A Japanese Samurai

[Ritter]

How do you know that you have seen all of your lives?

Asked/willed it specifically. If you know the hallway method with opening a door. I changed it a little. By willing the place to change and show me all my lives, I saw many doors and I checked all of them. They were the same when I came back several times (subsequent regressions). Each door to a life had a different look, according to time and place. For example, my last life during World War 2 was a steel bunker door in some ugly bluish green color. My first life-door was very crude and had leather hinges. And so on. Each my idea of appropriate for the time. In order to recognize which was which. I would definitely remember if there had been a shoji sliding door.

Then again. There is the possibility that it did not work as intended.

I learned something new today, by the way. My paternal haplogroup (Y-DNA) is not exactly common there, but around 2% of native Japanese men have it, too. I have long believed there is a connection between Finns/Balts and Japanese in particular, but also other north/east asian peoples. Modern anthropologists say that is not true. But I believe there is some kind of dog buried somewhere there. Too much in common. Including lots of words. Nouns in particular are sometimes strikingly alike. Words for water, walking, bugs and so forth.

 

[Ritter]

How do you know that you have seen all of your lives?

Update!

I looked into it. I felt that I had to, at long last. Did a good regression just hours ago. I guess I should not be surprised. It has been brewing and wanting to come to the surface for a while now. Even been cooking Japanese food for a month straight. Yes, I have been a Samurai in Japan. In the time that I love. For the entire important part and end of the Sengoku and the first two decades of the Edo period. Died of old age. Even found out who I was, first thing, which was a little unexpected. It usually takes more. It was not overly clear, but I can guess well enough.

It is not at all unexpected that I was close to Tokugawa Ieyasu. I have had an admiration for that man my entire life. I saw some battles and scenes from training with spear, sword and bow. Also, as expected, Shinobi training. Not to be some lowly assassin, just irregular warfare. Stealth and night fighting, field intelligence and military theory. Special operations, in contemporary vocabulary.

I am a bit of an expert on the period and I sincerely hope it has not tainted the results. I have had a thing for Sengoku Jidai and japanese martial arts for over 20 years, and since I read a lot and do not forget things, it accumulates into a detailed whole quite easily. Nothing would be easier than for me to make this up. I admit that. But I saw the battle of Nagashino. Pretty sure of it because of the Takeda cavalry and the palisades and teppo/yari ashigaru to counter it. I do not yet know why I hated Oda Nobunaga, in a personal way, and way worse than the Takeda enemy, especially Shingen, whom I admired. I take great consolation in that Nobunaga was betrayed and murdered. I would have killed him in a heartbeat if I had ever been in a situation where I was able to.

I guess that is the answer to that conundrum. It has eluded me for quite some time. I was surprised not to find a Japanese life in my previous regressions, which mainly took place some years ago. Now it jumped out at me and could not be contained. Pretty odd. But I have been in an intensive period of doing Japanese things for a while now. Apart from the Zen meditation I have 'always' done, that is. I have literally stopped using knife and fork and I have more or less lived on a plethora of traditional japanese dishes for the past month. Soba and rice noodles, rice with various seasonings, vegetables and invariably MEAT and eggs. As a funny sidenote, I was a closet meat eater in that life. That was frowned upon by many and regarded as dirty. But people who train hard will want their protein, I don't think I was by any means rare in that. I got a flash of having to eat tons of seafood and missing meat dearly, while on campaign. I was large and strong for a Japanese man. Bigger than most European traders and priests. I also had a good beard for being Japanese. Almost like in pictures I have seen of Ainu people. I was not some uncommon giant, just tall and broad and more at home in heavy armor than without. Well over six feet. Many Samurai were bigger than peasants, after all. Besides spear and a long yumi bow, I remember carrying a less curved variant of nodachi, a two-handed sword, besides my wakizashi, and that the smaller katana felt like a too-short toothpick. I strongly prefered a "short" samurai type yari with a long sharp blade and/or my two-handed sword. From horseback or on foot, preferably the latter. I remember feeling a great disdain towards firearms. I have gotten over that part, but I definitely regarded it as a bad development then, and I hated the christians in equal measure. It is however a life that I feel was thoroughly good and satisfying, because my side won in the end. I guess Bishamonten was on our side.

As per usual, I will not publicly divulge exactly who I was. I seldom do that at all, but definitely never with so little to go on.

 

[Spirit Sword]

This is not meant to doubt the validity of such memories, nor do I bear any ill-will to any here, but is it not odd that everyone seems to remember the Sengoku Jidai? Just about anyone who has reported a past life in Japan was a samurai in the most famous period. I can think of two or three exceptions, myself included. While this might make some skeptical, I wonder if it might help to point us towards the machinations behind remembering past lives.

Perhaps there has to be some degree of familiarity with the culture--or at least it has to be within a range of ideas that the particular person can wrap their mind around--before memories of that life can be processed in a later one? And therefore, more well-known time periods will be likely to have more people remembering them, since there is a more widespread familiarity/comfort with the material. Or perhaps there are plenty of people who have picked up other types of past-life memories related to Japan, and have not known to identify it as such, since the samurai of the Sengoku period loom so greatly in many's idea of Japanese culture? Any thoughts?

 

[Angie Brown]

Update!

I looked into it. I felt that I had to, at long last. Did a good regression just hours ago. I guess I should not be surprised. It has been brewing and wanting to come to the surface for a while now. Even been cooking Japanese food for a month straight. Yes, I have been a Samurai in Japan. In the time that I love. For the entire important part and end of the Sengoku and the first two decades of the Edo period. Died of old age. Even found out who I was, first thing, which was a little unexpected. It usually takes more. It was not overly clear, but I can guess well enough.

