Chapter 9 focused on HEALTH. Healthy bodies endure longer and those who endure longest often win out in the end. Health is very multi-layered. He main point is that the body needs to be clean, well-fed (not full of junk), illness-free, and well-rested. People who are sick or tired, have a harder time enduring, defending, or even doing magic. So, eat healthy foods regularly, drink lots of water, and get adequate rest. "Your body is a temple. Care for it!"
This also means stress. People who are over stressed become very drained or can end up very ill. Health mean in body, in mind, and in spirit. Meditation and connecting with the gods (by whatever name you call them) help develop and maintain a healthy spirit.
Avoid such things as alcohol, drugs, and sedatives. They upset the balance in the body.
Maintaining a healthy body also means keeping in limber. The body was built to be in motion, so get it moving! Do some form of exercise. This helps with the flow of the blood and the chi as well.
I try to eat healthier and to get some sleep. But my job is sometimes very stressful. It is hard to turn off my brain at night to get to sleep. I have always been that way. It helps when I center and ground and do a short meditation before bed. I used to be in professional and competitive dance but took some serious injuries in an accident that has greatly interfered with my love of being active. So I do light yoga, some walking and some cycling. It was suggested that I get into Tai Chi, but I have yet to find a teacher I feel good about training under. Come September, I will do a tour of all the Tai Chi places of training and see if I can find a teacher. In the meantime, one of my coveners and I are getting into swimming 2-3 times a week. I am excited and nervous. I haven't done swimming in like 20 years and I wasn't very good back then. I suppose doggy-paddling is still exercise in the water!
Chapter 10 focused on GROUNDING. This is a chapter that was nothing new to me as I teach most of these techniques to my students and coveners. My favorite is touching the ground and sinking hands into soft rich black soil. Or, simply walking barefoot on the soft grass.
I found that the techniques in this chapter all referred to getting rid of excess or negative energy and totally neglected to address the other aspect of grounding. Grounding can also be used to establish physical balance. It is a two-way conduit, like the roots of a tree. Just as we can and do send down into the earth, so to can we draw up from it. We can pull cleansed energy up through us from the earth to help us recharge ourselves and to help us achieve an inner balance that is akin to the feel of the earth below.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Lesson 1: Reading 2: Full Contact Magick Ch. 1
Monism
This is a philosophical concept that has cropped up a few times in the readings, most explicitly in Wiccan Warrior and less explicitly in Full Contact Magick. According to the dictionary, these are the following definitions:
Another strong concept raised in this chapter is the balanced duality of all things, including the divine. Male / female. Light / dark. It relates back to the ever flowing balance of Yin & Yang. We are reminded that with every spiritual entity comes a light and a dark side. We must never forget that.
The final concept raised that I will speak on is the first one mentioned in this chapter.
"Spirit First, Technique Second." This is the fifth rule of 20 precepts.
http://www.shotokankarate.ca/The%2020%20Precepts.htm
1. Karate-do begins with
courtesy and ends with rei.
2. There is no first strike in
karate.
Ginchin Funikoshi also stated this:
Hitotsu. Jinkaku kansei ni tsutomuru koto
Hitotsu. Makoto no michi wo mamoru koto
Hitotsu. Doryoku no Seishin wo yashinau koto
Hitotsu. Reigi wo omonzuru koto
Hitotsu. Kekki no yu wo imashimuru koto
First. Seek perfection of character
First. Protect the way of the truth
First. Foster the spirit of effort
First. Respect the principles of etiquette and respect others
First. Guard against impetuous courage and refrain from violent behavior.
(http://www.gichinfunakoshi.com/dojokun.htm)
Being a warrior is first in spirit. Warriors of technique alone are just fighters and lack the moral grounding that make them great warriors. That is a personal opinion.
This is a philosophical concept that has cropped up a few times in the readings, most explicitly in Wiccan Warrior and less explicitly in Full Contact Magick. According to the dictionary, these are the following definitions:
- the attempt to explain anything in terms of one principle only
- (in metaphysics) any of various theories holding that there is only one basic substance or principle as the ground of reality, or that reality consists of a single element.
- the conception that there is one causal factor in history; the notion of a single element as primary determinant of behavior, social action, or institutional relations.
- the reduction of all processes, structures, concepts, etc., to a single governing principle; the theoretical explanation of everything in terms of one principle
Another strong concept raised in this chapter is the balanced duality of all things, including the divine. Male / female. Light / dark. It relates back to the ever flowing balance of Yin & Yang. We are reminded that with every spiritual entity comes a light and a dark side. We must never forget that.
The final concept raised that I will speak on is the first one mentioned in this chapter.
"Spirit First, Technique Second." This is the fifth rule of 20 precepts.
http://www.shotokankarate.ca/The%2020%20Precepts.htm
3. Karate is an aid
to justice.
4. First know
yourself before attempting to know others.
5. Spirit first,
technique second.
6. Always be ready
to release your mind.
7. Accidents arise
from negligence.
8. Do not think
that karate training is only in the dojo.
