Modern Yamabushi: The search for the modern Jedi

As a warrior, you take responsibility for holding the balance

 between light and dark within you and, by extension,

 
the world around you, and ultimately

 when you go deep enough, the universe.

 -Barefoot Doctor

The myth of the spiritual warrior permeates our folklore, our legends, and the very fabric of our religious systems. From the dawn of antiquity, the role of the spiritual warrior has been an integral part of every population. Stories of wondering monks, blind but agile acupuncturists, mythical Greek warriors who were to have descended from the gods, or the Knights Templar all characterize the personification of the warrior-monk. 

The position that the warrior-monk achieved throughout history has produced many legends, novels, stories and films. These legends have become entertainment for some, a passion for learning for others, but for a small minority, these legends have become a driving factor for self-improvement. A small number of scholars of spiritual mythology have found within the legend of the warrior-monk something far more tangible than bedtime stories (Jung, & Kere, 1949).

Seaweed Collecting

   With the weather finally coming around after a rough and wet winter, Anna and I finally found a day to bike down to the local sandy cove. We found three types of seaweed that we enjoy, but it was the Kelp that was the main focus of my search.