It is not at all unexpected that I was close to Tokugawa Ieyasu. I have had an admiration for that man my entire life. I saw some battles and scenes from training with spear, sword and bow. Also, as expected, Shinobi training. Not to be some lowly assassin, just irregular warfare. Stealth and night fighting, field intelligence and military theory. Special operations, in contemporary vocabulary.

I am a bit of an expert on the period and I sincerely hope it has not tainted the results. I have had a thing for Sengoku Jidai and japanese martial arts for over 20 years, and since I read a lot and do not forget things, it accumulates into a detailed whole quite easily. Nothing would be easier than for me to make this up. I admit that. But I saw the battle of Nagashino. Pretty sure of it because of the Takeda cavalry and the palisades and teppo/yari ashigaru to counter it. I do not yet know why I hated Oda Nobunaga, in a personal way, and way worse than the Takeda enemy, especially Shingen, whom I admired. I take great consolation in that Nobunaga was betrayed and murdered. I would have killed him in a heartbeat if I had ever been in a situation where I was able to.

I guess that is the answer to that conundrum. It has eluded me for quite some time. I was surprised not to find a Japanese life in my previous regressions, which mainly took place some years ago. Now it jumped out at me and could not be contained. Pretty odd. But I have been in an intensive period of doing Japanese things for a while now. Apart from the Zen meditation I have 'always' done, that is. I have literally stopped using knife and fork and I have more or less lived on a plethora of traditional japanese dishes for the past month. Soba and rice noodles, rice with various seasonings, vegetables and invariably MEAT and eggs. As a funny sidenote, I was a closet meat eater in that life. That was frowned upon by many and regarded as dirty. But people who train hard will want their protein, I don't think I was by any means rare in that. I got a flash of having to eat tons of seafood and missing meat dearly, while on campaign. I was large and strong for a Japanese man. Bigger than most European traders and priests. I also had a good beard for being Japanese. Almost like in pictures I have seen of Ainu people. I was not some uncommon giant, just tall and broad and more at home in heavy armor than without. Well over six feet. Many Samurai were bigger than peasants, after all. Besides spear and a long yumi bow, I remember carrying a less curved variant of nodachi, a two-handed sword, besides my wakizashi, and that the smaller katana felt like a too-short toothpick. I strongly prefered a "short" samurai type yari with a long sharp blade and/or my two-handed sword. From horseback or on foot, preferably the latter. I remember feeling a great disdain towards firearms. I have gotten over that part, but I definitely regarded it as a bad development then, and I hated the christians in equal measure. It is however a life that I feel was thoroughly good and satisfying, because my side won in the end. I guess Bishamonten was on our side.

As per usual, I will not publicly divulge exactly who I was. I seldom do that at all, but definitely never with so little to go on.

It's good to remember where you have things to resolve in order to move on, but it can hold us back if we allow ourselves to be drawn into living now as we did in a pl, however much we miss it. Do you know what it is that you need to come to terms with? Could it be whatever the reason was that you loathed that one man more than any other? Something he done that you still haven't got over, that has left you with hurt and anger?

Best wishes,

Angie

 

[Ritter]

It's good to remember where you have things to resolve in order to move on, but it can hold us back if we allow ourselves to be drawn into living now as we did in a pl, however much we miss it. Do you know what it is that you need to come to terms with? Could it be whatever the reason was that you loathed that one man more than any other? Something he done that you still haven't got over, that has left you with hurt and anger?

Best wishes,

Angie

That is not how it works for me. I am over believing in that. My journey is about killing bad guys and fighting for what is right. It is not about my self-improvement. Even if that happens naturally. I find the notion that it would be the sole purpose of living kind of egotistical. Almost like the christian 'salvation'. I am a willing servant of God or the Allfather. Whatever one prefers. Nothing is about me, though, apart from my usefulness as a tool. There is a reward in service in and of itself, knowing one has done one's utmost for the improvement of the world. And there is also, I believe, a reward at road's end. It is about God and the world, I believe, not about oneself. Zen has taught me my own insignificance. Even if I am a somewhat larger than average speck of dust, I am still just a tiny mortal creature amongst others.

As for Oda Nobunaga, just read a bit. He was a pretty bad person. It could have been anything. Although I suspect it might be the cruel massacres against the ninja clans, the ikko ikki at Osaka and the massacre of monks of mount Hiei. The man was a demon from hell. Only total control was sufficient. One of his own retainers eventually had enough and killed him. Like a Japanese Stalin. Although I admit the latter was far worse.

Opinions, beliefs etc.

 

[Spirit Sword]

That is not how it works for me. I am over believing in that. My journey is about killing bad guys and fighting for what is right. It is not about my self-improvement. Even if that happens naturally. I find the notion that it would be the sole purpose of living kind of egotistical. Almost like the christian 'salvation'. I am a willing servant of God or the Allfather. Whatever one prefers. Nothing is about me, though, apart from my usefulness as a tool. There is a reward in service in and of itself, knowing one has done one's utmost for the improvement of the world. And there is also, I believe, a reward at road's end. It is about God and the world, I believe, not about oneself. Zen has taught me my own insignificance. Even if I am a somewhat larger than average speck of dust, I am still just a tiny mortal creature amongst others.

As for Oda Nobunaga, just read a bit. He was a pretty bad person. It could have been anything. Although I suspect it might be the cruel massacres against the ninja clans, the ikko ikki at Osaka and the massacre of monks of mount Hiei. The man was a demon from hell. Only total control was sufficient. One of his own retainers eventually had enough and killed him. Like a Japanese Stalin. Although I admit the latter was far worse.