9. It will take
your entire life to learn karate, there is no limit.
10. Put your
everyday living into karate and you will find "Myo" (subtle
secrets).
11. Karate is like
boiling water, if you do not heat it constantly, it will cool.
12. Do not think
that you have to win, think rather that you do not have to lose.
13. Victory depends
on your ability to distinguish vulnerable points from
invulnerable ones.
14. The out come of
the battle depends on how you handle weakness and strength.
15. Think of your
opponents hands and feet as swords.
- 16. When you leave home, think that you have numerous opponents waiting for you.
17. Beginners must
master low stance and posture, natural body positions are for the
advanced.
18. Practicing a
kata exactly is one thing, engaging in a real fight is another.
- 19. Do not forget to correctly apply: strength and weakness of power, stretching and contraction of
- the body, and slowness and speed of techniques.
Ginchin Funikoshi also stated this:
Hitotsu. Jinkaku kansei ni tsutomuru koto
Hitotsu. Makoto no michi wo mamoru koto
Hitotsu. Doryoku no Seishin wo yashinau koto
Hitotsu. Reigi wo omonzuru koto
Hitotsu. Kekki no yu wo imashimuru koto
First. Seek perfection of character
First. Protect the way of the truth
First. Foster the spirit of effort
First. Respect the principles of etiquette and respect others
First. Guard against impetuous courage and refrain from violent behavior.
(http://www.gichinfunakoshi.com/dojokun.htm)
Being a warrior is first in spirit. Warriors of technique alone are just fighters and lack the moral grounding that make them great warriors. That is a personal opinion.
Monday, July 16, 2012
On Latin Translation
I took 2 years of Classical Latin in High School and 3 years of it in University with a mind to teach it. I graduated university with my degree only to see the subject removed from the private school curriculum and deemed a worthless subject and more emphasis put upon modern languages of Spanish and Italian. Seems they forgot that both those languages have their roots in Latin and that Latin has touched so many other branches in the language tree that to know it is to find greater understanding of many languages... and is also why I am able to gain a general understanding of more languages that I have been formally training it.
On that mildly ranting note, I came across Latin in the Order of Scathach Lesson 1 14th draft that was improperly translated.
Ego-Video Liber Deorum is translated as "Gods: a Spotters Guide"
It is actually bad syntax as in Latin the verb comes last with no pronouns and the conjugation of a verb pre-defines the pronoun and to state a pronoun is redundant.
Ego = "I"
Video = verb "to see" conjugated in present tense as "I see/observe/understand"
Liber = an adjective declined in the nominative case to denote that is the subject of the verb. The adjective means "free". As a noun also declined in the nominative case means "book".
Deorum = "god" declined in the genitive case denoting possession "of god"
If I translate the phrase directly, it ends up as this, I would have to make a broad assumption that Liber is actually a noun and the object not the subject of the verb.
Ego-video liber deorum = I (myself) see the book of God.
Proper Classical Latin for "Gods: a Spotters Guide" would be (if I assume that the guide is a book and not a person): Di (or) Dei: Liber Videndi (translated as = Gods: a Book of sighting or seeing).
Thus ends my Latin Lesson. This was fun to dive back into Latin for a brief moment.
On that mildly ranting note, I came across Latin in the Order of Scathach Lesson 1 14th draft that was improperly translated.
Ego-Video Liber Deorum is translated as "Gods: a Spotters Guide"
It is actually bad syntax as in Latin the verb comes last with no pronouns and the conjugation of a verb pre-defines the pronoun and to state a pronoun is redundant.
Ego = "I"
Video = verb "to see" conjugated in present tense as "I see/observe/understand"
Liber = an adjective declined in the nominative case to denote that is the subject of the verb. The adjective means "free". As a noun also declined in the nominative case means "book".
Deorum = "god" declined in the genitive case denoting possession "of god"
If I translate the phrase directly, it ends up as this, I would have to make a broad assumption that Liber is actually a noun and the object not the subject of the verb.
Ego-video liber deorum = I (myself) see the book of God.
Proper Classical Latin for "Gods: a Spotters Guide" would be (if I assume that the guide is a book and not a person): Di (or) Dei: Liber Videndi (translated as = Gods: a Book of sighting or seeing).
Thus ends my Latin Lesson. This was fun to dive back into Latin for a brief moment.
Lesson 1: Reading 1: Wiccan Warrior Ch. 3
"The Balanced Warrior"
This chapter begins with a quote about the meaning of the word religion, its roots in Latin. However it only looks at half the word's definition. Religion comes from the Latin Re-Ligare where re means again and ligare means to bind or connect and carried the overtones of duty and obligation. However defining the word religion is very difficult, even elusive. I could write a whole thesis paper on just this very subject. But I won't. It is important only to know that the word carries a sense of obligation to reconnect with the sacred and serve it as one holds to a duty of some sort. It is one aspect of the balanced warrior.
A warrior is thus in body, mind, and spirit. He hones his body with healthy care, exercise, and martial training. He hones his mind with learning and meditation. Religion helps him hone his spirit. And if we are to hold to the Latin origins, then we are to re-connect with that which is sacred.
