Philosophy:

 

Right and wrong, good and evil.

Is there such a thing as right and wrong or good and evil? What is wrong to one person might be the right thing for another, so can there really be a distinction between the two? My answer is simply, no. Separating the two completely is foolish because they are two sides to the same coin creating an indefinite connection. One cannot exist without the other so therefore, an equal amount of evil must exist to balance the good in the universe. Everything is a result of a universal harmony, a constant stillness in motion. Man tries to understand this by using words such as right and wrong or good and evil. They are imperfect reflections of the notion that two opposing forces must always conflict to create a neutral. There can be no universal good or evil, they are fluid concepts ever changing. Right and wrong are decided by cultural necessity, not by individual realization. It is the majority of a society which determines morality. In feudal Japan, it was considered honorable to commit suicide to save oneself from living in shame. In Catholicism taking ones own life is seen as such a horrible atrocity that it causes your soul to become eternally damned. Who is right of the two? I say it is neither. You may choose to believe in whatever faith you wish and once you have made your choice, so it becomes your reality. Good and evil do not truly exist. Right and wrong are merely a matter of perception.

Existence

What defines my existence? Is it not the matter of atoms and molecules acting in a predictable scientific manner? Is it the feelings and thoughts I have which are unique only to myself? I say it is neither of these. My body will be broken down and reused according to the law of conservation of energy. Even my thoughts and emotions which I frivolously scribble in an attempt to understand myself will disappear. These are all the tangibles in life and are centered around self which can not prove existence. It is my belief that I am not defined by any means I can explain or even understand fully. I can simply see myself in a mirror and hear recordings of my voice which is again my perception of self and can not be used as proof of my existence. It is to all other things that I exist. To the rain that splashes on my face, I exist. To the earth that bears my weight, I exist. To the air that fills my lungs, I exist. To every living soul I exist. It is not self but all matter in the universe outside self which makes existence possible. In doing so all matter is connected in such a way that though I exist, I can not prove my existence.

Poetry

Poetry is the water of writing, it is the element which gives life to all words. Putting words with simple meaning in combination to create something far more complex and beautiful is the easiest of it’s tasks. It can give the reader a feeling of comfort and love or it may produce fear and hatred within them. Words are merely tools for a poet and are not true representations of the writer thoughts. The truth is found inside the mind of the reader, it is there that poetry takes its true form as thoughts and feelings unique to every soul. It is not the writers intention to make the reader see what they do but rather to have the reader experience it themselves. A picture may be worth a thousand words but a poem can create feelings to which no words can describe.

Truth

What is truth and how can we be sure that something is not false? Given knowledge we have not gained ourselves is simply copying an idea interpreted by someone else’s mind. It is good to learn of what others have decided to be true to allow us to understand that truth ourselves. However, it is foolish to accept these notions as fact without first debating them or even apposing them. It is then that you may learn the true nature of things and not what someone else has taken from their experience of the knowledge they have attained. Even the purest words of the most wise and insightful men can be twisted and skewed to reveal a single dimension of a very complex idea. Each individual’s view will always be bias due to the inescapable fact that all knowledge is obtained through human observation, through senses, that are unique to every soul. What you see may not be what I see and what I hear may not be what you hear. Experiences differ infinitely from person to person so there can be no universal truth. In essence, knowledge is merely a copy in which the ultimate truth is recreated and only seen as a less perfect representation.

Motivation

There are infinite reasons for every action and every motivation to cause such actions. Simplifying the experiences and memories of all man into a single determining factor is foolish, or is it? Pressure can cause one man to fail while it can be a catalyst for another to succeed. Fear may leave one man fixed while it may drive another to act. Every person has unique ideals which motivates them in all aspects of their life. No action, or even lack of action, is without the minds complete control. If you touch something that is hot you pull away your hand. Why is this? It is because you do not want your hand to be burned and feel the pain that is sure to follow. A person who does not avoid pain might place their hand on the same surface and not pull it away when they feel the heat so they may have the satisfaction of overcoming their fear of pain. So what causes this difference between each person and what is the underlying motive that connects us all? It is the fact that all action is created by motivation and that this motivation, realized through different reasons for each person, is always to gain for self. It is the same with people who are cruel and those who are kind. The cruel use others for personal gain, saying hurtful words to someone to feel better about themselves or manipulating others to make their life easier. But are the kind so different? The kind give compliments to others but it is again so they may feel better about themselves for enriching the life of someone else. They may give by what seems like a selfless act but it is because they want to perceive themselves as a generous person. There is no escaping the fact that we are all the center of our own universe. Though there are infinite causes for motivation, there is only one universal truth that motivates an individual and that is the endless quest for personal gain.

