Live the Lifestyle, Not the Fantasy

Being a warrior is an ongoing lifestyle.  It is not a goal that once you achieve the status of a warrior, you can then relax because you now have all the weapons and training that you could ever need.  You don’t all of a sudden achieve the perfection of character that you have been struggling to attain, and now you can kick back and relax.

Some people believe that they have made it to that point, after all, they have a black belt that they earned (15 years ago when they were actively training), how could anybody ever stand up to them in hand to hand combat?  They’re a BLACK BELT!  Don’t you know that this means they have “made it?”  Once a black belt, always a black belt…  Nobody in their right mind would ever attempt to attack someone who has obtained such a level of mastery, right?

Too many people believe that they are prepared to defend themselves or others because of their past training.  Martial arts training is like paddling your boat up a river; as soon as you stop paddling, you began to go float backwards.  The longer you sit there without paddling, the further you float backwards.  The longer you neglect your training, the more your skills began to fade, the less flexible you become, and the more muscle strength you lose.  Don’t believe it, stop stretching for several months and see what happens.  This is especially true if you are in the position that I am in, where your son describes you as “old.”

The way is in training.
Miyamoto Musashi

Victory is not gained through idleness.
German Proverb

If you have ever developed your martial arts skills to a level where you felt you could easily defend yourself, it is hard to imagine that your skills have dissipated and you are no longer at the same level.  If you stop lifting weights for several months, you will find that when you start back you can’t lift the same amount as you were lifting when you quit.   But when it comes to self-defense, people seem to think that they can still match up with the toughest of the tough, even if they haven’t been active for quite some time.  In your mind you still see yourself as a force to be reckoned with, even if it has been years since you actually practiced your art.

Your mind still knows what to do and how you should react to certain situations, but it doesn’t mean your body is still up to the task if you haven’t kept up your training.  I once was a very good football player, and my mind still knows what should be done on the football field.  But I would hate to know that I would have to strap on the pads now.  Don’t confuse where you used to be with where you are not.  A black belt who is no longer active has a nice souvenir, but I wouldn’t want to stake my life on his fighting skills.

Tomorrow’s battle is won during today’s practice.
Samurai Maxim

He who is an ass and takes himself to be a stag,
finds his mistake when he comes to leap the ditch.
Italian Proverb

It is foolish to try to survive on your past experiences and accomplishments.  This can be a very dangerous illusion.  See things as they really are, not as you want them to be.  Be realistic.  Don’t let yourself or others down…continue to train and stay in shape.  It is your duty, as a warrior, to be able to defend yourself and others.  Don’t neglect your training.   Live the lifestyle, not the fantasy.

It is a very dangerous, if not fate habit,
to judge ourselves to be safe because of
something that we felt or did twenty years ago.
Charles Spurgeon

Bohdi
Warrior Wisdom

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The Warrior’s Path

The path of the warrior is lifelong, and
mastery is often simply staying on the path.
Richard Strozzi Heckler

The warrior lifestyle is a journey, not a destination. It is a lifelong approach to living your life, day by day, by the standards and code of ethics that you have set for yourself. To stay on this path you have to follow to certain directions, just as you would follow a road map or signs to make sure that you remain on the right highway when you are traveling. You can’t just aimlessly go through life with no direction.

Remember this: whoever lives a life of chance
Will in the end find himself a victim of chance.
Francesco Guicciardini

Character training is the road map to the path of the warrior. You must study the qualities that make up the character of the warrior. Meditate on these character traits until they become a part of your spirit; until they become who you truly are deep inside. No one is born with all of the character traits which make the warrior the extraordinary human that he truly is. These traits have to be developed through study, training, meditation, and learning from our mistakes.

