Inspiration by an Italian practicer

by Stefano Carlini translation by Yolanda

TO KNOW THE NAME OF THINGS AND NOT KNOW THEIR MEANING IS USELESS TO KNOW THE MEANING OF THINGS AND NOT KNOW THEIR NAME IS CONFUSION KNOW THE NAME OF THINGS AND NOT KNOW THEIR FUNCTION IS MISFORTUNE TO KNOW THE FUNCTION OF THINGS AND NOT KNOW THEIR NAME IS CONFUSION TO KNOW THE NAME OF THINGS AND THEIR MEANING IS USEFUL TO KNOW THE NAME OF THINGS, THEIR MEANING AND THEIRS FUNCTION IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE NAME OF THINGS, THEIR MEANING, THEIR FUNCTION, THEIR SPACE AND THEIR TIME IS WISE TO KNOW THE NAME OF THINGS, THEIR MEANING, THEIR FUNCTION, THEIR TIME, THEIR SPACE AND TO KNOW YOURSELF IS ILLUMINATING TO KNOW ALL THAT AND TRY TO TRANSMIT IT IS NOBLE AND ADMIRABLE BUT IS NOT ENOUGH SUCCEEDING TO BRING YOU CLOSER TO THE SUPREME MASTER TO BE ONE MEANS TO FOLLOW THE SUPREME WAY LIVE IT EVEN FOR A MOMENT, AN INSTANT REALIZES AIKISHIN
THE QUALITY AND THE JOY OF LIVING BE PRESENT WITH EVERY BREATH, AND YOU WILL FEEL THE ROAR OF THE SPIRIT SEEK YOUR REALIZATION IN EVERY GESTURE, AND YOU WILL FEEL THE JOY OF THE UNIVERSE PUT YOUR SPIRIT IN EVERY (each) STEP, AND YOU WILL FEEL THE STRENGTH OF SUN LOOK CAREFULLY EVERYTHING, AND YOU WILL FEEL THE GREATNESS OF NATURE TASTE EVERY INSTANT OF YOUR LIFE, AND YOU WILL FEEL THE POWER OF CREATION NOW SIT DOWN AND LISTEN:THIS SILENCE, ISN’T IT SUBLIME WONDERFUL? WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU DO, DON’T INTEREST ME, THAT YOU SHOULDN’T CARE ABOUT IT. IT IS ABOUT THE HOW, THE WHEN, AND THE REASON WHY THAT YOU NEED TO REFLECT/ THINK ABOUT IT SIMPLY LIVE YOURSELF AND DON’T LET YOU LIVE. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHICH ROAD YOU FOLLOW: THEY ALL LEAD TO THE ONE WAY/ UNIQUE WAY, THE WAY THAT MANY MEN HAVE TRAVELED FOR THOUSANDS YEARS PAY ATTENTION: THE PAST IS THE ONLY DEAD THING THAT SMELLS: THE PRESENT IS SO ALIVE THAT IT CAN DISAPPEAR BETWEEN THE FINGERS; THE FUTURE , YOU BUILD IT WITH THE TWO PREVIOUS/ OTHERS ONES IT IS NOT WITH THE MIND, NOT WITH THE SPIRIT, NOT WITH THE SOUL , NOT WITH THE BODY – WHERE ARE YOU? WHO ARE YOU? REMEMBER: IF EVERYTHING IS ILLUSION, BUT EVERYTHING IS EMPTY, THE ILLUSION WHERE?

CARLINI NYOHO STEFANO

A Private Japanese letter from the 17TH century (free interpretation of the thought of a 1600 sword master by a contemporary martial arts master,) Listen my son to the words of your father .. Hear them before the gods speak to you in your sleep. It’s dark outside, but the flame of wisdom still burns here, and I want to tell you a few things before you fall asleep. Great warriors have, in the past, held up the honor of the family. Now, in peacetime it will be your turn to honor your house. I fully used the spear and the sword in times of war, you will use them in times of peace. You will no longer have to duel, you will no longer have to kill , you will just have to be a righteous man, a just man, a loyal man. You will have to honor your relatives, your wife and your children, and whoever will turn to you will find advice, comfort, help, defense. Listen to me son, and know that when your sword is true, unsheathed it will be only to cut that veil that clouds the mind, your mind, the men’s mind . When your sword cuts through the air, it will cut only the shadow of your spirit, the shadow that covers your wonderful and proud spirit of free man. And each time you will do it, your mind will be freer and your spirit brighter … And, eventually you will no longer need to take the sword out of its sheath, because you will be in possession of the greatest gift the Gods can give you. : you will be in possession of yourself. Now sleep, and may the Gods watch over your rest …. It is time for your father to put up his arms and pray for (les péchés)the sins he has committed. Too much in the war I have fought and my sword will not clean anymore But yours, dear son of Heaven, is clear pure and bright, and so you will have to keep it. Never use what you know, what you have learned and learned for your personal profit, but be a bastion for the weakest, be a certainty for the insecure, just be a steady hand for those who trudge through the darkness of life. Now sleep, my sweetest son, and let your sword sleep under the moon too. it is time for peace, it is time for man to live in peace. May the Gods protect us and give us time to remedy the sins we have committed.

Xagyu. Munsonti (1571-1646) Stefano Nyobo Carlini (1958-)