Opinions, beliefs etc.

I see no reason why service cannot go hand-in-hand with self improvement. I find that the more I sacrifice my time and efforts for others and work towards the betterment of the world, the more I ultimately grow as a person. The trick is to find a balance between self-righteousness and blind servitude. Specifically, if you dedicate yourself to serve a set of good ideals, then you will naturally make the world a better place and will improve yourself by internalizing those ideals.

Most people of that period would have hated Oda Nobunaga, with good reason. I have heard that he was a truly terrible man. I still despise some of the tyrants from the Genpei War, but they were small game compared to him. I do not envy you, trying to cope with such evil.

 

[Ritter]

I see no reason why service cannot go hand-in-hand with self improvement. I find that the more I sacrifice my time and efforts for others and work towards the betterment of the world, the more I ultimately grow as a person. The trick is to find a balance between self-righteousness and blind servitude. Specifically, if you dedicate yourself to serve a set of good ideals, then you will naturally make the world a better place and will improve yourself by internalizing those ideals.

Most people of that period would have hated Oda Nobunaga, with good reason. I have heard that he was a truly terrible man. I still despise some of the tyrants from the Genpei War, but they were small game compared to him. I do not envy you, trying to cope with such evil.

Largely my point. Blind servitude in relation to God/the divine (depending on current religion) and the cause of good for one's own people/what is natural/etc seems like a virtue. Serving a vision of a better world. On the other hand, blind servitude to an ordinary mortal person seems like idiocy. Sometimes even (previously) divinely inspired people of strong character betray a cause or otherwise turn bad or fail due to some human weakness. No use following a person blindly. Better then to diverge from the person and keep eyes on the goal. Sticking to the essence of what is important, while the outwards paraphernalia are subject to change at need. That said, one must also be somewhat forgiving towards leaders, who are also just men. Then there are some who are not quite mortal anymore. At least for a time. I would like to call those 'avatars'.

 

[Angie Brown]

That is not how it works for me. I am over believing in that. My journey is about killing bad guys and fighting for what is right. It is not about my self-improvement. Even if that happens naturally. I find the notion that it would be the sole purpose of living kind of egotistical. Almost like the christian 'salvation'. I am a willing servant of God or the Allfather. Whatever one prefers. Nothing is about me, though, apart from my usefulness as a tool. There is a reward in service in and of itself, knowing one has done one's utmost for the improvement of the world. And there is also, I believe, a reward at road's end. It is about God and the world, I believe, not about oneself. Zen has taught me my own insignificance. Even if I am a somewhat larger than average speck of dust, I am still just a tiny mortal creature amongst others.

As for Oda Nobunaga, just read a bit. He was a pretty bad person. It could have been anything. Although I suspect it might be the cruel massacres against the ninja clans, the ikko ikki at Osaka and the massacre of monks of mount Hiei. The man was a demon from hell. Only total control was sufficient. One of his own retainers eventually had enough and killed him. Like a Japanese Stalin. Although I admit the latter was far worse.

Opinions, beliefs etc.

The name Stalin alone conjures up enough of an idea of how evil he must have been, to be comparable. Not to mention Trotsky, Lenin etc. Genocide and even torture of c25 million ethnic Russian Orthodox, then approximately another c25 million in Holodomer for starters. Horrendous isn't a strong enough word.
Again, not many pl accounts. Maybe too terrible to face remembering.

Same with Japanese POW's. A lot of one time POW's of Germany, Italy, Britain etc were able to tell of their experiences, but very few who had been Japanese POW's in WWII could bring themselves to much speak of what was done to them. The memory wipe between lives is no doubt very necessary for those who suffered extreme trauma. I wouldn't want anyone to remember such horror.

Best wishes,

Angie

 

[Ritter]

The name Stalin alone conjures up enough of an idea of how evil he must have been, to be comparable. Not to mention Trotsky, Lenin etc. Genocide and even torture of c25 million ethnic Russian Orthodox, then approximately another c25 million in Holodomer for starters. Horrendous isn't a strong enough word.
Again, not many pl accounts. Maybe too terrible to face remembering.

Same with Japanese POW's. A lot of one time POW's of Germany, Italy, Britain etc were able to tell of their experiences, but very few who had been Japanese POW's in WWII could bring themselves to much speak of what was done to them. The memory wipe between lives is no doubt very necessary for those who suffered extreme trauma. I wouldn't want anyone to remember such horror.

Best wishes,

Angie

Yeah. It is a fair comparison of character, but not in the same scale at all.

Trauma... I don't believe in emotional trauma. Thus it does not affect me unless I let it. I don't understand why people let themselves be broken like that. I used to feel traumas but then stopped because of how inhibiting and impractical it is. Life takes enough energy as it is, without the painful wallowing and self-pity. I have been tortured and killed in every way imaginable. I have had lots of bad times in this life as well. Uncommonly so for a modern person. It passes and then it is over. Why worry over it if you can't change it? I guess they call it being blasé or desensitized. But I prefer it. I reserve and direct my feelings and sensitivity towards family and people who deserve it. Family and friends can upset me greatly and cause trauma, because they are inside the walls. Not that I don't also have a main Keep inside the walls. But you get the picture. One must build walls and be like a fortress. Otherwise one gets hurt constantly and never heal and one cannot be useful in that kind of state. It is far better to not care about external people or their actions, unless they bother you enough for you to sally forth from your castle and crush them. A man in a castle with layers of walls could be lonely, but it is far better being restrictive than being broken down, weak and of no use to anyone. In such a state, one cannot serve any cause or purpose. I do not believe we come into this world to be weak or liabilities. If that happens, it should be cured or ended. Just my barbaric opinion. As usual.