He who plants trees in the morning
does not saw planks in the afternoon.
Chinese Proverb

I was not born knowing what I teach you.
Being fond of the past, I sought it through diligence.
Confucius

Yes, the warrior makes mistakes.  No one is perfect. The difference in the ordinary man and the warrior is when the warrior makes a mistake he learns from his error and makes the necessary changes that will help him make better decisions next time. He is constantly trying to improve his character. His mistakes do not mean defeat unless he allows them to cause him to give up the path of the warrior. Mastery will come if you simply stay on the path and continue to learn and improve your character every day. Don’t get frustrated with the apparent lack of progress in your journey. Remember, this is a journey, not a destination.

Though the wind blows, the mountain does not move.
Japanese Proverb

We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence is not an act, but a habit.
Aristotle

Bohdi Sanders
The Wisdom Warrior

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Hedonism vs Sacrifice

Drink nothing to the dregs,
either of the bad, or of the good,
for to moderation in everything
has one sage reduced all wisdom.
Baltasar Gracian

What is the “good life?” What makes a life good as compared to bad? What characteristics determine whether a life is good or bad? I’m not talking about whether or not someone is a good person or a bad person; I am simply referring to someone’s overall life. Can you have a good life without being a good person? Well, I guess that depends on how you define a good life.

Return to the root and you will find the meaning.
Sengstan

If you define a good life as a life filled with purely hedonistic pleasures, then someone can definitely have a good life without being a good person. On the other hand, if you define a good life as a life that is to be admired for its sacrifice and service to other people, you can’t have a good life without being a good person. Thus, your definition of the good life determines what a good life actually is.

How do you define a good life? Is it a life filled with adventure, wealth, travel, and pleasures, or is it a life filled with sacrifice for your fellow human beings, filled with love, relationships, and good deeds? Do you see a life of luxury as the good life or a life lived with character and honor as the good life? There are lives that we envy because of their appearance of ease and hedonism, and then there are lives that we admire because of their character and honor.

Live as you will wish to
have lived when you are dying.
Christian Furchtegott Gellert

Life demands to be lived.
H. L. Mencken

For example, we may envy the life of someone who has millions of dollars for the freedom that it affords that person or for the luxury that his wealth can buy. This is a life that is obviously enviable. On the other hand, we may admire the life of someone such as Socrates who spent time teaching others, but ultimately died of poison in a jail cell. These are obviously two distinct kinds of lives: one to be envied and one to be admired.

Which of these would you choose for yourself or for your children? Well, I would not choose a life for my children where they have to spend time in jail under a death sentence, but we look at the life of Socrates with admiration. At the same time, I would not choose the life of Michael Jackson for one of my children either, although we may look at the lifestyle that his wealth afforded him with envy. So what’s the answer?

Beware lest you lose the substance
by grasping at the shadow.
Aesop

To me the answer lies in one word – BALANCE. The good life is one which is balanced. It has to be filled with more than simply wealth or hedonistic pleasures, and at the same time, it should be much richer than total sacrifice for others. You can actually have the best of both worlds. You can have adventure, travel, personal pleasures, and at the same time live a life of honor and character, which serves others and is fit to be admired.

Drink wine by all means,
but do not get drunk.
Confucius

The key to the good life is the same key that opens most of the locks in this world – BALANCE. There is no need to live an isolated life of poverty, giving all your time and money to others at the expense of your own enjoyment of life. At the same time, a life where you think of nothing but your own pleasure is a selfish life and not fit to be admired by anyone other than the shallowest of human beings. The good life is the life that you can both admire and envy. It is the best of both worlds.

Moderation is the key to lasting enjoyment.
Hosea Ballou

The secret of life is balance, and the
absence of balance is life’s destruction.
Hazrat Inayat Khan

Bohdi
Warrior Wisdom

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To Die For

Greater love has no one than this,
that he lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus

There are not a lot of things in life that people are willing to die for. Not much is as important to someone as his or her own life. Actually, it is rare to find someone who is willing to lay down his life for anything or anyone else. As Jesus said, no man has greater love than when he lays down his life for someone else. It really takes someone with a special spirit to even consider laying down his own life for someone else. The true warrior is just this type of person.

