February 27, 2013
A Samurai Warrior’s Creed – I have had this beautiful piece pinned up near my desk for over 20 years and it always refreshes my Soul
A SAMURAI WARRIOR’S CREED
I have no parents–I make the heavens and earth my parents.
I have no home–I make awareness my home.
I have no life or death–I make the tides of breathing my life and death.
I have no divine power–I make honesty my divine power.
I have no means–I make understanding my means.
I have no magic secrets–I make character my magic secret.
I have no body–I make endurance my body.
I have no eyes–I make the flash of lightening my eyes.
I have no ears–I make sensibility my ears.
I have no limbs–I make promptness my limbs.
I have no strategy–I make “unshadowed by thought” my strategy.
I have no designs–I make “seizing opportunity by the forelock” my design.
I have no miracles–I make right-action my miracles.
I have no principles–I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles.
I have no tactics–I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.
I have no talents–I make ready wit my talent.
I have no friends–I make my mind my friend.
I have no enemy–I make carelessness my enemy.
I have no armor–I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.
I have no castle–I make immovable-mind my castle.
I have no sword–I make absence of self my sword.
~ Anonymous Samurai, fourteenth century
Found in The Book of Runes. Ralph H. Blum, St. Martin’s Press, NY, 1993
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