Choose your DEATH!
Updated: Feb 26
Death. It's a naughty word to say around the majority of people even though its a reality that we all believe is an inevitable part of our lives. We aren't taught much about it in school or even at home. The only real stimulation that we may get in conversation about death is through the ghost stories that friends or family tell us for fun. Other than that, it is an uncomfortable, rude tasteless topic to touch on. Even as our elders get older and close to death, mentioning it to them even in regards to arrangements, wills etc... can be taken as an insult or worse. In our society we don't talk much about death, therefor, we don't think about it either. But a familiarity with death is a part of the seams in the fabric of The Warrior's Edge.
Because the topic of death is so foreign to our society, it can be used by many as a tool to control. In fact, I won't pull any punches and I will tell you that the idea of death IS used to control, manipulate, dominate, and abuse many everyday. It is even a tool within our countries laws and justice system. If we choose to behave in a way that is deemed inappropriate, men and women with guns will come after us and take our life for what we have done if we don't surrender to them. The majority of people fear the thought of death so they behave in manners that won't attract the attention of these forces to them.
Everyday people use threats of death to dominate relationships. There are even people who will use the threat of death upon themselves to manipulate and control those who are afraid of their dying. The threat of death is a powerful tool to whip out around those who are sensitive to the thought of it. They more than likely will surrender all that they have before having to face the possibility of death. In fact, it is universally agreed within the masses that it is ok to surrender one's ownings, integrity, body, and even associates to avoid possible death. Many feel that if ones life was in danger when he or she did an unspeakable deed it is considered "ok".
Now I am not here to convince you to worship, wish for, or even love death. Neither am I going to tell you to do high risk or stupid things to prove to yourself that you don't fear death. There is nothing wrong with fearing death. In fact I would go out on a limb to say that it is healthy to love living and to have the desire living while not wanting to die. We don't have to hate or neglect life to think sensibly about death and it's possibilities in our life. Neither do we have to become a hothead or alter the path of our life to "get real" with death. However, we do need to familiarize a comfort with it or we will always be a slave to the ones who can present a threat of death to us.
Death in relation to the Warrior's Edge is a simple but sincere answer. It can take time to discover your true answer and that is ok as long as you don't neglect the duty. The answer is your power so don't blow it off. When you harness this beast it will provide you with stability, clarity, and balancing element of the Warrior's Edge.
The way to discover comfort and acceptance with the truth of death in our life is to make known to our self, the things that we would honestly give our life for. Things so serious that no one could talk us out of it. Once we identify this element we want to visualize the moment happening and us giving our life for it. We must make it as real as possible in our head, so real that butterflies churn in our stomach and our heartrate boost. We have to make it real so we can offer our sincere truth at that moment about giving our life for it.
Because we have identified that which we will die for, our everyday awareness will heighten as we become less reckless with the daily doings of our life. Our knowing that something exists in the immediate world now that we would die over, will groom us to treat life more delicately. Strangely this acceptance eventually will calm our mind and soften our manner. We may even become kinder. We more importantly will become immune to the efforts of those who use the threat of death dominate. We will be free from their intent and worry because the threat of death will no longer be shocking to us. Neither will it be a threat because it will be real and normalized in our mind.
The practice of knowing at the top of our head daily, that which we will die for is a mindset restricted from mankind because it is too powerful. It also is an abnormal function so it will awards abnormal blessings that most would translate as a curse. A curse of accountability which is what we learn to become more of with this mindset. Our integrity will increase and our wants and needs will grow smaller. Fear of men will dissipate along with any unhealthy dependencies that we have towards others. Life will become more precious to us and we will develop a higher appreciation of things, people, places and moments. We will begin to notice more.
This process inducts a seriousness that separates us from the petty concerns of the norm, freeing us to live fully with real passion, self assured decision making, clear intentions, desired accountability, and regulated fearlessness. It becomes a meditation in the mind, ...a feeling in the heart, ...and an expression in our manner that advantages our confidence.
...and this is a way of The Warrior's Edge.