should be performed daily. Every day when one's body and mind are at peace, one should meditate upon being ripped apart by arrows, rifles, spears and swords, being carried by surging waves, thrown into the midst of a great fire, being struck by lightning, being shaken to death by great earthquake, falling from thousand foot cliffs, dying from disease, or committing seppuku at the death of one's master. And everyday without fail one should consider himself as dead. This is the substance of the Way of the Samurai.’

In order to obliterate the illusionary self our mindset has to be programmed to become fearless. The coding to become fearless is, ‘Nirbhoa Satnam Nirvair Satnam’  it translates to the ‘Truth Transcends Fear’ and  the ‘ Truth Removes Hatred And Duality’.

 ‘Conquer your mind and conquer the world.’ Siri Guru Granth Sahib

Morihei Ueshiba was the founder of the martial art Aikido. The word Aikido means,  ‘A path or way of joining, harmonizing and unifying oneself with the Universal Life Force Energy that flows through , surrounds and is within us all. ’This is a beautiful and encompassing way of describing this art and one’s relationship to their internal power which is in harmony with the Universe.

After an aggressive encounter with a brute. Morihei Ueshiba sought solace amongst a serene garden full of blossoms and natural beauty. Thus, Morihei Ueshiba explains, ‘True Budo is to accept the spirit of the universe, keep the peace of the world, correctly produce, protect and cultivate all beings in nature.’ Becoming the Buddha in Nature, a Sant.

Morihei Ueshiba describes his experience in the garden after the encounter with the brute, ‘ I felt the universe suddenly quake, and that a golden spirit sprang up from the ground, veiled my body, and changed my body into a golden one. At the same time my body became light. I was able to understand the whispering of the birds, and was clearly aware of the mind of God, the Creator of the Universe.

At that moment I was enlightened: the source of budo is God’s love – the spirit of loving protection for all being. Budo is not the felling of an opponent by force; nor is it a tool to lead the world to destruction with arms.’

In accordance to Morihei Ueshiba the way of the warrior has been distorted, ‘The Way of the Warrior has been misunderstood. It is not a means to kill and destroy others. Those who seek to compete and better one another are making a terrible mistake. To smash, injure, or destroy is the worst thing a human being can do. The real Way of a Warrior is to prevent such slaughter – it is the Art of Peace, the power of love.’

An Adonis may admire and contemplate his own physical abode which  has been carved into sculpted marble  like perfection. A soldier may reflect on their victories over the enemy in battle. A boxer may delight in the taste of blood in their mouth. However, a warrior is a submission fighter who has conquered the mind and subdued the five vices.

‘If a warrior is not unattached to life and death, he will be of no use whatsoever. The saying that, ‘All abilities come from one mind’ sounds as though it has to do with sentient matters, but it is in fact a matter of being unattached to life and death. With such non attachment one can accomplish any feat.’ – Hagakure

When there is no more self left then there is only Source, and the alignment with Source only comes from diligent penance, surrender and  sacrifice. Unsurmountable, annihilation of the self by oneself.  The shedding of the illusionary self will not be subdued without a battle. So be prepared for war, your fears to surface, and the shedding of tears.  Make it your firm conviction that supreme victory shall reign and that your allegiance is to the Source. Lay your heart on the sacrificial altar and allow it to be pierced by the sword of Truth.

The battle-drum beats in the sky of the mind; aim is taken, and the wound is inflicted.The spiritual warriors enter the field of battle; now is the time to fight. He alone is known as a spiritual hero, who fights in defense of his faith. He may be cut apart, piece by piece, but he never leaves the battlefield.’  -  Siri Guru Granth Sahib

Breath in the invigorating breath of the Nothingness and exemplify the light in fortitude. Rise in Truth and enshrine the qualities of the warrior.  Know Thyself and Conquer Thyself. We tread upon the path of self - realisation deliberately, intently, together with the softness of the blossom and the butterfly. May all beings awaken from the illusionary self, to conquer themselves, to practice, exude, resonate and worship the Source. May all be Blessed  to defeat themselves  on the path of self - annihilation. One step at a time to walk the path the double edged sword, the path is slippery. The sage treads silently, shrewdly and wisely. All happenings are illusionary only the sound current, the pulse of the Universe vibrates and we drop our destructive self and merge into it.

‘Thou art the Kaal (death), thou art Kaali (the Goddess). Thou art the saber and arrow. Thou art the sign of victory today and Thou art the Hero of the world.’ - Dasam Granth

I am not a warrior and do not intend call myself one ever, as I am not worthy or befitting of such a title. However, whilst, in my meditations I have seen myself as a knight, and  pulled a sword out of a big rock, similiar to Excalibur. Seen Goddess Chandi in valour on several occasions, and the Roman Goddess of War she is dressed in white robes with a helmet, a sword and a shield, with a lion by her side. Also, whilst meditating a sword was pushed downwards from my skull into my body. These experiences have been shared in the spirit of inspiration, and because they do not belong to me. May I die a thousand deaths, may I bow a thousand times over and over again. In service and allegiance to the King of Kings, Glory unto The Perfect Teacher, The Perfect Servant, The Buddha in Nature, The Supreme Warrior, Baba Ji.

‘One who conquers himself is greater than another who conquers a thousand times a thousand on the battlefield’  - The Buddha

Blissfull Blessings
In Gratitude
Simran