The warrior knows that there are times which may require him to put his life on the line to protect those he loves. This doesn’t mean that he has a death wish or that he doesn’t value his life just as much as the next man, but rather that he knows that some risks are worth taking and some people are worth defending, even if it means putting your own life on the line. This begs to question, who is worth defending with your life and why?

The secret of success is before attempting anything,
be very clear about why you are doing so.
Guan Yin Tzu

Many people say that they “would die for” their spouse or their children, but would they really? When the hammer is cocked, would they really take the bullet, or is this some chivalric fantasy that they have in their mind? Are they living in their own little fantasy world where they are the hero or do they really have the courage and character to put their life on the line for those that they love?

Let’s make this even more personal; do you have the intestinal fortitude to lay down your life for those you love if it came down to that? How do you know? This is something that most of us have never experienced before, so how can you be sure that you would not fold under pressure? Is there even anyone in your life that you would be willing to put your life on the line for? Who? Why? These are essential questions for the warrior to ask himself before he finds his back against the wall.

First say to yourself what you would be;
then do what you have to do.
Epictetus

Most people never stop to think about these questions because it is not really a jovial exercise to imagine yourself dying, for any reason. Nobody likes to focus on their own mortality. To the average person this seems like an exercise in depression, but to the warrior, this is an essential practice. The knights of old did this. The samurai did this. These warriors did not partake in this mental visualization out of a morbid death wish, but rather as a preparation in case they ever found themselves in such a circumstance.

This is the same reason that you should give some thought and even visualization to this subject – to be prepared for such an event, even if it never comes. Being prepared never hurt anyone. Don’t plan on losing. Don’t plan on dying. Never visualize yourself losing, but at the same time you need to know when and why you would be willing to put your life on the line.

A man’s action is only a picture book of his creed.
Emerson

Who is worth this much to you? Why? How far would you go to protect those you love? Reflect on these questions and then prepare so that if you do find yourself in a situation where you do have to place your life in danger to protect others, you will ultimately come out victorious. Being victorious is never guaranteed, but preparation always increases your odds of succeeding. Don’t fold when your loved-ones need you most.

Courage is grace under pressure.
Hemingway

Cowards die many times before their deaths,
the valiant never taste of death but once.
Shakespeare

Bohdi
Warrior Wisdom

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Jaded Trust

Except for those whom you know to be good
from experience or from a completely trustworthy source,
it is wise to deal with all people with your eyes wide open…
the important point is:
don’t trust anyone unless you are sure you can.
Francesco Guicciardini

Trust is a small word, but can have some major implications. Trust in its definitive essence, is a confidence or reliance in the good qualities of others. To trust someone means that you are counting on that person’s adherence to his sense of fairness, truth, and honor – traits which seem to be in short supply in today’s world. That may sound like a negative and pessimistic view of our world today, but actually that is not a new observation concerning the character of humans.

Sages and wise men throughout the ages have held the opinion that the majority of men are not men of good character, and therefore it stands, not men to be trusted, at least not in matters of importance. Wise men such as Gracian, Voltaire, Goethe, La Rochefoucauld, Lord Chesterfield, and Guicciardini, all espoused this viewpoint of men in general. They all admonished us to be careful of trusting others, especially in matters that are important to your well-being.

I would advise you not to trust either [men or women],
more than is absolutely necessary.
Lord Chesterfield

It is hazardous to trust others,
for he who trusts others will be controlled by them.
Han Fei Tzu

I did not acquire this distrust of men from reading the writings of these men, although their writings have reinforced my suspicious nature. After all, you can’t be too far off target if you agree with men such as these. Time and time again, I have found that my philosophy of expecting men in general (I use the word men as in human beings, females are just as untrustworthy as males) to be dishonest and untrustworthy, has proved to be accurate.

