The Pen Is My Sword

Dear Traveller,

As a poet and writer, I swim in that which words point to; the intersections between Being and Self and all the wonderful crystal shards such a collision creates. Every stroke of my pen is an homage to refracted truth; a faceteddprayer said to the sacredness of art itself.

As one attempting to live by the code of Bushido, I strive to excel in my chosen art because the blossomings of my heart must also bear real fruit. I am by no means a Pablo Neruda, Emily Dickonson, or Edgar Allan Poe; but I’m not trying to be either. I follow my own Way; but I choose the path of exellence as they did. I believe that if you are going to do art or be otherwise creative (whatever art/creative endeavour that may be), then you should do it with mindful totality.

My name is “Shinken” (or real sword) because only a sword authentically forged can earn that moniker; it also has the additional meaning; “to do things with deadly earnest”. With this in mind, I walk my own Way. As a warrior-poet, writer, novice Humanist chaplain and future creativity coach; I hope to inspire others to be the heroes of their own stories.

I fervently believe that creating yourself is an act of self-liberation, a existential call to arms that you will not conform, that you choose to take your destiny in your own hands.

The warrior walks alone but she or he is never alone

My hope is to see others commit to their highest possible selves. Together and yet alone we can surpass our current level and be the greatness that burns within. I leave you with these thoughts and bid you a good night. Thank you.

Yours upon the Way,
Shinken

Bury the Past

“But I’ll never survive with dead memories in my heart”-Slipknot (Dead Memories)

Dear Traveller,

  Often time, creative warriors are hounded by memories of the past (as I can fervently attest to). I spent years being haunted of the wreckage of my childhood. Filled with much fear and trembling were my dreams until I awoke from that deathly state and said “enough!” Enough to being the chattel of dead memories, enough to being marred by past misery.  A warrior knows that the past is literally a figment of one’s imagination, it’s called the past for a reason. Becoming the hero of your story means that you cannot burden yourself with illusory thoughts.

 The only thing that is real is right now, all else is delusion

  Burn the above in your brain, as it is your duty to authentically create yourself. If you are still attached to that which does not exist, then you are doing yourself a grave disservice. Let go of irrational rumination!  If you do not, then you are as dead as the past you cling to.

  Now I can almost hear the protests from some of you and I understand your position.  As I stated before dear traveller, I did not have a happy childhood (to say the least lol) I was (long before my resurrection) a victim to La Bruja Endriaga and she delighted in spilling my blood. But wait, how could it be my blood if I am here in this present moment writing this? Am I not just imagining a recollection of things that happened a long time ago to someone else?

For who I am now is not who I was then.

  My point is that you are here, not there; so why waste time elsewhere? Isn’t your imagination worthy of being put to better use? Aren’t you tired of those ephemeral chains that keep you locked away from reality? Fellow traveller, you have the keys to your liberty in your own heart and mind. Freedom is indeed a burden, but so is the past; which one would you rather bear?

Yours upon the Way,

Shinken

Warrior’s Bow: Sally Ride Ph.D

Heroine

Dear Traveller,
  Yesterday, pioneering astronaut Sally Ride Ph.D, rejoined the stars from whence we all came. She exemplified the essence of Bushido with her gargantuan compassion, courage, and rectitude. This was a woman of Promethean power who dared storm the heavens with distilled wonder and its glorious children; science and reason.
 

 The warrior-mind of Dr.Ride was an astounding example for all humanity, but especially for young girls and women. Her daring, intelligence, and service has made her a true heroine and I proudly celebrate her life. Maria T. Zuber (Geophysicist & principal investigator of NASA’s GRAIL mission) said this about Dr.Ride:

“Sally was an icon in the history of space exploration. She realized the great honor associated with being the first American woman in space and used her notoriety to promote education. Her influence in inspiring students to pursue careers in science and technology is one of her many extraordinary achievements. In her role as an astronaut and as an educator Sally changed the lives of countless young people and that will be her legacy.”

I sit here, stunned by the meteoric impact this woman had on the world. Though she lost her valiant battle to pancreatic cancer, she went peacefully. That is, in my opinion, a good death for one so honourable. Dr. Ride was a creative warrior even near the end ; as shown by her founding of the company “Sally Ride Science” , which focuses on instilling awe through science for girls and boys. Her commitment to fostering a love for the “magic of reality” (to quote Professor Richard Dawkins) is just another reason for why I honour Sally Ride with a warrior’s bow. May we all be bettered by the constellation of her greatness. I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Yours upon the Way,

Shinken

Be Nice to Yourself

A little self-compassion helps upon the Way…

Dear Traveller,

  It is time that you started being nice to yourself; you are a beautiful person with something unique to offer the world. While it is important to prepare for war, don’t wage war upon yourself in such a way that you become your own critic, which would just allow your internal assassins  to have an easy victory, and that’s no bueno.

  A creative warrior strives for diligence and discipline, but also for freedom and lightness. The blossom and sword fall the same in the void; the rhythm that I aspire to learn, an equilibrium that the true mind possesses without possessing.

