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

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

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

Creativity is a Gift

Dear Traveller,
Your creative abilities set you apart from others, it allows you to experience reality in a completely different way from most other people. What’s even more incredible is that you can communicate that experience through whichever medium you want! Your work is pregnant with the possibility of inspiring others, of touching another soul-to-soul. Think back to how you felt when first inspired by something that shook the ground of your Being; now imagine being the cause of that for others. Feels pretty good, no?

You may struggle, suffer and rage at the madness of it all; but you still bare your work to the world and thus, others become one with you for that special moment. We create because we must, because our souls cry out to the endless night that we will be heard, even if only for a lone moment. Nonetheless, we know our duty, no? We know that this is something that we must do and that our Sisyphus-task is good because it is true.

I say delight in your gift, celebrate it! However, bear in mind that because it is a gift, you bear the implicit duty of being worthy of said gift. Proudly earn the right to it by mindfully striving to live an authentic life, a warrior’s life devoid of conformity and bursting with truth.Thank you again and may your day be filled with meaning and passion.

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