The Secret Dojo: A Warrior's Responsibility

Friday Knight News

"It is the teacher's function to contrive conditions under which students learn. Their relevance to a future usefulness need not be obvious." B F Skinner 

Inside each one of us is a secret dojo, the place we go when we are in class, training in the martial arts. This is the area where the jig saw puzzle comes together, the place where we have our epiphanies. Martial arts are about stopping aggression first in ourselves and then with others. One such illumination was dealing with the rights and responsibilities of warriors to protect those that they love. As a former LEO I recognize the fact that it often took twenty minutes for back up to arrive after a shots fired call went out. I know it often took longer for civilians as the dispatcher would need to run through a list of questions to know what type of situation was being responded too.

Most martial artists prefer using their hands and feet over a blade, as there is less blood and gore involved. It is easy to look at violence in a more romantic way when we do not see the trauma. The harsh reality is that men of peace do not like to harm or injure people. Still fights are not fair and criminals don't care if you are out-numbered, injured or tired. Some people attack others just for the trill. So we as warriors and protectors of ourselves and our loved ones are faced with the choice of taking a level responsibility over how far we are willing to go to protect those we love. Carrying a tool for self-defense is just a responsibility for a mature martial artist. We understand the nature and consequences of not being responsible for our safety. We have to face the ramification of carrying a weapon, no matter if it is blunt, edged, flexible, projectile or a combination thereof. Each weapon type has its own inherit advantages and weakness.


CRKT Heiho designed by James Williams

There is the possibility of finality with weapon carry, but there also is a measure of reassurance. It is like carrying insurance for your martial art skills. Practicing the martial art of your choice with a weapon allows for a wider range of response than mere reliance on empty hand techniques alone. The control that you can achieve from the use of the weapon requires less emphasis on physical power. Blunt weapons such as sticks of all type and sizes are popular with martial art training, but carrying a cane and specifically a jo or bo staff is inconvenient. The handgun offers a lot in giving a larger effective range and it can be carried conceal, but there are many issues and responsibilities with carrying such a weapon and legality vary depending on where you live. Still some people fear hurting others not directly involved in a fight because a bullet can't be called back once fired. This is why many martial artists rely on a blade (the limited range), plus the fact that a knife does not run out of ammo.

However, not all of the world is free and many people throughout the world are denied their rights to protect themselves from the armed criminal element. Some places throughout history where people have lost their freedom eventually have had their unarmed self-defense restricted or outlawed as well. It is the duty of free people to make sure that they retain the freedom of self-preservation, both from the criminal element and from any governments that seeks to usurp their rights. A great lesson learned within the secret inner dojo is that peaceful martial artists do not perform violence. In truth the only violence is that of the attackers own behavior being reflected back.

"I can't think of a more fundamentally useful, basic tool in existence today than a good quality knife."  R. Lee "The Gunny" Ermey 

My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.

Conversations with a Sage (Book 1 of the Dream-Walker)

Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past. 

Xander and the Assassins Gift (Book 2 of the Dream-Walker)

The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.


Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)

Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.

Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker)

Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.


Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5)

Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.

Jace Lee and the Tutelage of Ming Wu: Dream Walker 6 

Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.