The Samurai of Today

Friday Knight News

"Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death." Miyamoto Musashi

Who are the samurai of today? The obvious answer seems to be one of the three following choices. Military, law enforcement, or martial artist. So, what defines a martial art and what constitutes samurai type of service? Often times, classically trained martial artists serve in either and sometimes both law enforcement or the military. These seem to be the most samurai like professions today; with that of a ronin (master-less samurai), being a soldier of fortune or a bodyguard for hire. Still not all samurai worked as soldiers or in police like roles, but they all followed the code of bushido and they all understood the way of the sword. A samurai was "one who served" but the image of a samurai was one of a martial artist and not just a glorified servant. Samurai or not, anyone who puts themselves in harms way in order to protect us deserves our respect.

Military personnel all can fall into this category as can law enforcement personnel. But just like the samurai of old, not all of them dedicated themselves to the mastery of arms. On the other-hand, not many have the natural inclination to do so. These people that live a life of service are still warriors and are in harms way for our protection. While others approach the art of war with the same dedication as the samurai, and are our examples of a modern martial artist. This is even though the tools of their profession has changed somewhat over the years from the katana to the firearms of today. As mentioned earlier, some martial artists go into military and law enforcement or even security work to fully utilize their martial art training. Other martial artists go into competition, or teaching for the same reason.

(Blog Continues)

An advertisement for my books. 

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.       

(Blog Resumes)

In this light, is a person that only teaches the martial arts, either armed or unarmed, less of a samurai than someone who has put their life on the line for others? While the teacher may still be a brilliant martial artist, the fact that they have not been in a conflict where they stood in harms way as a buffer precludes them from being a true martial artist, or does it? I know that the lessons and teaching I have received from many of these masters, men that had never been in a fight or tested themselves beyond a sparring match in the dojo or tournament hall have been invaluable. These teachers put their livelihood on the line so as to enrich and to teach others how to protect themselves. So, who is a warrior and who is to judge, which matter of devotion is the best? Even if you are serving in a samurai like role, it is the dedication and devotion to the craft that make a warrior a martial artist. So in honor of our modern samurai I wrote these words of thanks.

Happy Veteran's Day! Thank you for your service from the Greatest Generation and the Spurned Generation to the present most Tolerant Generation. In my view, it is just as hard serving under any of these difficult sets of circumstances. So, I thank you for all the fire you took or avoided, the long lines, the little if any thanks, the dangerous places you traveled to that no one heard of before. I thank you for the boredom, the loneliness, and terror you endured. I envy you for the bonds you formed with your brothers-in-arms, warrior that had your six. I pity you for having to tolerate a government that gives themselves benefits while they cut away what is due you. Most of all, I thank you for the blood on your boots and bad dreams that come with the territory.

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." George S. Patton