Natural Law vs. The Laws of Man

Throughout human history it has been our nature to create laws and restrictions to preserve a sense of order in society. Because we perceive ourselves as being the most intelligent species on the planet, we believe that what we set as parameters for behavior shall be the accepted natural order. However, there is an underlying factor which destroys the notion that we decide the boundaries of our brethren. In the end there is a divine rule beyond even the highest of human reasoning, that the laws of man are not the laws of nature. Order is a naturally occurring process that is ever changing and we, as man kind, foolishly attempt to control that process. The very foundation of our scientific understanding of life is based around the fact that everything is predestined to seek out an equilibrium with the surrounding environment. Man, as the sole exception, is the only life form on the planet that does not live according to the laws of natural selection. Humans are nothing more then stupid animals without a predator, therefore, is it really so strange that we fight each other over such insignificant purposes as pride, belief or prosperity? Natural selection decides in nature who is fit to live and who is meant to die. Amongst man that is called murder, an empty word for an outcome that the laws of nature do not understand. To some, they believe that there is a new age in which man does not succumb to the laws of nature. Such a fools thought indeed.

Justice

Many governments and influential political parties have continuously added more restrictive laws to secure ideals which they have determined to have significance but have taken power from individuals. So is this to say that we should give up our rights given to us by life itself to protect something we believe to be righteous? Of course not. We must find what is significant to each of us without mindlessly following what others deem important. Furthermore, we must also decide to what degree we will protect this value and do so with the most sound fortitude. The laws which control our behavior do not tell us what we can do but what we cannot. That our actions have consequences that are not determined by a natural occurrence but by a very small portion of our population thought to be wise and insightful. When a panel of so called moral men decides to sentence a criminal to death under the pretense of law it is called justice but if a single moral man would render the same fate it would be called murder. Anyone who is part of the Judicial system is given a right to administer justice while anyone outside this system is called a vigilante and is condemned for dealing even the most just of penalties. What form of complete arrogance gives us the right to determine such a distinction? In reality, what each man decides for his principles shall be his ultimate truth and justice shall be determined by his own perception of ethics. This justice must be brought to the wicked by the righteous, necessity as their authority and wrath their instrument.

Love Forlorn

Alfred Lord Tennyson once said that it is “better to have loved and lost then to never have loved at all.” I presume this man was one merely seeking true love and fantasized about a pain he had never had the misfortune of enduring. How few are those who are so blessed to be in such a blissful state without finding their heart lonely and empty in the end. Is it more fulfilling to know what you truly desire in this life or to simply desire the knowledge of what you are searching for? I can assure you that knowing of what you ardently seek, both logically and emotionally understanding the finale of your desire, is the most painfully saddening feat your soul may ever encounter. I hear the words of ignorant men, searching for but a glimpse of what my eyes and my heart have seen. They know not of what they seek and of what comfort their ignorance provides for them. I may be a man of poor birth, of ugly features and of little accomplishment, but a man without worth, I am not. What matters of the flesh or those of wealth should ever prevail over a pure soul and love’s benevolence. Marcus Aurelius wisely said, “Be like the promontory against which the waves continually break, but it stands firm and tames the fury of the water around it.” A statement of divine reasoning and principle but lacking in totality, for over time, even the strongest stone will break against the endless waves of anguish.

The Heart as a Puzzle

Imagine that your heart is a puzzle, a picture comprised of many parts each with a unique shape and color. You are born with every piece, a complete vision clearly seen and understood. Now as you get older and experience life, you give a portion of the whole to everything you truly love. Friends, family, passions, loves, hopes and dreams all take something away from the collective, slowly reducing what is left until the original picture is skewed and fragmented. The pieces are lost to you forever, a gift for the pure connection that you shared with something or someone else. The only way to restore the original picture is to keep as many of the things and people you love close to you. Only when you do this can your heart begin to become whole again. Some hearts are made up of few pieces, therefore, each piece lost distorts the image greater then a heart made up of many. Moreover, some things that you love take more pieces than others, so again this makes their loss even more significant. As for me, I have lost too much to ever be whole again. So it is my only wish to give as much as possible to what I love now before there is nothing left.

The “Artist”

The proclaimed artist is, more often then not, a self absorbed and stupid creature. They believe creativity can only be expressed through traditional means and are quick to harshly criticize anything that is personally unknown to them. They go further to dismiss any work concerning certain topics using words such as “cliché”, in which they label creative expressions with a heavy disdain. Because they cannot find their own truth in such a work, they believe it to be of a lesser quality. Why is there a need for this course and such a word? Common topics and representations arise due to the frequency in which they are encountered in life, therefore, they are not a causality of poor artistic creations. Some say that a true artist only portrays the unknown or some rare expression. What a ridiculous assumption from those who call themselves artists. Excluding topics and censoring the production of any form of art makes the creator lose perspective of his discipline which is the surest way to drain it of truth.