For of men it may generally be affirmed that they are
thankless, fickle,false, studious to avoid danger, greedy of gain,
devoted to you while you are able to confer benefits upon them,
and ready, as I said before, while danger is distant,
to shed their blood, and sacrifice their property,
their lives, and their children for you;
but in the hour of need they turn against you.
Niccolo Machiavelli

I realize that there are some who would say that I am simply manifesting what I expect from those I meet. I highly doubt that, but hey, I could be wrong. I prefer to approach the world with my eyes wide open. I have been conned too many times. Instead of seeing myself as a pessimist or a negative nail, I prefer to think of myself as vigilant in assessing the character of others. People in general don’t seem to put what is right or honorable above what is profitable or comfortable.

Generally men have higher respect
for their interest than their duty.
Francesco Guicciardini

This way of life does have some drawbacks though. I tend to be a little less open and much more suspicious of others than those who prefer to trust everyone until they give them a reason not to trust them. These people go through life with a rosier outlook towards people in general, but tend to get taken for a ride much more often as a result of their trusting personality. I have heard them make statements such as, “It is better to trust people and get screwed, than to go through life distrustful.”

Maybe it is. I don’t know. Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know that I am definitely not perfect or infallible. I don’t have all the answers. I do know that trusting the wrong person, at the wrong time can totally change the course of your life, and not in a good way. The warrior has a responsibility to those who depend on him to be watchful and, to a certain point, distrustful of those who cross his path. He has a duty to protect those whom he loves.

Men are so false, so insidious,
so deceitful and cunning in their wiles,
so avid in their own interest, and
so oblivious to other’s interest,
that you cannot go wrong if you
believe little and trust less.
Francesco Guicciardini

Is this the most comfortable, happy-go-lucky way to go through life? No, its not. Is it the safest way to go through life? I think so. As with most everything, it is balance that truly matters. There is a time to trust others and a time to be distrustful. Always listen to your intuition. It will rarely steer you wrong. As I said, I don’t have all the answers, but I do learn from experience, and experience has taught me that the sages and the words of the wise should be listened to. It has also taught me that people are not to be trusted…but every now and then you have to take the risk to trust that you aren’t the only person in this world who is a true human being – a true warrior.

Trust the instinct to the end,
though you can render no reason.
Emerson

Experience is a good school,
but the fees are high.
Heinrich Heine

Bohdi
Warrior Wisdom

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Karma: Everything Matters

Good Deeds return to the house of their author.
Iranian Proverb

The man slowly looked up.  This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life.  Her coat was new. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life.  His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before.

“Leave me alone,” he growled…  To his amazement, the woman continued standing.  She was smiling — her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows.

“Are you hungry?” she asked.
“No,” he answered sarcastically. “I’ve just come from dining with the president.. Now go away.”

The woman’s smile became even broader.

Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm.  ”What are you doing, lady?” the man asked angrily. “I said to leave me alone.

Just then a policeman came up.  ”Is there any problem, ma’am?” he asked..

“No problem here, officer,” the woman answered.  ”I’m just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?”

The officer scratched his head.  “That’s old Jack. He’s been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?”

“See that cafeteria over there?” she asked. “I’m going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile.”

“Are you crazy, lady?” the homeless man resisted. “I don’t want to go in there!”  Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up.
“Let me go, officer. I didn’t do anything.”

“This is a good deal for you, Jack,” the officer answered. “Don’t blow it.”
Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner.  It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived.

The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table.  “What’s going on here, officer?” he asked. “What is all this, is this man in trouble?”

“This lady brought this man in here to be fed,” the policeman answered.

“Not in here!” the manager replied angrily. “Having a person like that here is bad for business.”

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin.  ”See, lady. I told you so. Now if you’ll let me go. I didn’t want to come here in the first place.”

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled.  ”Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?”

“Of course I am,” the manager answered impatiently. “They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms.”

“And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?”

“What business is that of yours?”

I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company.”

“Oh…”

The woman smiled again..  ”I thought that might make a difference.”

She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a laugh.  “Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?”

“No thanks, ma’am,” the officer replied. “I’m on duty.”

“Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?”

“Yes, ma’am. That would be very nice.”

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel.  ”I’ll get your coffee for you right away, officer.”

The officer watched him walk away.  ”You certainly put him in his place,” he said.

“That was not my intent…  Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this.”

