Kaizen Fire

Dear Traveller,

Long have I been interested with creating and bettering myself. This has taken on a new and burning significance since my 25th birthday (only a few months hence, although eons ago existentially speaking ). I feel as though I have finally matured in some fundamental and mysterious way. I don’t, of course, believe that I’m fully developed, but I do believe that I am finally at the beginning of my true development as a conscious being. I advocate the Way of the Samurai because I truly believe that it is one of the most authentic ways to live for anyone; but especially for creative souls willing to take full responsibility for their own lives.

Kaizen is Japanese for “change for the better” and I bear it in mind daily. I try to better myself each day, despite my Ninjas and Critics, because I truly intend to be loyal to the Way. My wish is to convince you to adopt a warrior-mind state as well because an authentic is worth creating. Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comment section either way. I hope you have a wonderful evening.

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

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

Can You “Make” Meaning?

Create Yourself

Dear Traveller,

As creative individuals, we can not only suffer from biological depression but also from existential depression. We realize that our acts of creation are necessary for our survival, necessary for our lives to mean something. I learned this truth after much inner strife and it guides me upon my Way. I hope to share this and much more as we progress.

With this blog, we will support each other and share how we try to live our lives to the fullest. I wish to show you how having a warrior-mind set can help you become the best you, a heroic you. If you wish to authentically create a  life of compassion, and creativity; then join me upon as we walk the Way.

I am advocating living an unconventional life filled with a sense of honour and adventure; I wish to triumph and see others triumph over all self-imposed limitations (by embracing hard work and dispatching our ninjas). I challenge you to start a new course upon your journey. Why not become a creative warrior; and say “yes” to creating meaning? Now is the time to take your life in your own two hands and craft it to your best ability. What say you?

Yours upon the Way,
Shinken

Prepare For War

Dear Traveller,
There is a war going on inside of you. Everyday your internal detractors (or ninjas as I call them) mount direct and indirect assaults upon your creative spirit. They lob missiles of self-criticism, set fire to your self-esteem, and poison your deep rivers with doubt. How does one deal with an enemy so seemingly formidable?
The easiest thing you can do is to give up, to give in. It requires little energy to lay beneath a black sky and let the vultures of defeat tear at your flesh. I’ve found that it is simpler to exist in a dismal torpor. But if you are serious about becoming your own hero, then I suggest you adopt warrior mind.

In order to become a creative warrior, you must accept that the best way to live is to live authentically. Being the sole arbiter of your destiny is both your right and duty. My desire is to show you this as I walk the Way.

I’ve learned that it is the cositas (little things) that will grant you victory, so I suggest starting with:

• A morning ritual to help provide you with clarity and focus for the day.
• Having an Artist’s Day which consists of devoting time to you (yes, YOU) and your inner-artist. When was the last time you truly nurtured yourself?
• Exercise; a creative warrior who is strong or otherwise in shape will naturally think strong thoughts. Remember, every good thought is a soldier in your army; a resource to be drawn upon.
• Meditate; a creative warrior mediates because they know that Mindfulness is critical to victory. Being aware of your inner world will have a profound effect upon your life and you’ll have the benefit of cultivating self-discipline. (That’s a two-for-one that you won’t get anywhere else ) Unsure how to? This should help.

My fellow warrior, be you sister or brother, I hope this helps you along your path. Don’t hesitate to email me with questions or comments, I will respond. Thank you.

Yours upon the Way,

Shinken

Do You Nurture Your Passion?

I need mavericks, dissidents, adventurers, outsiders and rebels, who ask questions, bend the rules and take risks-Isabel Allende

Dear Traveller,

Passion is the fire in the belly, the essence of life expressed by you; and it is essential that the self-created warrior cultivate it. Without passion, life is a colourless thing covered in frost and gloom; and no artist (or person truly interested in self-creation) can survive long in such frigid torpor. I believe that passion requires courage and honesty, core tenets of Bushido. I also believe that you’ll agree that passion is the difference between those who are merely alive and those who truly live.

Burning upon the Way,

Shinken

Why Are “Artist’s Days” Important?

Dear Traveller,

One of the things that Julia Cameron advocates in the “Artist’s Way” are Artist’s Days. I love my artist’s days, I’ve happily discovered that they are a crucial component of a self-created warrior. Your inner-artist is a child that needs love, attention and nourishment (I am grateful to have learned this lesson).   Setting aside a day or even a few hours of quality “you” time is essential. Why? Because to neglect the life inside of you will render you a walking, talking zombie, and don’t we have enough of those?

Why The Warrior’s Way?

Dear Traveller,

Why do I believe that a warrior-mind state is the golden ideal for creative souls? This is a good question that deserves a good answer.

The Way that I advocate is grounded in a dedication to creating an authentic life of excellence, creativity and personal heroism. Imagine being the best you, the strongest you, the most creative you. Now that you’ve envisioned that, you can create that. Your life is a canvas, let me help you find the best colours and techniques that you can use. Allow me to share with you the warrior-mind state and shall you gaze upon yourself with awe and excitement; for now you see the hero that has always lived inside of you.

Sincerely,

Shinken

What is Authentic Living?

Dear Traveller,

To live a meaningful life of honour and self creation is by necessity, non-conformist. One must hold his or her ideals above the will and wishes of other people. We live in world where people live small; their dreams are nonexistent and they hate you for having the audacity to dream. They will disguise their contempt for your bravery with lies disguised as wisdom, criticism clothed in so-called “guidance” and a whole host of tactics designed to poison your will and drag you back into their graves.

The artist and the warrior by virtue of being being more awake, must bear the proud responsibility of personal liberty. You have a duty to cultivate your being; this, of course, is not easy. But I believe that it MUST be done if you mean to pursue personal excellence.

Assuredly, It is more convenient to go back to sleep; but if you strive for accordance with Truth, then the slumber of weakness will do you no good. It took me a long time to learn this lesson. Today I strive to live authentically and I hope I can help encourage you to do so as well. So I challenge you to better yourself by adopting a warrior-mind state and being the most authentic you. What say you, can you be your own hero?

Yours in Defiance,
Shinken

What Is Compassion?

Dear Traveller,

One of the core tenets of Bushido is benevolence or compassion. To truly realize that others suffer and trying to mitigate that suffering is a heroic act and it requires the courage to have empathy.

I thought that I knew what that meant, but I recently allowed my anger to obscure that knowledge, my suffering blinded me to the suffering of others. The love of my life gave me a lesson about compassion, her rebuke cut as a katana through the delusion in my heart. She asked me “Don’t you see that they suffer to? That they deal with things as you do?” The “they” she was referring to were the everyday people who vex me.

As an intellectual and artist from a sea of urban decay, I have not always had it easy (but then, who has?) and I still carry anger towards those who resent my curiosity and distilled self-awareness.

Long have I seen the forces and circumstances that keep them trapped; and instead of offering my hand in empathy, I point a judging finger. Yet are not three fingers pointing back at me? Instead of compassion, I have shown utter contempt for I act as though I believe that they are wholly culpable for their actions. But this is fallacious thinking and therefore it does not follow that I have the right to condemn them.

I realize that a true samurai knows that his or her fellow-man is in pain and that their actions are the actions of a wounded animal lashing out. You could shoot the wounded animal and put it out of its misery, but would it not be better to bind its wounds and nurse it back to health? Is this not the truth of empathy?

I stop and feel deep shame; for my dishonour stands revealed in the blossom of my anger. One must show compassion, one must have understanding and it took the woman that I love to show me what I had forgotten. Compassion is the recognition of another’s suffering, for is it not true that we are all in pain?

Yours upon the Way,
Shinken