A Vessel Of Energy
SAmurai Books: Legend
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While physical strength is obvious, another force is more powerful yet most people can not see it. Those few
who possess this supreme charismatic power are able to attract others, making them the great favorites of destiny: natural-born leaders divinely gifted with extreme fortitude, luck and victory.
This power is their vitality, and it is a key concept for understanding the Way of the Warrior.
All people are not granted equal vitality. The presence of high vitality in a person is a rare trait which proves his high standing as a “chosen one”. In order to keep it, however, he must control his flow of vitality. Most people rarely develop their gift and end up squandering it by letting their vices suck their vitality dry.
If we envision man as a vessel full of vitality, we can see how the things that are harmful to it can create gaping holes. Excessive eating and drinking or any kind of debauchery puncture the vessel and vitality spills out no matter how abundant it is, hence the many well-known examples of gifted, strong people who die prematurely as a result.
Additionally, a person squanders his energy because he cracks his vitality vessel by harboring negative emotions such as anger, irritation and regret. If the fissure is too big and his energy spills out unhindered, he will not have any vitality left. Unfortunately, the reality is that most people hardly have enough energy to even survive. Without vitality, they are nothing but empty shells unless their “immunity” helps them bind the cracks together and replenish their vitality.
Woodblock print "Raiko Oeyama iri no zu" by Utagawa Kuniyoshi
So how do others stay full of energy?
Naturally, wise men use the method of zero waste and constant accumulation by never harming themselves with potentially destructive things and not wasting time on ignorant people. They feel what replenishes their energy and intuitively follow the way of wisdom, awareness and discipline, and are determined not to let anything invade their vitality vessels. They very intentionally concentrate energy within themselves and abhor anything negative. As they progress on the Way, they realize that energy should never stagnate so they do not let in any fear, including the fear of losing vitality.
To accumulate vitality these wise people must exercise every day, and their energy levels increase in proportion to the intensity. Such people are also patient; rather than rushing, they gradually reach a level that allows them to tackle more difficult challenges on their way towards absolute vitality. Here, they possess a stable level of vitality free of setbacks which involve a finer tuning of consciousness and a high level of discipline. Read further in the book Samurai. Legend.
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This the chapter "The Samurai and the Dao" from Samurai. Legend by A. R. Berg