 

[Jim78]

That's just because you haven't reaped what you've sown yet Ritter. You sound very naive to me. I hope that goes well for you.

 

[Angie Brown]

Yeah. It is a fair comparison of character, but not in the same scale at all.

Trauma... I don't believe in emotional trauma. Thus it does not affect me unless I let it. I don't understand why people let themselves be broken like that. I used to feel traumas but then stopped because of how inhibiting and impractical it is. Life takes enough energy as it is, without the painful wallowing and self-pity. I have been tortured and killed in every way imaginable. I have had lots of bad times in this life as well. Uncommonly so for a modern person. It passes and then it is over. Why worry over it if you can't change it? I guess they call it being blasé or desensitized. But I prefer it. I reserve and direct my feelings and sensitivity towards family and people who deserve it. Family and friends can upset me greatly and cause trauma, because they are inside the walls. Not that I don't also have a main Keep inside the walls. But you get the picture. One must build walls and be like a fortress. Otherwise one gets hurt constantly and never heal and one cannot be useful in that kind of state. It is far better to not care about external people or their actions, unless they bother you enough for you to sally forth from your castle and crush them. A man in a castle with layers of walls could be lonely, but it is far better being restrictive than being broken down, weak and of no use to anyone. In such a state, one cannot serve any cause or purpose. I do not believe we come into this world to be weak or liabilities. If that happens, it should be cured or ended. Just my barbaric opinion. As usual.

I doubt any of us are born that tough, and few become that tough when young. Toughness comes from experience, which takes at least some years growing up. The walls you have built seem to be so large that I would think, without you having said, that you built them as a result of much pain and disappointment. Disillusion. Some might think the walls were built from selfishness, but selfish people are generally narcissists and don't truly care about those closest to themselves. You clearly do care about your family.
Whether in pl's, this life or all lives it is clear you built particularly large walls to protect yourself and to survive. That can make a person seem more harsh and brittle than they really are. I expect you come across a fair few people at work and generally who think you are anti-social, when in fact you are being a mental and emotional survivalist in the best way you know how. Most of us build some walls, albeit not so large.
Mine 'walls' are more like canal gates, that I can open to different extents and close again quite quickly. That suits me better than something hard and immovable.

Well, we certainly don't agree on everything but we knew that by the start of my entry into this thread. I also know nothing about Japanese Samurai other than what I have read on this forum. I respect your own and other members knowledge and memories though. I take it you have no bent against returning again. Do you have any idea what you would like your next life to be?

Best wishes,

Angie

 

[Ritter]

I doubt any of us are born that tough, and few become that tough when young. Toughness comes from experience, which takes at least some years growing up. The walls you have built seem to be so large that I would think, without you having said, that you built them as a result of much pain and disappointment. Disillusion. Some might think the walls were built from selfishness, but selfish people are generally narcissists and don't truly care about those closest to themselves. You clearly do care about your family.
Whether in pl's, this life or all lives it is clear you built particularly large walls to protect yourself and to survive. That can make a person seem more harsh and brittle than they really are. I expect you come across a fair few people at work and generally who think you are anti-social, when in fact you are being a mental and emotional survivalist in the best way you know how. Most of us build some walls, albeit not so large.
Mine 'walls' are more like canal gates, that I can open to different extents and close again quite quickly. That suits me better than something hard and immovable.

Well, we certainly don't agree on everything but we knew that by the start of my entry into this thread. I also know nothing about Japanese Samurai other than what I have read on this forum. I respect your own and other members knowledge and memories though. I take it you have no bent against returning again. Do you have any idea what you would like your next life to be?

Best wishes,

Angie

Exactly. But it is possible to reprogram oneself. To attach other or no response to stimuli. If one does not attach pain and trauma to something which is over in minutes, hours, days and so on after it is over, it dissipates quickly. While still being hell for a while, it does not remain long. Like last year's snow. If the sun is shining, there is food for everyone, everyone are well, we have a roof over our heads, a gun at my side and friends nearby; life is good. Getting dragged down by something that happened long ago seems strange.

Strangely, I am not viewed as anti-social in my work environment. I walked in once and overheard a discussion about me. They were sitting around a table drinking coffee. Everyone was saying what a standup guy I was and I hollered "thanks!" from behind the corner after having gloated for a minute or two. It felt pretty good, because they thought I had gone home and talked honestly. It is seldom one gets to hear people talk about them like that.

Anyway. I would only be 'anti-social' to someone on the enemy side. Liberals, communists, etc. There are none in my work force. We got rid of the few there were years ago. The jargon of my colleagues is at times far less civilized than my own. I am viewed as moderate and reserved, benevolent and good at what I do. Apparently.

 

[Angie Brown]

Exactly. But it is possible to reprogram oneself. To attach other or no response to stimuli. If one does not attach pain and trauma to something which is over in minutes, hours, days and so on after it is over, it dissipates quickly. While still being hell for a while, it does not remain long. Like last year's snow. If the sun is shining, there is food for everyone, everyone are well, we have a roof over our heads, a gun at my side and friends nearby; life is good. Getting dragged down by something that happened long ago seems strange.

Strangely, I am not viewed as anti-social in my work environment. I walked in once and overheard a discussion about me. They were sitting around a table drinking coffee. Everyone was saying what a standup guy I was and I hollered "thanks!" from behind the corner after having gloated for a minute or two. It felt pretty good, because they thought I had gone home and talked honestly. It is seldom one gets to hear people talk about them like that.

