The Warrior's Attributes
 

Now, the attributes of the warrior are these:

Strength, agility, adaptability, stamina, resilience, acuity, restraint, stealth, cunning, and compassion.

The defects which a warrior must guard against are the same. Reliance on that which seductively promises success causes fixity of mind and body, and fixity is the way of death.

Therefore:

Be powerful without strength,
then grow in potential.

Adhere to normal movements,
but dance with adversity.

Be steadfast and focused,
then carry sameness through change.

Follow natural rhythm to stillness and rest,
and extend longevity.

Make weakness or injury an opportunity,
then practice the art of recovery.

Avoid hunger for information,
then let emptiness sharpen the senses.

Appreciate excess.
but not too much.

Walk openly and speak plainly,
knowing that even the truth deceives.

Be naive and trusting,
but also a great solver of problems.

Forget virtue,
then do what is right.

To be a warrior is to accept death, Practice death moment by moment, so that moments may continue. A persistent volatility is the way of life, and a warrior's purpose is to serve life by living, and by fostering the living.

Ross Robertson
Still Point Aikido Center
Austin, Texas, USA
http://www.stillpointaikido.com
etaison@stillpointaikido.com

Ross Robertson lives and teaches aikido in Austin, Texas.

Re: The Warrior's Attributes
 

Masterfully and compellingly written. Many thanks for sharing this.

Re: The Warrior's Attributes
 

I once heard there were sheeps and wolves ...

and then there are sheep dogs.