  If authentic self-creation is your desire, then you must not berate or beat yourself up. if you’ve adopted a warrior-mind, then you are above all irrational self-abuse. A warrior knows that the past is dead and the future an illusion, therefore only the present is what exists. In this moment, you have infinity in your grasp; why not love your part in all this beauteous vastness?  I think you’re worth that, so why wouldn’t you?

You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.–Buddha

Do me (and more importantly, yourself) a favour; take some time to write a  good-bye letter to your critics, real or imagined. Inform them that:

• You are a creative warrior worthy of love 
• You are on a heroic path towards excellence and thusly have no time for dead memories and hurtful falsehoods
• And that they are no longer welcome to steal time from you.

  Although we are united in our struggles, we are also alone with our own selves. Why not be your own best friend as you sojourn? What do you say?

Yours upon the Way,

Shinken

P.S. You don’t have to share those letters; but if you wish to do so, feel free to drop me a line at shinkendf@gmail.com. ¡Gracias!

Biting the Hand

Dear Traveller,
  To bite the hand that feeds you with compassion and belief is a foolish, foolish thing. I am, of course, speaking from a place of experience. All things must fall towards equilibrium (home-made lemonade being the lone exception); a lesson I forgot today during a heated skirmish with Critics. While wariness of those who wish for you to share their lower nature is important; do not question the motives of those who you know truly believe in you. They may offer a critique (a wholly different thing from a criticism), but they are always coming from a place of truth and love and are always on your side.

  I fought a long battle today with my conformist relatives (doing so in this insufferable heat mind you) and this left my nerves in bloodied tatters.
Sadly, my blind teeth punctured a loving hand as I blew up. Despite my momentary Krakatoa impression being forgiven, I was still ashamed by my lack of self-control. Nonetheless, it would be absurd to lambast and berate myself; I’ve found that reflecting upon my actions and then resolving myself to doing better bears far more fruit. The truth is, our humanity makes us fallible. I believe this a good thing as it means one can always learn from life. 

 Still, I hope you learn from me and my mistake before your teeth begin to rip through a loving hand. Thank you and have a wonderful night.

Yours upon the Way,
Shinken

Thank You Very Much For The Beautiful Blogger Award!

Dear Traveller,

  I am honoured and quite grateful to receive the Beautiful Blogger award from the blog “With An Open Heart” (Isn’t that a lovely title for a blog?). The writer of said blog, Nina Shadi,is a fellow creative warrior helping others to live an authentic life. She heroically exemplifies everything that I believe in, and I hope you all give her a follow. Tell her Shinken sent you.

 As I pursue authentic self-creation through the Way of the Samurai, I realize that my duty is to help other’s achieve their best as well. We creative and/or existentially minded people cannot be satisfied with the banality that seeps like fetid water through society; to that end I hope my words reach those who need it most. Fellow traveller, you may be ronin, but you are not alone.

The rules of the Beautiful Blogger award are:

1.) Honour the ones who nominated you by linking back

2.) Nominate five, count ‘em, five blogs

3.) Let your nominees know by leaving a comment on their respective sites

4.) Copy and paste the award image on your site




These are just a few of the blogs that have inspired me and that, I believe, deserve the Beautiful Blogger award

• The Heart Drive 
• Mars of the Positive Toxicity 
• The Tashtoo Parlour
• Muse In the Valley
• Spiritual Hipster 

Once again, a huge thank you to Nina and an even bigger thank you to (who else? you! I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Yours upon the Way,

Shinken

Be Your Truth

Defeat all opposition

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dear Traveller,

  It is a joy to see people who are authentically themselves, it is even more joyous to be that person. Society wishes you to dishonour yourself by being disloyal to the truth of who you are. This absurd travesty is the price of conformity; it is as Emerson said:

 “Society is a joint-stock company, in which the members agree, for the better securing of his bread to each shareholder, to surrender the liberty and culture of the eater. The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion.”

  A true creative-warrior finds the sacrifice of her or his real self anathema and knows that they must prepare for war. This is frightening indeed because you must contend with critics and ninjas of all sorts, be they near or far. Regardless of who they are, you must guard the truth of your own being. Commit to making your own meaning whilst infusing your lifestance with the power of a warrior-mind state.

“Always do what you are afraid to do.”-Ralph Waldo Emerson 

 I ask you to do something that I know is difficult; but if you wish to excel your present self, then this is your duty. You will effectively help humanity by being an exemplar of humanity. This is what a hero of their own story does, this is what you can do.

 Through Bushido I intend to create my best possible self as I walk the Way. The gargantuan nature of my task diminishes in stature by reminding me that my true self is bigger than the burden. I believe that this is true for you and together; we shall not nor be cowed by those too scared to dream. Thank you for your time fellow travellers; I hope that you have a wonderful day. 

Yours upon the Way,

Shinken

On Critics

Dear Traveller,

As creative warriors, we should proudly claim the right to create our destinies. This, of course, is the offending sword to the throat of the status quo. It mindlessly chants that we should be sheep, that our destinies are found in the slaughterhouse of servile oblivion. The bloodless bastards who serve them are referred to as “Critics”. Critics are like white blood cells gone cancerous; madly seeking out and attacking the healthiest cells.