Virtues of Victory

It is widely agreed upon that the best way to obtain victory in any battle is to be prepared, unified, compassionate, resolute and just. This is not merely pertaining to combat but all of the successive battles which one experiences throughout life. So why does one choose not to adopt these ideals, why does one turn away from the Way? Preparation is found inside every moment of one’s existence, it is the training for all things which both the mind and body must master before becoming truly prepared. Unification is the balance and fortitude found when each part of one’s self is in harmony, when one’s essence is in order. Only when the mind, the body and the spirit are brought together can one become unified. One must show compassion, without this the application of one’s preparation and unity cannot be fully utilized. Perspective creates compassion and the compassionate have the greatest perspective. The highest degree of resolution must be secured, let there be no hesitation, let there be no doubt. If one is resolute in action, thought, belief, dedication and sacrifice, then victory will not be difficult to obtain. Justice is found not from malice or mercy, punishment or praise, repercussion or reward. Justice is a natural action performed by the morally driven and the righteously sanctioned. When one is prepared and unified, while their intentions are both compassionate and resolute, one’s actions will be just and cannot diverge from the Way. When one accepts all of these things, fully giving their essence to the improvement and protection of them, one will become a truly great being worthy of the precious gift of life. These virtues are the core of all battles and the essentials for supreme victory.

Metaphysics 1: Obtaining Life Energy

The quest of a true man is to obtain the greatest amount of energy possible throughout our ephemeral existence in this world. Thought, emotion, memory and desire are all mental channels for acquiring this while strength, speed, dexterity and balance are all physical channels from which energy is attained. A powerful body forms a coven with a strong mind creating a great fortitude and harmony of the soul. Only by improving the whole of our essence, and not just a portion, may we begin to transcend the lowly level of existence bestowed upon us. There are infinite ways to enlighten the soul through many different venues of both physical and mental training but the end result is the same, a being with a higher density of life energy. Each moment is a chance to become superior to your former self through the mastery of every experience both large and small. One must learn to harness the energy of the world around them to gain such a power and continue on an endless journey to strive for a better self. The goal is to attain a divine purity of moral judgment and a divine clarity of mental awareness with a tenacious piety. This will in turn produce a greater amount of energy from which the body may draw and will create a sound physical ability in whatever action the mind wishes to take. So therefore, if the mind is pure and the body follows the will of the mind freely, the actions of such a vehement man are righteous and benevolent by their own accord. It is only then that a man may become what he was truly intended to be, a conduit through which the knowledge and power of the universe freely flow.

Metaphysics 2: Application of Life Energy

While energy can be obtained and stored by the body, it can also be used for many purposes. The body is a vessel designed specifically for this process: we consume energy, break it down and reuse it to produce action, including the maintenance and growth of both our physical and mental self. This is a never ending cycle through which part of the whole understanding of life energy can be more easily seen. If you think in the simplest terms of this, so the whole picture will become clear to you. Our body uses proteins, carbohydrates and fats, which are all substances that have stored energy inside them, to power our hearts, replace our rapidly dying cells and maintain our memories. These are tangible sources of energy, ones that can be weighed and measured, so if you think of these so shall the intangibles become apparent. Our mind sends a current of energy to each muscle every time there is a potential for movement and these signals are a combination of positive and negative impulses to cause a reaction. If there are more positive commands, the body will create an action but if there are more negative commands, the body will not react and the energy will have been wasted. So to maximize the use of our energy, to continually strive for enlightenment, it is essential to have the highest decisiveness toward any action. That is to say that if your mind chooses to act, let there be no doubt or hesitation. This also affects the strength of a movement, so therefore, the more powerful the signal to perform an action that is sent, the more powerful the action will become. If you understand motivation, determination or resolution, then you will understand both how the mind controls the body and how the body is capable of harnessing the energy stored inside of it. This is the ability of the body to directly use stored energy which was obtained through physical means but released from a mental source. The mind, too, has energy stored inside of it which was gained throughout every moment of our existence. Every stored thought or memory, every emotion or perception, every sensation or resolution is a potential source from which to draw upon this force. It is the ability to control this energy, through channeling our power from both mind and body, that is the true path of life and should always be the main focus of our existence.

Fighting

Combat, like a skill, is a learned ability which compounds the effects of a natural disposition of battle awareness. It is as a man who is born genetically of small stature, he may train to become strong and fast but there will always be a limit to his progress due to this hindrance. Such is the mindset of a fighter, instilled from birth and nourished by his environment. The mind also to a scholar has these same limiting factors, if born with a diminished capacity for knowledge he may train his mind tirelessly but will always be found lacking amongst men blessed with a natural ability of mental fortitude. This is the way of nature and is meant to secure the continuance of a species through diversity. Though the mind and body are of equal importance, their power is not. The mind is the source from which all physical action of our bodies originates, providing both the motivation and strength of all movement. So to train the body while retaining a stagnant mind is the worst source of stupidity that a man of physical demand can display. In combat, for instance, it is not the strongest man or the fastest, nor the man who can get hit or hit the hardest, nor the man that is most trained or has the most endurance. It is the man who has the most clarity of thought in the face of adversity and he whom has the most resolute dedication to win at any cost. It is often seen that the man who is the defender of righteousness is the victor against the man without principle in such bouts. Why is this? It is because through these pure intentions lies the power to achieve this resolution and clarity of thought. The man who would seek to gain prosperity or fame or confidence from battle is a weak source of fighting spirit, while the man who would give his life to protect what is most dear to him is a true warrior.