UNDERSTANDING THE SPIRIT OF ONENESS WITH YOURSELF AND YOUR SWORD

The entire purpose of my Water Book is to teach you how to become a warrior by using my method of strategy. It is important that you understand each line in it. This is the true basis for learning the Way of the warrior, for by doing so you are also practicing strategy. Carefully learn the five approaches and the five strategies for combat. These principles of strategy work whether you are fighting one man or twenty men. Carefully study rhythm and timing. Strategy is the same in all cases. Remember that you must kill the enemy correctly. Not doing so is not the Way of the warrior. Continue to study my strategy and in time you will certainly understand what it is truly about and it will become a part of your very being. It will become your spirit.

This ends the Book of Water.

The Book of Fire describes the importance of knowing the difference between using a bamboo practice sword and a real sword in combat. Although technique is extremely important and must never be overlooked, there is a tendency among most would-be warriors to concentrate only on the development of their craft through skills developed with certain moves. Would-be warriors who use only the raiment of their profession and brag through their motions do not understand strategy. They overlook the all-important aspect of spirit, thinking that it will come to them without additional work. To release the spirit one must accentuate the work with meditations of the heart and the soul. Not doing so is the same as performing music note for note, with no emphasis on the “feeling” of the particular piece being performed. And so most warriors only perform tricks. The Way of the warrior is filled with soul and feeling. Without it the warrior is essentially “dead” even though he may appear to be very strong.

The only way you can understand the truth about killing an enemy in combat is by killing an enemy in combat. Because this may be difficult to do whenever you may want to, proper practice is essential. Only by studying actual tactics and being able to determine an enemy’s strength can you actually understand the meaning of life and death in war. You must train constantly with the attitude of killing the enemy. When this attitude is fully developed, potential enemies will not wish to enter into combat with a warrior they sense has the resolve and conviction of one with no concern for the enemy’s well-being. In general, they cannot know the truth of the matter. It is foolish to get into scuffles with an enemy and not attack with a killing resolve. In order to understand life and death, you must actually be in a situation where the possibility of death exists. There is a constant need to study one’s weaponry and the methods to be used when real combat occurs. Regardless of this, you must strive for this perfection of your soul by thinking in terms of actually killing enemies when you are practicing.

Through constant application of your training skills, you will come to understand the value of a particular technique if you practice with full resolve and use the methods of visualization in your training. You should practice wearing your full suit of armor in order to learn the true feeling of combat. You can become a master of strategy through thorough and constant practice. By seeing into a particular technique you will learn where and when it can best be used, even though you are not using it for a real purpose at the time.

Training enables you to see deeply into the motivations for your warriorness as well as into the development of your abilities. In this way you learn your craft.

Anyone who truly wishes to master strategy can master strategy. Through constant practice, you become free from your own ideas of what and how things should work. When you learn a technique and apply your “soul” to it you will find that the technique will reveal to you the manner in which it must be used to your personal advantage. This applies to combat without weapons as well. In your everyday dealings with men you will find a special ability that enables you to control situations and maintain your own position without having to submit yourself to the whims of another. However, it should be pointed out that you yourself must have the courage of your convictions and the courage to act on your convictions. Without this “courage” and the ability to “act,” you will become another man’s pawn and can easily be defeated. This is the only way to learn my principles of strategy. Through constant training, you will eventually be seen as a man of incredible spiritual power.