The Soldier

Zeno was the founder of the Stoic school of philosophy, which he taught in Athens from about 300 BC. Based on the moral ideas of the Cynics, Stoicism laid great emphasis on goodness and peace of mind gained from living a life of Virtue in accordance with Nature.

According to its teachings, as social beings, the path to happiness for humans is found in accepting the moment as it presents itself, by not allowing oneself to be controlled by whim, the desire for pleasure, or fear of pain, by using one’s mind to understand the world and to do one’s part in nature’s plan, and by working together and treating others fairly and justly.

Stoicism would have influenced the Roman Soldier.

Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD) shows his clemency towards the vanquished after his success against Germanic tribes. Marcus Aurelius wrote a book titled Meditations and today it is available as an Audiobook.

Tomoe (c. 1157 - 1247) was especially beautiful, with white skin, long hair, and charming features. She was also a remarkably strong archer, and as a swordswoman she was a warrior worth a thousand, ready to confront a demon or a god, mounted or on foot. She handled unbroken horses with superb skill; she rode unscathed down perilous descents. Whenever a battle was imminent, Yoshinaka sent her out as his first captain, equipped with strong armor, an oversized sword, and a mighty bow; and she performed more deeds of valor than any of his other warriors.

Where a Hunter had to be a hunter or perish, becoming a soldier was almost optional. A soldier needed training, skill and wisdom to survive into retirement. A soldier, also needed a tribe as not to live in isolation.

It is in the wisdom of warriors returning from hell of war, that we find hard earned inspiration and strength; because there isn't a soldier that does not ask "Why am I in hell?".

One of the most important lessons to take away from this, is that a soldier is saved inside out, not outside in.

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A truly brave man is ever serene; he is never taken by surprise; nothing ruffles the equanimity of his spirit. In the heat of battle he remains cool; in the midst of catastrophes he keeps level his mind. Earthquakes do not shake him, he laughs at storms. We admire him as truly great, who, in the menacing presence of danger or death, retains his self-possession; who, for instance, can compose a poem under impending peril or hum a strain in the face of death. Such indulgence betraying no tremor in the writing or in the voice, is taken as an infallible index of a large nature - of what we call a capacious mind, which, far from being pressed or crowded, has always room for something more.

Righteousness

Be acutely honest throughout your dealings with all people. Believe in justice, not from other people, but from yourself. To the true warrior, all points of view are deeply considered regarding honesty, justice and integrity. Warriors make a full commitment to their decisions.

Heroic Courage

Hiding like a turtle in a shell is not living at all. A true warrior must have heroic courage. It is absolutely risky. It is living life completely, fully and wonderfully. Heroic courage is not blind. It is intelligent and strong.

Benevolence, Compassion

Through intense training and hard work the true warrior becomes quick and strong. They are not as most people. They develop a power that must be used for good. They have compassion. They help their fellow men at every opportunity. If an opportunity does not arise, they go out of their way to find one.

Respect

True warriors have no reason to be cruel. They do not need to prove their strength. Warriors are not only respected for their strength in battle, but also by their dealings with others. The true strength of a warrior becomes apparent during difficult times.

Integrity

When warriors say that they will perform an action, it is as good as done. Nothing will stop them from completing what they say they will do. They do not have to ‘give their word’. They do not have to ‘promise’. Speaking and doing are the same action.

Honour

Warriors have only one judge of honor and character, and this is themselves. Decisions they make and how these decisions are carried out are a reflection of whom they truly are. You cannot hide from yourself.

Duty and Loyalty

Warriors are responsible for everything that they have done and everything that they have said, and all of the consequences that follow. They are immensely loyal to all of those in their care. To everyone that they are responsible for, they remain fiercely true.

Self-Control

Warriors feel more than others. This calmness of behavior and composure of mind is rooted in the choice of endurance without a groan, wisdom over ignorance, understanding over confrontation, love over anger, and unbreakability in the face of suffering and loneliness.

I understand restoring law and peace requires armed conflict when there is nothing else that can be done to help families feel safe.

I don't understand why bloody battles are necessary, why they cannot be prevented years before it is too late.

The greater battle is in crafting the strategy of deescalation, years, decades ahead.

The Greatest of Heroes, conspire to prevent conflict, and foster growth; by means of the Great Art of Fine Disregard for Rule.

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To help a family, you build a library, a school, a free university, you open borders, and give them aid.

You don't wait until it is too late, and call in the soldiers. War is Evil, War is Hell.

I think we can learn a great deal from Bryan Stevenson's words Our humanity depends on everyone's humanity.

We are one family, one people, there is no "them". It is just you, and me.

All cultures must leave bad ideas behind, and converge on wisdom.

Prevention.

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I think there was a hope that hard earned ideas won in hell of war would spread to no end in time. That, Knightly Virtues, Chivalry, Bushido, Stoicism, would grab a hold of Humanity and never let go, would never stop making us better and wiser. But even a meme has limitations, the gaps in schooling will end propagation of the most viral lessons, and poverty will return.

Poverty, Never Changes.

Police in Chicago are calling for tougher sentencing, the gangs are saying "I have kids, I need to put food on the table".

And one of the lessons we learn from this text is that "A human being is more than the worst thing they have ever done."

There is a class of soldier that is a product of their environment. Some are an emergent property of poverty. Maximization of survival, leads to the emergence of a self taught soldier.

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My friends, my heroes. The situation is only hopeless when we stand on the very bottom. When we rise, when we rise onto the shoulders of giants, things change.

The Hopelessness of Poverty becomes transformed into a Hope. It becomes yet another mission, a new challenge. It becomes a source of wisdom, a source of Great Power.

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Humanity. Dignity. Knowledge. Wisdom. Foresight. Convergence. Peace.

The Timeless & Unbreakable Family of Great Beings needs you.

Hopes for you.

And the future generations, will need your shoulders to stand on.

Rise to the challenge, become part of the thousands of years of hope, hope for Peace, World Peace.

Confident, and Unafraid.