She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest.  She stared at him intently.

“Jack, do you remember me?”

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes.  ”I think so — I mean you do look familiar.”

“I’m a little older perhaps,” she said.  ”Maybe I’ve even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry.”

“Ma’am?” the officer said questioningly.  He couldn’t believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

“I was just out of college,” the woman began.  ”I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn’t find anything.  Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment.  I walked the streets for days.  It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat.”

Jack lit up with a smile.  “Now I remember,” he said.  ”I was behind the serving counter.  You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat.  I said that it was against company policy.”

“I know,” the woman continued.  ”Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it.  I was afraid that you would get into trouble.  Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right.”

“So you started your own business?” Old Jack said.

“I got a job that very afternoon.  I worked my way up.  Eventually I started my own business that prospered…”  She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. ”When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He’s the personnel director of my company.  I’ll go talk to him now and I’m certain he’ll find something for you to do around the office.”

She smiled.  ”I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet.  If you ever need anything, my door is always open to you.”

Your goodwill toward others returns to yourself in the end.
Japanese Proverb

There is no act, however trivial, but has its train of consequences.
Samuel Smiles

Bohdi
Warrior Wisdom

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The Tale of Two Pebbles

Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer’s beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain.

He said he would forgo the farmer’s debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.

1) If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father’s debt would be forgiven.
2) If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father’s debt would still be forgiven.
3) If she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer’s field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.

Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?

Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
2. The girl should know that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking. The girl’s dilemma cannot be solved with traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses the above logical answers.

What would you recommend that the girl do?

Well, here is what she did. . .

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

“Oh, how clumsy of me!” she said. “But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.”

Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one.

MORAL OF THE STORY?

There is always an answer, but many times it is not obvious.

Bohdi
Warrior Wisdom

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The Source

With men of understanding,
wisdom counts for everything.
Baltasar Gracian

Where does wisdom come from? Is universal wisdom useful across the board or does it matter who the person is who is imparting that wisdom? I guess there is some controversy where this is concerned. A well-known martial artist, brought this very issue up concerning my third book, Warrior Wisdom: The Warrior’s Path, this week. He felt that some of the people who I  quoted were not quality people and therefore should not have been quoted in my book.

Knowledge of the world is only to be
acquired in the world and not in a closet.
Lord Chesterfield

Any experience can be transformed
into something of value.
Vash Young

This begs the question, is wisdom wisdom no matter where it comes from or does the person, who has an insightful thought, also have to have to good reputation and a flawless character in order for that wisdom to be authenticated as true wisdom? Can a wino on a street corner have an insightful thought, and if he does should we discard it because of his shortcomings in life? This was the debate that my friend and I had concerning my third book…and we agreed to disagree and he refused to endorse my book because of this outlook.

A man may learn wisdom even from a foe.
Aristophanes

His last statement on the matter was that he didn’t think that “readers would be ready for Bohdi Sanders takes the words of sages and scoundrels and explains them in a way that might be useful.” We left it at that. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t purposely quote scumbags and give them credit for being wise men of strong character. No way! But at the same time, there are no perfect people. Being a history teacher, I could delve into the lives of our most beloved men, men who we consider top drawer, and find serious faults in their lives.

Arrogance diminishes wisdom.
Arabian Proverb

For example, the Apostle Paul had many Christians put to death before his conversion to Christianity. King David, who is accepted as the author of the Book of Psalms, arranged for the death of a man because he was infatuated with that man’s wife. I could cite example after example of dishonorable acts of men whom most of us have respect for, and whose writings we enjoy as words of wisdom. Do their actions take away from their words of wisdom or are their writings teaching us what they have learned from their mistakes?