"Everything is sacred." When you consider everything sacred, important, divine, then you afford it your respect and your love, you attention and your care. You realize that the divine cannot be separated from any thing or act, external or internal. And with that comes a sense of duty and responsibility. Balance within and without. When there is balance, then little energy needs to be expended because very little is wasted. This holds true whether it is martial arts (as Bruce Lee exemplified) or whether it is magic.
It is important to note the fact that no one, not even a Wiccan warrior is immune to failure or error. The important thing is to learn from it. That is a lesson I was taught by my mother. Everything is a lesson. And if you view failings as such, they become a means to grow. An interesting quote that is along the same lines, though I know longer know its origin: "Obstacles are merely opportunities in disguise." Fear and guilt can stop us in our tracks and must be recognized as emotional experiences and not as obstacles. Knowing ourselves will help with this. Know thyself, know your strengths and weaknesses, your assets and liabilities. Replace guilt with responsibility. "If I screw up, I fix it." We are ultimately responsible for our own actions. What goes around, comes around. Three-fold Law. Karma. Call it what you will. These are the lessons of responsibility and respect of self and other.
Leaving the notion of lessons and duty, there is an important aspect of being a Wiccan warrior that also relates to balance. That is the issue of power. There should never be power over when being a Wiccan warrior. There is power with and power within. Some traditions view the sharing of mysteries and training and power is a way to lose that power. I disagree. To share power is to grow stronger as a group and thus as an individual because you have that group who has your back.
Knowing the self means applying the mind before the body. Learn to use your head before your hand. And before both of those... your heart. "The Wiccan Warrior practices honesty and openness." There is no reason to hide knowledge or to keep secrets. We are no longer living in such dangerous times as our forefathers. And besides, if we keep hoarding the knowledge like a great secret, then how are we to teach the next generation? How are people of the public to come to trust us? If we hide things they will think we have something that needs hiding. People are afraid of what they do not know or understand... so let us teach them as we teach ourselves and each other.
Such have been the words and lessons gleaned from Chapter 3: The Balanced Warrior of the book Wiccan Warrior by Kerr Cuhulain.
This chapter begins with a quote about the meaning of the word religion, its roots in Latin. However it only looks at half the word's definition. Religion comes from the Latin Re-Ligare where re means again and ligare means to bind or connect and carried the overtones of duty and obligation. However defining the word religion is very difficult, even elusive. I could write a whole thesis paper on just this very subject. But I won't. It is important only to know that the word carries a sense of obligation to reconnect with the sacred and serve it as one holds to a duty of some sort. It is one aspect of the balanced warrior.
A warrior is thus in body, mind, and spirit. He hones his body with healthy care, exercise, and martial training. He hones his mind with learning and meditation. Religion helps him hone his spirit. And if we are to hold to the Latin origins, then we are to re-connect with that which is sacred.
"Everything is sacred." When you consider everything sacred, important, divine, then you afford it your respect and your love, you attention and your care. You realize that the divine cannot be separated from any thing or act, external or internal. And with that comes a sense of duty and responsibility. Balance within and without. When there is balance, then little energy needs to be expended because very little is wasted. This holds true whether it is martial arts (as Bruce Lee exemplified) or whether it is magic.
It is important to note the fact that no one, not even a Wiccan warrior is immune to failure or error. The important thing is to learn from it. That is a lesson I was taught by my mother. Everything is a lesson. And if you view failings as such, they become a means to grow. An interesting quote that is along the same lines, though I know longer know its origin: "Obstacles are merely opportunities in disguise." Fear and guilt can stop us in our tracks and must be recognized as emotional experiences and not as obstacles. Knowing ourselves will help with this. Know thyself, know your strengths and weaknesses, your assets and liabilities. Replace guilt with responsibility. "If I screw up, I fix it." We are ultimately responsible for our own actions. What goes around, comes around. Three-fold Law. Karma. Call it what you will. These are the lessons of responsibility and respect of self and other.
Leaving the notion of lessons and duty, there is an important aspect of being a Wiccan warrior that also relates to balance. That is the issue of power. There should never be power over when being a Wiccan warrior. There is power with and power within. Some traditions view the sharing of mysteries and training and power is a way to lose that power. I disagree. To share power is to grow stronger as a group and thus as an individual because you have that group who has your back.
Knowing the self means applying the mind before the body. Learn to use your head before your hand. And before both of those... your heart. "The Wiccan Warrior practices honesty and openness." There is no reason to hide knowledge or to keep secrets. We are no longer living in such dangerous times as our forefathers. And besides, if we keep hoarding the knowledge like a great secret, then how are we to teach the next generation? How are people of the public to come to trust us? If we hide things they will think we have something that needs hiding. People are afraid of what they do not know or understand... so let us teach them as we teach ourselves and each other.
Such have been the words and lessons gleaned from Chapter 3: The Balanced Warrior of the book Wiccan Warrior by Kerr Cuhulain.
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