Anyway. I would only be 'anti-social' to someone on the enemy side. Liberals, communists, etc. There are none in my work force. We got rid of the few there were years ago. The jargon of my colleagues is at times far less civilized than my own. I am viewed as moderate and reserved, benevolent and good at what I do. Apparently.

I think a lot of people suffer depression due to not enough or too much introspection. We have to have a balance and find the healthy midway point that best suits ourselves. The same for introspection in relation to events, whether good or bad.

If you returned as a peacemaker rather than a warrior type, do you have a country/culture of preference where you believe it would be the most possible to achieve the most through negotiation rather than fighting?

Best wishes,

Angie

 

[Ritter]

I think a lot of people suffer depression due to not enough or too much introspection. We have to have a balance and find the healthy midway point that best suits ourselves. The same for introspection in relation to events, whether good or bad.

If you returned as a peacemaker rather than a warrior type, do you have a country/culture of preference where you believe it would be the most possible to achieve the most through negotiation rather than fighting?

Best wishes,

Angie

I would rather not live.

 

[Angie Brown]

I would rather not live.

Well, I don't know what to make of that, but then again I don't have to understand it. You understand the reasons, and that's what matters.

Best wishes,

Angie

 

[Ritter]

Well, I don't know what to make of that, but then again I don't have to understand it. You understand the reasons, and that's what matters.

Best wishes,

Angie

War creates men such as:
Spartans
Vikings (whose elite were Berserkers, Úlfhednar and the Svinfylking warrior societies)
Romans
Samurai
The Waffen SS
The Knights Templar

And countless others. War begets strength, honor, heroism, innovasion and faith.

War is the fire that smelts the ore into iron and which hardens the steel. Both peace and war can be had for too long. A good war is a short war with few civilian casualties and famine. It strengthens and hopefully expands the nation of the victorious warrior culture. If it were to drag on forever, it will however deplete resources and damage the gene pool by losing the best men. Spartans had a rule that only men with children fight, and that is very sensible. It avoids the gradual destruction of the warrior caste. View war like a form of training. It is indeed as stressor, much like weight lifting. You cannot do it for a very long time and expect it to be good for you. If you combine it with periods of rest and proper nutrition, it will however be to your benefit. War is training, peace is rest and faith is nutrition.

Without one war in every generation, a people grows weak and soon drifts into the sort of frivolous crap that defines the modern world.

I never want an eternal peace on earth, it would be the greatest form of misery and would devolve the human species into something far worse than greedy bankers and slimy salesmen. If there would be no more wars, I am certain that we would die out in a matter of centuries.

Any warrior would know this. Samurai, Spartan, Roman or otherwise. I have known it before, and I know it now.

I love war. No two ways about it.

On the other hand, even I must admit that modern war has turned into an abomination. I think that is part of why civilization must be ended. If it goes on and we have peace forever, we become unworthy of life or die out. If we keep evolving evermore terrible weapons of mass destruction, we also become extinct. The third way for Nature or God, is to get rid of civilization and technology. A Great Reset. As I view it, this is by far the more likely scenario. When this happens and when the turmoil has settled, we are once again free to have a world full of splendid warrior cultures.

I have seen the downsides, yes. But even then, I would rather have war than no war. I would rather fight and lose than to never have fought at all.

 

[Jim78]

War begets other things too Ritter.

A true warrior has a conscience. They have compassion. They have humanity. These are the things a warrior sacrifices on the altar of war. They sacrifice it in the heat of battle. These are the things many warriors find hard to deal with. I guess you would call them weak. They aren't weak. They've sacrificed their humanity for the betterment of others and exist in a netherworld no mere civilian could comprehend.

I existed for millennia in a state of justification. The means justified the end. But now I see the spiral of hell...the cycle of death and perpetual evil that conflict creates. It expands exponentially across history and consumes everything.

War might make a man of a boy but in the divine light we are all but children...hitting each other...causing pain to each other and justifying it because we are on the side of 'good'. All sides do it. They exist in a realm of justification. A mass delusion that their way is the best way and woe betide anyone that stands in their way.

War is madness. Its mans attempt to martial chaos. Its arrogance. Its mans inhumanity to man and while its true warriors display courage under fire, nobility, sacrifice, brotherhood and many other things, that's chicken feed compared to what war does to man.

What I've learned is that the warrior has to answer for his actions before all that is just the same as the most yellow quivering coward does. We are all equal in the divine light.

The only question for a warrior is, are you willing to sacrifice yourself on the altar of peace?

I remember once, literally just before I remembered reincarnation, quoting Bob Dylan. I said "Put my guns in the ground, I can't shoot them anymore. That cold black cloud is coming down, I feel I'm knocking on Heavens door. I surrender!" Then I found out I've been a warrior throughout my existence.

Once I surrendered I saw all this about war whereas before I was a fool. That's my karma. To experience hell for all the 'heroics' I've done.

I doubt I'm special. It seems to me that the lesson 'combating evil creates evil' is on the cards for every warrior soul.

We ain't special us warriors. We are just children. I was forged in the fires of war and I'm consumed by the breadth of my humanity.

Its about time says I. I spent too many lives thinking that you can't make an omellete without breaking a few eggs and sleeping soundly at night. Celebrating my victories. Thinking there were necessary evils. Justifying everything.

Eventually one runs out of justification.

Just my opinion and experience of course.

 

[Klaud]

War creates men such as:
Spartans
Vikings (whose elite were Berserkers, Úlfhednar and the Svinfylking warrior societies)
Romans
Samurai
The Waffen SS
The Knights Templar

And countless others. War begets strength, honor, heroism, innovasion and faith.

