Bushido Code-The Warrior's Way of Life

Zen and the Bushido

What separates us from the Japanese Samurai Warriors of the past? The Samurai approached each day as if it were their last. They thought about death often and consequently lived each day with a heightened sense of awareness. They treated people with the utmost respect. If you knew that today was your last, would you initiate arguments with your brother or wife? If you only had 24 hours to live, would you spend your time watching television for hours? Would you complete a task by doing the minimal about of work or would you focus on maximum output to accomplish your goal—to be remembered for contributing something significant? Would you complete a poem, finish a painting, hug your child tightly, say you love them, feel true compassion and maybe help a friend in need.

For me, this philosophy of living as if you were dying doesn’t instill fear but rather an appreciation for each moment as if that moment is your last. In the introduction to The Book of the Five Rings the author discusses how the book is a chronicle of the thoughts and concerns of warriors, and how warriors were able to overcome the “ego” through Zen meditation and a high level of discipline and perseverance. Through Zen meditation, the warriors were only concerned with the elimination of fear, and how to engage in life in a straightforward and unwavering manner.

Facing Fears

It is not until we are able to face our fears with courage and honesty that we will learn to understand what it really means to live right now. It is at this moment that we feel a deep satisfaction and appreciation for the people in our lives and what we see, hear, smell, feel and taste in the moment. We feel a deeper level of compassion for the world and are thankful for life—and we learn to live life by developing a level of faith that helps us to stay focused on the moment and to gradually let go of our “what-if” worry patterns. If the future hasn’t arrived yet and we can’t predict the outcome, then why are we preoccupied with imagining the worst case scenario? We should enjoy the quality of life by focusing on what we have in the present.

Mediation Techniques for Beginners

The practice of Zen includes calming the mind, so thoughts of the past and future do not deprive us of the true-life experience in the here and now. “Some people criticize Zen practice because it is very strict. They say it is too much to pay careful attention to each form.”

Zen is a practice that focuses on living in the present. There are many books written about the art of Zen. All of them have one common theme, which is to completely engross yourself in the activity that you are doing in that moment with focus and a heightened awareness. When we let our minds remain in the moment, we realize there are treasures to be found and an inner peace that feels very natural. We pay attention to details and are better at recalling information, names, dates, and anything that triggers our senses.

One of the best exercises for helping our minds to relax and stay focused on the moment is by learning to meditate. By taking some quiet time every day to relax and practice rhythmic breathing, we learn to trust our natural pulse in harmony with the universe. “In the same way that a river keeps itself clean by staying in motion, let negative thoughts and emotions flow away as quickly as they come.”

Beginners Meditation Tip1: Allow yourself to take 3-5 minutes in the morning before starting your day. Find a quiet comfortable place and sit in a relaxed posture, preferably on a pad or pillow with legs crossed, back straight and hands on top of your knees facing upward. Inhale slowly, allow your breath to fill the lungs and allow your abdomen to expand—like a baby breaths. Hold the breath for a count of three, and then exhale slowly for a count of 10-12 seconds. Repeat this breath three times, while paying attention to the energy flowing through your body. Try to focus on just only your breath. If thoughts come to mind, release them and remain focused on the breath. If you feel anger, negativity or anxiety, then take in a breath and exhale the negativity. I like to think of bright spiritual light when I inhale and imagine when I exhale that I’m letting go negative black energy—like burnt coal or soot.

This is a great way to learn how to meditate consistently, which helps lead to a deeper meditation experience over time.

“…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