It is quite possible to be a good man
without anyone realizing it.
Marcus Aurelius

I believe that the warrior should use wisdom wherever he finds it. Wisdom can come from various and unpredictable sources. Whether it is a five year old child or a wino on a street corner, anyone can have a profound and insightful thought. If we simply waited for that wisdom to come from someone with no faults, we would have a long wait. Instead of judging the person who imparts that insightful thought, wouldn’t it be better to judge the content of the thought itself? I think so…

Instead of searching for the faults of others, examine
yourself for personal faults that need to be corrected.
Sai Baba

True wisdom is universal. Should we discard an enlightened thought simply because we are not impressed with the person who is used to communicate that thought to us? To the warrior, the purpose of wisdom is to improve his life and his character. Even if that wisdom comes from  a five years old child, he is not too proud to take what is said and meditate on it and apply it to his life. The warrior is an independent spirit who thinks for himself and is not influenced by political correctness or the mind games that many people play.

What I must do is all that concerns me,
not what the people think.
Emerson

Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist.
Emerson

Our currency all comes from government sanctioned mints and has value no matter whose pocket it happens to be in at any given moment. In the same way, universal wisdom all comes from One Source and is useful in guiding the warrior on the warrior’s path. It does not matter who the carrier of that wisdom may be, universal wisdom does not lose its value. The warrior knows this and uses his spirit as a guide to the truthfulness and validity of the thoughts of others. He uses what he finds useful and discards what strikes him as “not quite right.” I am concerned with what is being said, not who said it.

Test everything.
Hold on to the good.
The Apostle Paul

A precious stone does not lose its value
simply because it has been dropped in a cesspool.
Japanese Proverb

Bohdi
Warrior Wisdom

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Good & Evil

There are always two forces
warring against each other within us.
Paramahansa Yogananda

What does it mean to be a good person? What does it mean to be an evil person? We hear these terms thrown around often, “He is a good guy.” or “That man is evil.” But what do these things really mean? Are we even in a position to judge whether someone is good or evil? These are questions which seem simple to answer, that is until you start to truly examine them closer.

Moral philosophy is nothing else
but the science of good and evil.
Thomas Hobbes

While it is pretty obvious when someone is truly evil down to his core, it is a little trickier to know whether or not someone is really a good person. We know that some people are purely evil. People such as serial killers, ruthless dictators who kill thousands of innocent people, and politicians (I had to throw that in there!).  hahaha  The evil man is fairly obvious to recognize after his actions have been brought to light, but what about the good man?

How do you recognize a good man? Is it by his words? Is it the fact that he doesn’t kill or rob other people? Does his actions prove that he is a good man? What are the characteristics of a good man? People say all sorts of things, and have been known to lie… Many people refrain from breaking the law out of fear of punishment, not because they are good people… A man’s actions can be only for show…

Things do not pass for what they are,
but for what they seem…
Things are judged by how they look,
even though most things are far
different from what they appear.
Baltasar Gracian

Are you starting to get the point? It is much harder to truly know if someone is honestly a good person. The reason for this is that in order to know if someone is truly a good person, you have to have some insight into their spirit, their heart, and their mind. The truly good person is good on the inside. It has to get right on the inside before it can ever be right on the outside. This is where is gets tricky.

Good means not merely not to do wrong,
but rather not to desire to do wrong.
Democritus

How can you really know what is inside someone’s mind. What are his intentions. When you get down to it, it is a person’s underlying intentions which make him a good person or a bad person. Things are never as black and white as they seem on the surface. John Wayne said, “There’s right and there’s wrong.” This is true. Right and wrong are black and white, but being able to distinguish between the two is not so clean-cut. This is why you should be very careful about judging others.

A door must either be open or shut.
French Proverb

To every man there opens a high way and a low way,
every man decides the way his soul will go.
John Oxenham

We have to be careful about judging others simply because we don’t have access to all the information that we need to make a clear judgment. We can’t see what is in someone’s mind. We don’t know their intentions. Many people act in a certain way simply to maintain their cleverly constructed reputation, but this may or may not be who they truly are. It takes time and close association to really know someone.

The most exhausting thing in life,
I have discovered, is being insincere.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh

The good man is good inside and out. His actions mirror his thoughts. His intentions are pure, although many times the results of his actions may not go as he had planned. His heart is cleansed of malice. Whether or not someone is a good person depends on much more than whether he obeys the law or goes to church. Too many people judge people on these external traits without considering what is on the inside.