War is the fire that smelts the ore into iron and which hardens the steel. Both peace and war can be had for too long. A good war is a short war with few civilian casualties and famine. It strengthens and hopefully expands the nation of the victorious warrior culture. If it were to drag on forever, it will however deplete resources and damage the gene pool by losing the best men. Spartans had a rule that only men with children fight, and that is very sensible. It avoids the gradual destruction of the warrior caste. View war like a form of training. It is indeed as stressor, much like weight lifting. You cannot do it for a very long time and expect it to be good for you. If you combine it with periods of rest and proper nutrition, it will however be to your benefit. War is training, peace is rest and faith is nutrition.

Without one war in every generation, a people grows weak and soon drifts into the sort of frivolous crap that defines the modern world.

I never want an eternal peace on earth, it would be the greatest form of misery and would devolve the human species into something far worse than greedy bankers and slimy salesmen. If there would be no more wars, I am certain that we would die out in a matter of centuries.

Any warrior would know this. Samurai, Spartan, Roman or otherwise. I have known it before, and I know it now.

I love war. No two ways about it.

On the other hand, even I must admit that modern war has turned into an abomination. I think that is part of why civilization must be ended. If it goes on and we have peace forever, we become unworthy of life or die out. If we keep evolving evermore terrible weapons of mass destruction, we also become extinct. The third way for Nature or God, is to get rid of civilization and technology. A Great Reset. As I view it, this is by far the more likely scenario. When this happens and when the turmoil has settled, we are once again free to have a world full of splendid warrior cultures.

I have seen the downsides, yes. But even then, I would rather have war than no war. I would rather fight and lose than to never have fought at all.

I totally get where you're coming from. I really truly do, as I've spent many lives being a warrior myself. Some of my past selves would probably be in agreement with your line of thinking, as war was all they ever knew. Their whole lives revolved around survival, violence, and conquest. Some of their exploits were brutal enough to give Stephen King a run for his money.

It's easy to get caught up in the chaos and the sense of honor that may come along with war. That said, I have to respectfully disagree with your take on war being a good thing. Whatever can be gained from war is not worth all the bloodshed imo, and it keeps us from really growing as a whole. Where does ceaselessly fighting and dying for millennia truly get us in the end? We just keep repeating the same cycle time after time. Even the greatest of warriors can't keep going forever; eventually he'll have to put down his sword.

Honest question: who or what would you fight for? yourself? or some greater cause?

Personally, if I had to fight now, I'd want to fight for peace and prosperity. I've seen enough of my past lives to never want to willingly experience the horrors of war ever again. The very thought of that is beyond exhausting and it kind of makes me feel sick. Without conflict, we'll eventually stunt ourselves, but senseless violence isn't the answer.

 

[Speedwell]

It seems to me that the lesson 'combating evil creates evil' is on the cards for every warrior soul.

That reminds me of a saying,

"The tragedy of life is that we become what we oppose."​

I heard it from Dr Arthur Guirdham, though similar ideas have been expressed elsewhere.

It may mean different things to different people. For myself, it has meant a releasing, a letting go of unnecessary baggage, things which I carried within me which I thought I needed, but only served to weigh me down.

 

[Jim78]

Hi Speedwell. For me it means that in my pursuit of the fight against evil I became evil in action. Fighting evil is pissing against the wind IMO.

Ritter's overly romanticised view of war is not the reality. Its just the ideal a warrior aspires to. Its not realistic.

 

[Speedwell]

Yes Jim, I can relate to what you are saying. I think I (in this life) spent too long being opposed to many things, whether individual people or organisations large and small. At a personal level, I'm sure I created unnecessary harm to others, but when it comes to opposition to more abstract or distant things, the harm was only to myself. I see a pattern here from past life actions which had similar issues with both individual people as well as organisations or the ideas they stood for.

The problem here for me has been that although there may be real injustices and problems in the world, tackling them head on doesn't necessarily achieve what might have been hoped for. Even leaving aside the matter of what effect one may have externally, it can be self-destructive too. This latter, a possibly high-minded aim initially, becoming an act of self-harm is what concerns me. Since it was reflected in the past as well as in this life, it is definitely time to move on. That's what I meant by setting down unnecessary baggage.

 

[Jim78]

I hear you Speedwell. I too can relate to what you are saying.

Its amazing really. I've affected many souls through conflict. More than the average infantryman...yet at the end of the day all those souls I have affected have be 'reanimated', given amnesia and a new body and life. Its in the dim distant past for them and my crap has been landed in my own lap.

So I know what your saying, opposing things to extremes is certainly a form of self harm...a self destructive impulse. I am glad you brought up self destruction because I was a slave to it in my youth and I had thought I'd outgrown it. I thought as an adult I had risen up, overcome and been the best a man could be. But I was ignorant. I was simply engaging in a more insidious form of self destruction.

One can see in the poems I wrote as a teen accurate predictions of how I would feel in my late thirties. That's because I felt the same at both stages of my life, although as an adult on a deeper level... I was and am consumed by a self destructive impulse.

 

[landsend]

Having seen war from different angles, different lives and considering my current life is reaping the bad seeds of my last life, I can see the truth in both Ritter’s and Jim’s outlook.

Ritter is right on certain points, our current society needs a shake up. Mindless consumerism, the shallowness of the majority. The core which is rotten, full of greed. We may not be fighting an arms war, but a different type of war is ongoing, one that seeks to rid of us all our liberties and maintain control over the masses. We do live in a kind of modern slavery. I studied graphic design in college and it taught me that at every opportunity modern humans are being psychologically and psychically controlled. Unless you live in a cave you will be manipulated in some way or form.

