Spiritual Warriors

[Kongming]

There have been many examples of groups throughout history who were at once ascetics, mystics, monks, priests, sages, and occultists and also warriors or military men: the Knights Templar, Shaolin monks, the Sohei and Yamabushi, the original Naga Sadhus, various Sufi warriors, and figures like Alexander Peresvet. Daoism itself is often associated with martial arts and martial figures, like Zhang Sanfeng for example.

 

My question is, given the historic precedent, how compatible do you think the two paths are? By being a warrior one might not necessarily be one actively engaged in combat but rather who cultivates martial arts and a warrior mindset. Do the two mindsets and paths complement each other?

 

Also, can dedication to both potentially result in the highest spiritual aims or does the latter admit no other concerns or pursuits? In other words, could one be on the path of neidan or Buddhahood or moksha while also concerning oneself with maintaining one's physical fighting capability and practicing martial arts?

 

Finally, is anyone aware of any good tomes or writings (preferably from ancient or pre-modern writers) on the simultaneous cultivation of both the spiritual and warrior path? Any specifically Daoist tomes in this regard?

 

In short, please discuss anything related to the topic.

[Zhongyongdaoist]

A lot could be written about this, the root of evocation in Western Ceremonial Magic is an ancient Roman Military rite:

 

The Latin word evocatio was the "calling forth" or "summoning away" of a city's tutelary deity. The ritual was conducted in a military setting either as a threat during a siege or as a result of surrender, and aimed at diverting the god's favor from the opposing city to the Roman side, customarily with a promise of a better-endowed cult or a more lavish temple.^[1]Evocatio was thus a kind of ritual dodge to mitigate looting of sacred objects or images from shrines that would otherwise be sacrilegious or impious.^{[2] )}

(Wikipedia, Evocation)

 

And the military aspects continue into the Middle Ages, where key magical paraphernalia, such as the magic sword is of military origin, and some of the Spirits of the Goetia, give soldiers and raise armies.

 

In his works on Daoism Michael Saso talks about Military Magic and the Dao of the Left, and describes how works on Military Magic were obtained in mainland China and brought to Taiwan by Master Chuang's ancestors, The Teachings of Taoist Master Chuang.  Weather control was considered an important part of Military Magic, which is why a lot of information about Thunder Magic, the main form of Military Magic appears in Prof. Jerry Alan Johnson's book Daoist Weather Magic and Feng Shui.

 

However, all of this was transmitted with a great deal of secrecy, and was not always approved of, by the highest religious authorities.  For example his superiors in the Zhengyi sect disapproved of Master Chuang's practice of Military Magic, among other things, considering it Heterodox and denied him higher levels of official status because of it.

 

In any case the traditions go back centuries have survived here and there, and were an important part of the more ancient practices where they had official sanction, such as the Roman Military rites, but as the major modern religions took over, with their emphasis on peace and non-violence, such practices fell more and more into disfavor.

 

Just some short quick notes, which I hope are helpful.

 

 

 

 

 

Edit: Added clarifying statement "In Western Ceremonial Magic" to first paragraph to read "the root of evocation in Western Ceremonial Magic"

[tiandizhijian]

I have read it somewhere in reference to taijitu, that you can't have the soft without the hard, or the internal without the external.

[RiverSnake]

I practice Martial arts and also Internal Cultivation. Whether this is a "better" pathway or not....i don't know....it works for me and i do both because i enjoy them....not because someone told me they were an ideal combination. There are many Japanese texts on the warrior path and zen. 

Edited December 17, 2016 by OldWolf

[Loulie]

Great topic and I believe both have worked  together I recommend you check out some quotes by samurai miyamoto musashi he's really mind blowing with the way of the warrior. Controlling the mind was one of the main practices for shaolin monks and samurais

[Papayapple]

The book of Five Rings!

 

"In time, all things work to your advantage if you pursue them with an open heart."

Edited December 17, 2016 by Papayapple

[Aetherous]

I deal with relatively a lot of people calling themselves warriors where I live. I don't consider them warriors...that's just 100% self-aggrandizement.

Warriors fight for peace in the real world, not in their minds. If you aspire to be a warrior, ask yourself what you do for the world in a concrete way. For instance, being a good person and having intentions for world peace is not enough to be called a warrior.

If I were to be the person giving out the title (rather than people giving it to themselves), it'd be rare if someone got it who didn't serve their country in an actual way. Not necessarily the military, despite that being the definition of a warrior...but one of the organizations that serve. Like DHS. Others might get awarded the title, as civilians who did something great for society that took guts.

Just because you're in a serving organization wouldn't be grounds for having the title, just like being a soldier doesn't mean you're a warrior.

Practicing martial arts is not enough, unless you use it to defend others.

[Vajra Fist]

I've had many spiritual practices and qigong systems tested for me by a clairvoyant and one of the most powerful in terms of cleansing the meridians and all major chakras is shaolin gong fu. Conversely other external martial arts like karate barely do much internally.

 

I genuinely believe that there is some heavy duty qigong built into the forms of martial arts that are connected to spiritual traditions. Shaolin is one, and (potentially) Sunmudo is another.

[MooNiNite]

Developing the physical body seems important if you want to spend a lot of your time in meditation. 

[dust]

Taking the word at face value, and in historical context, a warrior is a brave and experienced soldier. To me, if you are going to use the word 'warrior', you are talking about someone who fights -- in real danger, against others, for their life and probably the lives of others. If war isn't directly involved, the word doesn't apply. Not like these UFC morons running around getting paid big money to punch each other and calling themselves warriors.

 

One can have the warrior mindset, or a warrior's spirit, and many have the potential to be a warrior, but most people are not warriors and never will be. That being said, I think the two paths -- spirituality and war -- can be found in the same person. A genuine warrior, with his direct experience of death and deep understanding of his own capacity for action, surely has a great potential for enlightenment.. but an equally great potential for PSTD and a wasted life.

Edited December 21, 2016 by dust