Welcome All Ye Kind People To The Extraordinary Castle!
Tennis4You Forum's - Ye Olde Castle Volumes
Our Mission Statement:
"To be the most dedicated, loyal and fearsome warriors in battle. And to support our fellow warriors with encouragement, companionship and compassion in the face of all adversity. Our primary mission is to ensure peace, tranquility and harmony for all residents of the Castle."
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The Way of the Warrior at the Castle and Beyond
"the Castle's Bushido"
1.
Sacred Combat and Respect: In Aikido and other Eastern martial arts, you always bow to your opponent, as a way of expressing what your soul would like to declare: "
I honor and respect you as a worthy opponent, and value the opportunity to learn and grow through this combat with you." Honor and respect your fellow warriors but honor and respect your opponents even more for the opportunity to learn and grow.
2.
Uncompromising Integrity: A warrior’s character and his/her honor are steadfast. And his/her word is bond.
3.
Serve: A true warrior serves with honor on and off the battlefield.
4.
Excellence: Excel as warriors through discipline and relentless will.
5.
Preparation: Constantly train for battle and fight to win. Failure is never an option for the warrior. Be ready to lead at a moment’s notice.
6.
Reality: A warrior is always grounded in reality. A superficial warrior cannot see how things happen, even though the evidence is everywhere. But a warrior who is centered, conscious, and grounded in reality always has the deeper understanding. The ferocious dog bites the excited warrior. The conscious and centered warrior walks by unharmed. Being centered means having the ability to recover one’s balance. A centered warrior is simply not subject to passing whims or sudden excitements.
7.
Kindness: It is a known fact that the greatest martial arts are also the gentlest. They allow an adversary to fall down gently. A great warrior also does not rush into every battle. A great warrior offers his adversaries the opportunity to make crucial self-defeating errors.
8.
Live in the present: A warrior has reconciled the past, prepares for the future, but remains firmly entrenched in the present moment. A warrior does not see present experiences in the light of past experiences. Seeing the present through the eyes of the past is a way of remaining in the world of illusion. This is akin to viewing a sunset. Each one is different from the ones before it. Comparing the one being viewed now with past sunsets may detract from a warrior’s ability to fully experience it.
9.
Reflection: A warrior has to be able to analyze him/herself objectively and to think in a rational manner when engaging in a discussion and be willing to admit his/her own mistakes.
10.
Awakening: chillax with your fellow warriors at the Castle. trying to be too flashy suggests instability. Rushing to judgement gets you nowhere fast. Promoting yourself reveals your insecurity. A wise warrior knows that trying to appear brilliant is certainly not enlightened. In his book,
Shambala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Chogyam Trungpa defines warrior as "one who is brave". Bravery, among many things, also involves a willingness to let your defenses be exposed so we can open more fully to life. In Trungpa`s words, discovering fearlessness comes from working with the softness of the heart. So in that spirit, resolve to chillax, learn, and grow stronger from your interactions with your fellow warriors at the castle.
11.
Alliance of the Warriors: Consider yourself, each of you, as a warrior with only one wing. And you can only fly if you embrace each other. This is consistent with what the great warrior king, king Leonidas, also believed. He said that in the final analysis, we are only as good as the warrior next to us.
When two warriors move in the same direction, they forge a much deeper bond, based on encouraging each other to honor the sacred presence and basic goodness within them. This often proves to be an unbeatable combination in any battle. Then and only then can these warriors really appreciate their connection for what it is---an alliance of warriors. The castle is an alliance of warriors.
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If it's but only a dream
And things are not what they seem
Let's go on and fight
For that which is right
Manuel "Pfloyd"
For The Seafaring Warriors Who Travel At Night, Let This Guiding Light And The Beacon Of Hope Guide You Safely To The Castle