Jim, I also know that two wrongs don’t make a right, and mindless killing and barbaric behaviours is not the way forward. A peaceful action is always preferred — but I know humans. I know those who want to maintain control will do so at any cost. Spouting the evils of warfare won’t stop the inevitable from coming. It saddens me, deeply troubles me. Unless there is a universal shift in consciousness, then the war sails are on the horizon I’m afraid. And I am afraid. In my last life I worked on anti-nuke radar missile technologies and we were trained and knew the all out destruction capabilities of our modern technologies. I still carry that fear.

What can we do? I feel a need in me to fight for freedom and justice. Part of wanting to share my reincarnation story is in the vain hope it might wake a few people up in the process.

 

[Jim78]

Hi landsend.

I agree on modern society. I agreed so much just over five years ago I was given the opportunity to institute grand scale change. I thought civilisation needed a shake up too...it does. Yet what I did, what I uncovered, would have affected every man woman and child on Earth. In that moment I realised something. Man isn't ready and man hasn't been ready since the first atom bomb went off at White Sands. We now have the capacity to destroy ourselves. We are infants with the big guns. Someone had to make the correct decision and I envisioned that such an all consuming, all encompassing war was not the correct decision. So I surrendered. I put down my guns and let the evils of the world continue to happen because I would have created a greater evil by opposing it.

I'm not spouting the evils of warfare to change anyone's mind though. I actually wrote that post last night with the Brothers link because I had to get it off my chest. What Ritter said disturbed me but not for the usual reason some of what he says disturbs me. I knew exactly what he meant ( except I don't love war, I just thrive on it, it invigorates me ).

As much as Ritter disturbs me with his outlook I could see myself in that post of his as I was up until a small number of years ago. It reminded me that EVERYONE thinks they are fighting evil.

Five years ago I thought I was fighting pure evil...I discovered I was fighting innocence. I was humbled. I realised that this world as it is, for all it's flaws, for all it's horrors, is the best world that humanity can muster right now. I can't rattle the cage of a people capable of such destruction as our species is now capable of and expect good to come from it.

It took the weight of the world on my shoulders to realise that and while I don't think I've been given my lesson to go out and preach it to the masses I do hope that eventually humanity will arrive at a time of wisdom where war is seen as a futile endeavour and I hope that happens before we destroy ourselves.

I'm not an idealist though. It won't be an easy road and indeed a humanity capable of peace and not conflict may seem like an alien species to us primitives.

Maybe that's why God keeps giving us life after life. He keeps giving us chances because He has faith in us even when we don't.

 

[fireflydancing]

Last year my husband was asleep in his bed and he looked so cute, I couldn't stop myself giving him a kiss on his lips. Well, last time I ever did this. He woke up confused and started to beat me in my face. I was hurt very much, in my face and in my heart. I didn't hold him responsible for this reflex. He's out of the war for more than 30 years....

I hadn't thought about this for a long time. We had gone through a lot of PTSS, rages, and depressions. Apparently, this combat mode never dies out completely.

All people who are alive right now have had their fair share in warfare, whether it was in past lives or whether it's in this life. We've been soldiers, we've been the victims.
I think it's very sick to be in love with war. Sick, because it's a very egotistical point of view: your soul might love it, but you cannot perform this hobby without doing deep damage to so many other people.

In war zones, children grow up without proper education. In my husbands family, it's now the second generation.
I am a teacher in my country for refugees. Trauma is an invisible injury that will be carried for a long time, probably lifelong. It inhibits people to study or to connect to others on a deep level.

This trauma also carries on through lives. In my small family of four, we've all been affected by war, in this life or our former ones. Both my children talked about being killed in wartime and they were very difficult to raise. There was a lot of trauma to be healed in the past 25 years and I am not sure we're finished yet. 'War' has always been my blind and stupid enemy in this life. There is hardly a good cause for war, it's always about power and resources.

Yep, the self-proclaimed warriors might enjoy their battles but it's up to the rest of us to clean up the mess. They won't.
Others will heave to build up the cities, plow the fields again and heal the wounds. And on top of that, they will be called weak and almost useless in the eye of the 'warriors souls' because they don't share their fascination for destruction.

I am realistic and I do realize that we cannot undo the military tomorrow morning. I wouldn't even vote for this because that would be highly irresponsible. At the same time, there is nothing that prevents us from striving towards economic and political peace in this world. And the idiots who want the thrills of war should stick to their video games.

 

[landsend]

Last year my husband was asleep in his bed and he looked so cute, I couldn't stop myself giving him a kiss on his lips. Well, last time I ever did this. He woke up confused and started to beat me in my face. I was hurt very much, in my face and in my heart. I didn't hold him responsible for this reflex. He's out of the war for more than 30 years....

I hadn't thought about this for a long time. We had gone through a lot of PTSS, rages, and depressions. Apparently, this combat mode never dies out completely.

All people who are alive right now have had their fair share in warfare, whether it was in past lives or whether it's in this life. We've been soldiers, we've been the victims.
I think it's very sick to be in love with war. Sick, because it's a very egotistical point of view: your soul might love it, but you cannot perform this hobby without doing deep damage to so many other people.

In war zones, children grow up without proper education. In my husbands family, it's now the second generation.
I am a teacher in my country for refugees. Trauma is an invisible injury that will be carried for a long time, probably lifelong. It inhibits people to study or to connect to others on a deep level.

This trauma also carries on through lives. In my small family of four, we've all been affected by war, in this life or our former ones. Both my children talked about being killed in wartime and they were very difficult to raise. There was a lot of trauma to be healed in the past 25 years and I am not sure we're finished yet. 'War' has always been my blind and stupid enemy in this life. There is hardly a good cause for war, it's always about power and resources.