How does one defend against them? How do we tell the difference between them and those with honest critiques?

Firstly, we must understand that Critics are typically the decayed remnants of those who gave up their heroic dreams long ago in exchange for the delusion of stability and comfort. They are to be pitied, fellow traveller, not feared.

Secondly, we must claim our right to be creative warriors; we must acknowledge that we have the right to authentically create ourselves. If you intend on being an authentic person, then conformity is not for you. The critic will cajole, lambast and berate you. Why? Because fear and envy drive them forth; these hungry ghosts have sold their souls and they know it.

Typically, the critic will say things like “Be practical” (because trading your time to help fulfill the dreams of someone else is practical. And yet, I’m the crazy one), “You’ll never make it”, or my personal favourite “Who do you think you are?” (These are things that were said to me, by my own family I might add, just this week. *sigh*)

It can hurt when such palpable nonsense comes from those closest to you. This is a good thing, I assure you; for it signifies that you’re on to something. I heartily suggest cladding yourself in the mental armour of a warrior-mind state and then asking yourself ,”What is the validity, if any, of their criticisms?” Let’s say, for instance, that the critic is your brother. If he has spectacularly failed at life and yet insists on telling you how to live yours, how can you take him seriously? I suggest politely listening to what they have to say, and then go back to your self-creation. Apply this thought-process to your parents, friends, clergy, harem, homeless guy on the bus, etc.There may be inadvertent wisdom in what they say, but often not for the reasons they think. ;D

If you truly wish to authentically create yourself and live a life of passion, integrity, and courage; then you cannot pay critics, no matter who they are, any heed. Those that love and understand you will not criticize but suggest; they will examine your efforts with a compassionate eye, and they will support you through your victories and failures. If your “friends” are really double agents for your ninjas, find better friends. Yes, it really is that easy, believe me.

Finally, and most importantly; courageously acknowledge your conviction to follow your dreams, whatever they are. Whether you are building a death ray in your basement (I have dreams too you know!) or composing a song about carrots; as long as it is an authentic expression of you, go for it. You will struggle, you may even suffer; but a creative warrior must have the courage to persist. Clad your creative convictions in authentic warriorship and you will not only surprise yourself, but you will surpass the nauseating mediocrity that assaults and insults all of us who strive for authentic personal excellence. Fellow traveller, it is up to you to embrace your greatness and surpass all artificial limits within and without. Thank you and have a marvelous day.

In communion with you,

Shinken

Introducing: “Warrior’s Bow”

Dear Traveller,

I am starting a new segment called “Warrior’s Bow.”. The idea is to honour someone (or many someone’s) past and present, real and fictional, that I believe heroically exemplifies some form of the Bushido code. Not sure what Bushido is? Click here to find out.

If you have been following this blog, you know that I am an artist who advocates living a creative warrior’s lifestyle; I sincerely believe that it is both your privilege and duty in becoming your own hero. I hope that you don this mantle and join me on this journey.

I’m going to start this segment off with a  commentary on a story that Los Afro-Latinos has been compassionately covering in-depth; a human tale about perseverance and fidelity to your defining commitment. In Cauca,Colombia, (Suaréz in particular), a community of Afro-Latinos is under constant threat by corporate interests and organized crime (is there much difference between the two?) who have dedicated themselves to taking by force which is not theirs to take. Why? For bloody gold, that shiny symbol of abject greed. I believe that all people are my brothers and sisters and  that their suffering is, in part, my suffering. However, as an Afro-Latino, my outrage and sense of camaraderie sharpen a bit more.  So to is my pride in these beautiful, warrior women.

I give Clemencia Carabali and Francia Marques a warrior’s bow for their stoicism, compassion and courage in the face of these mechanized dragons of exploitation. Quote Franica; “Although we are fighting for a piece (of land), the fight is for humanity itself.” Is this not what matters, our humanity? I am humbled by their example of what honourable living actually is. I hope you have a wonderful day and that you celebrate the courage to have equanimity while in the path of a cruel storm.

Yours upon the Way,

Shinken

The War We Are Living

Quote

I Know Nothing

Dear Traveller,

I know that I know nothing. I know this because what I think I know is as a pebble in regards to the Himalayan mountains of my profound ignorance. Knowing and feeling this Truth is a step towards deeper understanding; understanding of both myself and the world that my Self is a part of. As I walk the Way, I sometimes stumble and fall to the unyielding earth. But the hardness of the earth contains compassion because it does not coddle me. What do I mean by this? Imagine that you have broken a limb and that it has set badly; it is swollen, deformed, and pain is your new best friend. You go to the doctor and she tells you that she must re-break the limb.

But if she does not, gangrene will set in and then you will soon join the undead hordes of brain-lusting zombies. Or something like that.

Is life not like this at times? I recently learned a valuable lesson that has corrected my thinking. It hurt to see how mistaken I was, but I embrace it because one must be in accord with Truth. I wish to live authentically no matter how painful, so that I can communicate all that I have learned to you.

I leave you with a quote from one of my most favourite movies: “Batman Begins”, and one of the best lines from it (in my opinion) was from Alfred to Batman: “Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.” Is this not the heart of warriorship?

Sincerely,

Shinken