Bushido Code-The Warrior's Way of Life

 Identifying with the Hero

Imagine yourself sitting in front of a big screen TV with surround sound booming on a couch so comfortable that it feels as if your body is sinking into a cloud. Buttered popcorn coats your fingertips with each swallow, and you grab another handful from the big bowl while absorbed in the action of your favorite movie. Who is your favorite character and what personality traits do you admire the most? If everything is harmonious with this character, can you relate? 

Have you watched the movie The Last Samurai? Tom Cruise plays the character Captain Nathan Algren. This character was someone that I could relate to because he was not perfect but his soul held the code of the warrior. I felt his pain while watching this heroic army captain face his inner fears and overcome alcoholism to find his true warrior spirit among the Samurai of Japan. He never gave up, never caved-in.

For most people their favorite character has a strong and weak side to their personality-they are human! We discover that this character accepts his weakness and faces challenge with the highest level of courage. We relate to his inner turmoil and feel his pain. From the comfort and security of your home, you see he is not perfect-his face covered with dirt and blood, he has torn clothes, and he looks deep inside himself to find the courage and faith to persevere.

There are technological advancements today that challenge us to increase the speed of communication and getting a job done. We have become so dependent on technology that we demand results and have a reduced tolerance for slow people. Our daily lives are filled with stimulation and we seek fulfillment from computers, cell phones, and video games and spend less time reading books. Children are becoming lazy and impatient and lack respect for adults. We watch the successes of other professional athletes and performers rather than focus on achieving our own success. It seems safer to stay behind the four walls of our living room where there are no real threats. It seems safer to watch our heros rather than become a hero. Commercials bombard our minds with daily messages that show images of cool cars and exotic vacations. We hear and see repeatedly that we need to buy new things constantly in order to be fulfilled--the latest and greatest technology. Our employers expect so much of our time that we are confused about who we really are and what we represent. Our ethics are being challenged because we feel the pressure to compete against people rather than work toward camaraderie-a true brotherhood. 

The movie you were watching on your high defenition TV is now over and the credits scroll down the screen. You look at the bottom of the bowl that sits on your lap to see a few lone kernels stuck in a layer of hardened butter. You are full and your butt hurts from having spent so much time in front of the television. You feel empowered to fight the world but are not sure how or why. Why are you so draw to this character and not the person who snaps his fingers and everything falls into place?

Look deep inside yourself because you want to be this character. I desire to be this character. Instinctively we know we are this character. This character represents the Warrior and his way of life.

We can all be this character if we understand his passion and his path-the Warrior’s Way of Life. The samurai were true warriors and followed the Bushido Code. We desire to offer this blog to those who want to achieve goodwill and integrity and learn to live by the code. People who want to live a more ethical and fulfilling life. Life is a journey that will test our courage and perseverance. By developing compassion and a desire to do what is right--we can all enjoy the journey together.

“…To taste life in every breath, every cup of tea…

…That is the way of the warrior. That is Bushido.”

-Katsumodo

From The Last Samurai

What Does it Mean to Be a Warrior?

Bushido

To be a warrior- broadly defined is someone engaged in struggle or conflict or someone seen as a champion.  In this time in our society, many people are experiencing some sort of difficulty or conflict. When Donald Trump can’t get a loan from a bank, times are tough all around! Unemployment increased significantly in 2009, we heard about the suffering housing market including information like  1 in 4 homes face foreclosure. Depending on who did the polling, 50 to 80% of Americans feel that they have an unhealthy level of stress. Let’s face it, in today’s society many of us are warriors in a survival mode and we need to become the champions of our own lives. We need to support one another through tough times and take action toward a better future.

Not only is life tough for many economically and financially, but as a nation we are unhealthier than we’ve been in decades. A University of Michigan study found that only three percent of Americans maintain a healthy lifestyle. The federal government has released a study saying 34% of Americans are obese. Not just overweight, but obese! That translates to more that one in three people. Other countries face similar problems but there are many cultures that promote healthier lifestyles and have a much lower rate of obesity and health conditions.  They must be doing something right!

Japan is on the list of one of the world’s healthiest countries.  Diets rich in fish, rice, and seaweed have long kept heart disease and cancer in Japan in check. Various fitness crazes and government-sponsored pre-work workouts have helped generations of Japanese maintain trim physiques, and today’s tech junkies have a little help of their own: Japan’s largest mobile telephone carrier just unveiled a “Fitness Phone” that measures daily activity.

Today’s society has become dependent on technology including spending hours passively watching the television or playing video games. Many children spend an unhealthy amount of time mesmerized by these forms of technology, because parents are too busy working long hours to make ends meet while trying to keep-up with household demands. We are a population of consumers, controlled by large corporations and made to feel that the only way we can find satisfaction in our lives is by spending our hard earned money buying more things. We have allowed our economy to become so unbalanced that we have to bail out “Too Big to Fail” corporations that have built empires on a house of cards. We’ve witnessed these companies paying out huge bonuses with no accountability.

What is happening to our integrity, honor and our honesty? What happened to the time when people stood up for values with valor and courage? When the right thing was to take responsibility for our actions.

-This brings me to why we have decided to write about this topic-

What is a “The Warrior’s Way of Life”?

The Warrior’s Way of Life is based on the Japanese code of conduct known as Bushido, which translated means, “Way of the Warrior”. It is the set of principles, practices, and values of the Samurai of feudal Japan.

Seven key virtues outlined the Bushido Code:

1. 1. “Gi” -Integrity
   2. “Yu” -Valor and Courage
   3. “Jin” -Compassion
   4. “Rei” -Respect
   5. “Makoto” -Honesty and Sincerity
   6. “Meiyo” -Honor
   7. “Chungi” -Duty and Loyalty

These virtues guided the warriors through all aspects of their lives. The Samurai believed that living the Bushido was the highest form of existence– path to living properly.

By applying this code to our daily lives, Jillian and I have found clarity of purpose, a newfound love for life, peace of mind, reduced stress and the inner strength to face and overcome many of the challenges that are a natural part of life.

Topics Covered in this Blog

• The Bushido Code
• Zen and Meditation
• Universal Energy
• Health, Weight, Diet and Fitness
• The Martial Arts
• Yoga
• Reiki

Jillian and I would like to welcome you to The Warrior’s Way of Life blog. We would greatly appreciate your opinion and feedback and welcome guest authors, poets or bloggers that feel strongly about contributing to this site, including book recommendations and or healthy recipes to share. A monthly newsletter will be distributed to subscribers, and we look forward to your participation. Please feel free to leave a comment or ask questions.

Thank you–Marcus