With sincerity, there is virtue.
Shinto Maxim

The first duty is to behave with purity of intention.
Sheikh Muzaffer

Don’t be too quick to judge someone or to label them as either a good person or a bad person. Just like every other decision, it is foolish to jump to a conclusion without knowing all the facts. Next time you are tempted to make a judgment or take someone’s word concerning someone’s character, ask yourself if you have all of the information that you need to make an intelligent decision about this person. Good and evil are black and white, but your ability to discern each is a giant gray area.

Appear as you are; be as you appear.
Rumi

Bohdi
Warrior Wisdom

Warrior Wisdom Book: Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior by Dr. Bohdi Sanders

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Rose Colored Glasses

The sky is not less blue because
the blind man does not see it.
Danish Proverb

Everyone is the same… People are people… I have tons of friends… That kind of thing only happens to other people… These are all comments which I hear from people who “wear rose colored glasses.”  They see the world as they believe it to be or as they want it to be, not as it actually is. These people live in their own little fantasy world where everything is colored according to their viewpoint.

Is not the truth the truth?
Shakespeare

While it is true that we all see things from a certain point of view which is colored by our own biases or prejudices, we should make an effort to see things as they actually are. You may argue, what does it hurt if someone sees the world in a certain way, as long as they aren’t bothering anyone else? Well, in actuality it may not hurt them at all. They may live their whole life without their distorted beliefs affecting them. Then again, they may not.

Someone may see rattlesnakes as a loving, misunderstood creature. They may truly believe that rattlesnakes are not dangerous or poisonous. This belief, although it is untrue, may make them feel all warm, loving and one with the earth. It may make this person feel safe when he goes out hiking in the hills…and this belief may never have any adverse affect on this person at all, that is as long as he never find himself face to face with a rattlesnake or steps over a bush and is bitten by a rattlesnake. His thoughts do not change reality…

A light is still a light, even though
the blind man cannot see it.
Austrian Proverb

Likewise, this person may love to wear his rose colored glasses outside in his backyard and his white shed may look rosy to him. He may enjoy his perception of the nice rosy color of his shed. It may make him feel peaceful and relaxed or meditative and reflective…but none of this changes the fact that his shed is white. If he wants to think of it as rose colored, that is his choice, but he is making a decision to deceive himself.

Truth is exact correspondence with reality.
Paramahansa Yogananda

The same principle goes for other believes such as the ones which I listed at the beginning of this blog post. “Everyone is the same.” No, they are not. “People are people.” Wrong again. Different people have different moral values and many people do not value life as you or I do. “I have lots of friends.” No you don’t. “Those kinds of things always happen to other people.” Not hardly…

These kinds of thoughts may make people feel all warm and fuzzy inside. They may be socially acceptable or politically correct, but that does not make them true. And the same principle applies to these thoughts as it does to the guy’s thoughts about the rattlesnake…you may go all of your life without these “rose colored thoughts” affecting you, unless you run into someone who proves to you that your thoughts are bogus.

Truth doesn’t change because it is, or is not,
believed by a majority of the people.
Giordano Bruno

If however, this person runs into the stark reality of a gruff, scarred hand that reaches up an grabs those rose colored glasses from his face, he will be shocked to face the actual reality of the way things truly are. He will find out the hard way that his thoughts are flawed. This can be a rude awakening…

Facts do not cease to exist
because they are ignored.
Aldous Huxley

There really is no benefit in deceiving yourself. Isn’t is better to see things as they truly are? The truth doesn’t change simply because we refuse to see it or want it to be different. The truth simply is the truth. Things are as they are. You have the choice to see things as you will, but I highly recommend taking off those rose colored glasses, at least sometimes…

Truth will always be truth, regardless of
lack of understanding, disbelief or ignorance.
W. Clement Stone

Bohdi
Warrior Wisdom

Warrior Wisdom Book: Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior

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