Ninja Life

eternalexecutioner: Oh my god i’m dying of...

Wed, 15 May 2013 20:12:49 -0600

eternalexecutioner:

Oh my god i’m dying of cuteness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

aperilousjourney: Especially the last bit.

Sun, 12 May 2013 14:53:37 -0600

aperilousjourney:

Especially the last bit.

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Sun, 12 May 2013 14:48:40 -0600

lemmongrab: Raijin and Fuujin, the gods of thunder and wind...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 06:35:15 -0600

lemmongrab:

Raijin and Fuujin, the gods of thunder and wind respectively. Another of the famous pieces at Sanjusangendo.

Raijin, Thunder God. Wood. 3.3ft high, 13th century
Fuujin, Wind God. Wood. 3.69ft high, 13th century

"Learning how to love is the goal and the purpose of spiritual life—not learning how to develop..."

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 06:34:26 -0600

“Learning how to love is the goal and the purpose of spiritual life—not learning how to develop psychic powers, not learning how to bow, chant, do yoga, or even meditate, but learning to love. Love is the truth. Love is the light.”

- Lama Surya Das (via yogachocolatelove)

"When you plant seeds in the garden, you don’t dig them up every day to see if they have sprouted..."

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:51:22 -0700

“When you plant seeds in the garden, you don’t dig them up every day to see if they have sprouted yet. You simply water them and clear away the weeds; you know that the seeds will grow in time. Similarly, just do your daily practice and cultivate a kind heart. Abandon impatience and instead be content creating the causes for goodness; the results will come when they’re ready.”

- Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron (via om13om)

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Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:37:49 -0700

shihanusa: Most people don’t listen to understand….

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:34:35 -0700

shihanusa:

Most people don’t listen to understand….

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Mon, 21 Jan 2013 08:59:33 -0700

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Fri, 18 Jan 2013 08:38:47 -0700

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Fri, 11 Jan 2013 07:39:51 -0700

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Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:13:16 -0700

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Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:49:40 -0700

"Would you like to save the world from the degradation and destruction it seems destined for? Then..."

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 18:33:34 -0700

“Would you like to save the world from the degradation and destruction it seems destined for? Then step away from shallow mass movements and quietly go to work on your own self-awareness. If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself. If you want to eliminate the suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation.”

- Lao Tzu (via thorninyourside)

"Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisoned by the enemy, don’t we..."

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 12:09:21 -0700

“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisoned by the enemy, don’t we consider it his duty to escape? If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we’re partisans of liberty, then it’s our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”

- J. R. R. Tolkien (from A Brief Guide to J. R. R. Tolkien)

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Fri, 21 Dec 2012 09:33:39 -0700

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Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:04:58 -0700

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Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:03:38 -0700

"You are your own teacher. Looking for teachers can’t solve your own doubts. Investigate yourself to..."

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 11:07:22 -0700

“You are your own teacher. Looking for teachers can’t solve your own doubts. Investigate yourself to find the truth - inside, not outside. Knowing yourself is most important.”

- Ajahn Chah (via lighttheif)

Kajo Waraku Reflection

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 09:07:00 -0700

I have been reading my bu-fu a lot lately and I have been thinking about the flowers heart, and what that means to me.

First when you think of a flower you see the colors, the life, the vibrancy that denote the plant as a flower, but those are the petals, not the heart. While they draw attention to allow others to identify what the flower is, poisonous, fragrant, beautiful, etc. they are simply the outer shell. The heart of the flower is so much more.

The heart of the flower is where all of the work of a flower is hidden. A flowers job is not to make the world smell nice or look pretty but is rather the tool of the plant to ensure it will be around another year, weather it is a permanent plant, like a rose bush, or a plant that dies and re-grows from a new seed every year.

The heart of the flower draws others to it, offering nectar or security or shelter depending or who it has attracted. But while offering something to those who have drawn near, it deposits some of its pollen, and takes some of the pollen from its visitors brought from where they have been before. It is this mixing of pollen that really got me thinking.

As instructors it is not our job to bring the students to the dojo, the art does that. Our practicing and our actions that other see are the petals of our flower. It is however our job to be the heart of the flower within the art, It is our job to share our experiences that have led us down our paths and to be apart of their path as well, to allow our “pollen” to mix. Having this kind of spirit allows for our growth in this world with every student (and really person) we meet, whether they walk the path with us for a few months or for a lifetime.

As our “Seeds” fall to the ground and are picked up by the wind to be placed elsewhere in the world the heart of our flower is also shared with the world. Not every seed grows, but the seeds can only be made at the heart of the flower, and can only be brought to maturity by the mixing of pollen from flower to flower.

Having an Open heart and allowing others, who are drawn to the “nectar” we offer, to share what they take is what I believe Kajo Waraku to mean.