What is the definition of a Warrior?

[Maxx]

Hi, all. I've been thinking about this topic for years and have just now decided to get some input from various people on this topic. In your minds, what constitutes a Warrior as martial artists would interpret the term.

My personal beliefs and opinions have changed a great deal over the past few decades. I think at some point in time, we all like to think of ourselves as warriors. That is simply one of the more romantic notions of training in the martial arts. There is a sense of strength, honor and loyalty associated with the term "Warrior" and by labeling ourselves as such it gives us a sense greatness. We are no longer ordinary.

In my early 20's I used to fancy myself a "Warrior". But after years of reflection I've changed my opinion. I am not a Warrior. I have never been to war. True, I have fought hard in the past, have conquered adversity in my training and tried to remain strong in the face of many obstacles which I was confronted by, but I no longer feel that those qualities and the strengths I've developed as a result categorize me as a "Warrior".

I should mention though that I am not necessarily looking at the term "Warrior" as a romantic ideal as many martial artists do. There are many qualities that we as martial artists would associate with being a warrior that other people and culture might not. Not all warriors follow a code of ethics or adhere to a strict set of moral values as most martial artists do. Some warriors just fight.

What do you think? Are we warriors or are we not? Have we romanticized the notion of what a warrior is and associated ourselves with this ideal to make ourselves feel unique and unordinary?

Your thoughts.

[Blue Wave Gym]

A warrior faces death every day, a solider or marine or sailor or airman are warriors, not fighters or martial artists who are nothing by comparison, I'd classify shaloin-warrior and brewer as warroirs, my cousin too. As for me I'm just a guy trying to put a much distance between me and violence and negativity as possible, can you say positive contributions to the world class. I'd never be so arrogant to refer to myself as a "warrior" or fighting in a ring as "combat" to do so would only insult those guys and what they do for all of us.

[Blue Wave Gym]

Not all warriors follow a code of ethics or adhere to a strict set of moral values as most martial artists do. Some warriors just fight.
[/QUOTE]
some fighters just fight too, as for a strict set of moral values as most martial artists do, where the hell have you been training? cause I ain't seen that at all, hang aroud the fight game and some schools and you'll run into some slimy people that you better not turn your back on!!!!!

[Maxx]

I've actually trained for over 30 years and have trained with a lot of people over that time. I've had the opportunity to work with a lot of different people both in traditional and reality based systems and the majority of them were good people who had a sense of honor, dignity and knew the difference between right and wrong. Granted, there are always a few jack offs in every gym, but I'm glad to say they were in the minority.

[Maidenfan]

Someone who "wars" or just fights to kill the other side for no reason but to protect his home. This is just one mans guess.

[Hardball]

Bibliography:

The Art of War--Sun Tuz (sp)
The Book of 5 Rings- Myamoto Mushashi
Living the Martial Way--Some officer in the military who's name escapes me
Bushido-The Code of the Samauri

The warrior is someone who is skilled at war. The warrior is skilled with many different types of weapons and some are skilled at un armed combat.

[BoarSpear]

Originally Posted by Hardball

Bibliography:

The Art of War--Sun Tuz (sp)
The Book of 5 Rings- Myamoto Mushashi
Living the Martial Way--Some officer in the military who's name escapes me
Bushido-The Code of the Samauri

The warrior is someone who is skilled at war. The warrior is skilled with many different types of weapons and some are skilled at un armed combat.

living the martial way was wriiten by Forrest E Morgan.

See the thread, "books every warrior should own"...for more suggestions or to perhaps add your own to the list.

BTW, Nice suggestions, Hardball Especially Living the Martial way...If you want to know what a warrior is, or you want to understand what honor is, read this book.

[Hardball]

Originally Posted by BoarSpear

living the martial way was wriiten by Forrest E Morgan.

See the thread, "books every warrior should own"...for more suggestions or to perhaps add your own to the list.

BTW, Nice suggestions, Hardball Especially Living the Martial way...If you want to know what a warrior is, or you want to understand what honor is, read this book.