Yep, the self-proclaimed warriors might enjoy their battles but it's up to the rest of us to clean up the mess. They won't.
Others will heave to build up the cities, plow the fields again and heal the wounds. And on top of that, they will be called weak and almost useless in the eye of the 'warriors souls' because they don't share their fascination for destruction.

I am realistic and I do realize that we cannot undo the military tomorrow morning. I wouldn't even vote for this because that would be highly irresponsible. At the same time, there is nothing that prevents us from striving towards economic and political peace in this world. And the idiots who want the thrills of war should stick to their video games.

Firefly, I totally agree with you. I myself am still trying to heal from the wounds of war, it still affects my relations with others and has shaped my whole life. Also having family members who have past lives in war, including my three year old daughter who nearly every day tells me how ‘fireworks’ scare her.

What I struggle w/ is looking at the current climate of the world, our leaders... the current trends toward madness. But also the widening gap between poor and rich. These are things which are deeply disturbing. The question is, can the imbalances of our society be solved without war?

I hope it can. But looking honestly st our track record as a species makes me doubtful.

Jim, I understand what you mean about the other side always being the evil ones. In Vietnam it was the same, it was imperialist aggressors vs communist gooks. Of course, what really happened was that Vietnam became a common ground for both USSR and USA to wage their war and avoid all out nuclear destruction. At the cost of millions of lives.

It’s difficult and not a black and white issue. I don’t agree that all warrior types are aggressors, or that physical aggression is always the answer. I do believe in ultimately standing up for justice, truth and protecting weak and vulnerable. That doesn’t have to mean picking up arms.

 

[Jim78]

Hi landsend.

When I lay down my arms I also found an economic solution to the widening gap between poor and rich. I basically made it more profitable for the powerful to increase the money available to the poor. That was thanks to Collins. Jim's never studied economics.

I attempted to find a peaceable solution to my countries issues. It would correct any imbalances within the economy. It was about keeping the economic ship afloat. It would take a leader with a firm hand on the rudder to do that.

I am dismayed though, that already politicians are dipping into the rainy day fund. The whole point of what I did was to create a reservoir of money and keep it on a targeted virtuous path.

Unfortunately, already, politicians need to score brownie points and shortsightedness might foul up my ideas. One politician in particular I'm particularly dismayed with, because he saw better than anyone else what I proposed...yet he is now in opposition to the government and seeking approval. Its all very foolish.

I don't really want to get into it further though. I'm not confident I still retain Collins economic knowledge. It may have been a one off...a moment of inspiration.

 

[fireflydancing]

It’s difficult and not a black and white issue. I don’t agree that all warrior types are aggressors, or that physical aggression is always the answer. I do believe in ultimately standing up for justice, truth and protecting weak and vulnerable. That doesn’t have to mean picking up arms.

As I said, I am realistic. We cannot disturb the power balance in the world without having a Plan B and Plan C. Those plans involve education, trade and mutual respect. Yep, a long way to go. As an individual, it is not our task to do this alone. In fact, this process should be carried by the humans as a collective. I do my share with the tools I have. I've been a role model for a lot of people, not being perfect, but showing my way of life. I've become a good dancer, dancing between cultures and religions always trying to find the common grounds we walk upon, instead of raising conflict.
This is not easy and also requires warrior properties without slamming down people.
Just as recent as two days ago, I found myself in an almost explosive religious discussion. I stopped the discussion, asked every person one by one the meaning of Respect in their culture or religion and (believe it or not) everyone nodded. Also the fanatics.
So I said, ok first Respect, and now we can continue the discussion.

 

[Jim78]

I agree fireflydancing. A warrior without a vision, a plan or a goal is a fool. If one wants to shake up the status quo it must be with an eye on structure not for anarchy and chaos IMO.

 

[Angie Brown]

Last year my husband was asleep in his bed and he looked so cute, I couldn't stop myself giving him a kiss on his lips. Well, last time I ever did this. He woke up confused and started to beat me in my face. I was hurt very much, in my face and in my heart. I didn't hold him responsible for this reflex. He's out of the war for more than 30 years....

I hadn't thought about this for a long time. We had gone through a lot of PTSS, rages, and depressions. Apparently, this combat mode never dies out completely.

All people who are alive right now have had their fair share in warfare, whether it was in past lives or whether it's in this life. We've been soldiers, we've been the victims.
I think it's very sick to be in love with war. Sick, because it's a very egotistical point of view: your soul might love it, but you cannot perform this hobby without doing deep damage to so many other people.

In war zones, children grow up without proper education. In my husbands family, it's now the second generation.
I am a teacher in my country for refugees. Trauma is an invisible injury that will be carried for a long time, probably lifelong. It inhibits people to study or to connect to others on a deep level.

This trauma also carries on through lives. In my small family of four, we've all been affected by war, in this life or our former ones. Both my children talked about being killed in wartime and they were very difficult to raise. There was a lot of trauma to be healed in the past 25 years and I am not sure we're finished yet. 'War' has always been my blind and stupid enemy in this life. There is hardly a good cause for war, it's always about power and resources.

Yep, the self-proclaimed warriors might enjoy their battles but it's up to the rest of us to clean up the mess. They won't.
Others will heave to build up the cities, plow the fields again and heal the wounds. And on top of that, they will be called weak and almost useless in the eye of the 'warriors souls' because they don't share their fascination for destruction.

I am realistic and I do realize that we cannot undo the military tomorrow morning. I wouldn't even vote for this because that would be highly irresponsible. At the same time, there is nothing that prevents us from striving towards economic and political peace in this world. And the idiots who want the thrills of war should stick to their video games.

Yes.