Thanks for the assist, that was a great book By Colonel Morgan. I believe I got his rank right?

[BoarSpear]

Originally Posted by Hardball

Thanks for the assist, that was a great book By Colonel Morgan. I believe I got his rank right?

MAJOR, mistake ......USAF

[Kenpodog]

"The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that the warrior takes everything as a challenge while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse."

-- Juan Matus, Tales of Power, by Carlos Castaneda

[Maxx]

Those are all interesting observations. Something that I'm curious about though. Are these things that people have thought of warriors throughout the course of history or are they relatively modern interpretations. There are many types of "warriors" throughout history. Viking warriors that ravaged and pillaged, Greek warriors who entered the city of Troy and slew most of the inhabitants while they were sleeping, Roman Centurians, Mongol warriors, the Samurai of Japan as well as American World War II and Nazi German warriors.

Surely not all of these categories match what we currently view as warriors... at least not in the over romanticized sense.

[robertlee]

In the martial arts one would train to be the warrior. So at such time needed he may use those tools as needed. But yet live alife that exposes peace first over all things. A warrior in anything Hopes for peace . strives towartds wisdom and self understanding. Just during the time of need does a warrior expose his trade to another. That trade in the M/a is the training one may spend a life time doing and may but 1 time every use in real life. A warrior should be a man of peace first by training for violence he becomes aware of both sides and in war the need is to bring about a certion peace. And maintian the safety and trust in ones self and family. In a way you learn to know of war to have an understanding of peace. As in just a fight not to death you understand to defeat a person in battle so that later that person may become a allie a friend perhaps. never to fight with agin. In the ring you war then praise your oppnoent in the end as peace now is the method victory or lose So I guess A warrior to me is a person first a warrior as needed.

[Maxx]

The points that you guys are making are certainly valid and important for those who practice martial arts or sports and I also feel that we attribute these same qualities to our own perceptions of what warriors are. But is that how warriors have always been viewed.

If you look across history you come across some pretty nasty individuals that were classified as warriors but did not adhere to the same moral and ethical values that we often feel that the warrior embodies. Even the Samurai, probably the best known of all warriors to have followed a strict code of ethics, was at times guilty of some rather heinous conduct.

[Tant01]

"A warrior is judjed by the quality of his enemies, a man by the quality of his friends".


Wish I knew where I heard that?

[Hermosa]

The following are some quotes that have caught my eye and that I have written down over the last 5 or 6 years on warriorship. Though, I openly apologize that I not always got the name or source of who spoke it...

"Warrior: -one who is always striving for self-mastery, to improve himself and better serve his goals"

"The true warriors' power arises from a source of self-knowledge."

"WAR..we have so confused ourselves, that on the streets we call it murder; yet sanctify it as duty when enacted on the battlefield."

"try to understand how to be a warrior..without being warful"--R S Heckler.

"War is too often, but a spectacular expression of our everyday lives"--J Krishnamurti

Martial Arts Philosophy Of Ueshiba O sensei.
--A spiritual path that teaches people to bring their spirit into harmony with the universal spirit. Encouraging this practice, I envision the possibility of people participating in shaping a world of harmony, right action, and compassion. Through this ideal...there is created a proto-type for a new warrior...One able in self-defense, but dedicated to working with others without violence.

"The warrior is commited to the resolution of conflict and this begins by first resolving it within oneself." --J Stevens

"True power is the result of flexibility, harmony and relaxation; of knowing that violence never solves a conflict and at the fundamental level we all belong to one familiy"--O Sensei

"Integrity, Authenticity, and Self-mastery..these 3 qualities continue to find their way to the head of the modern warriors list!"--unknown

I think that Warrior is someone who has conquered fear and lives fearlessly. This makes him/her one of the most peaceful people there can be. Violence arises out of fear, no fear=no need for violence. Hence, the way of the peaceful warrior.

So any way, some food for thought