“When you leave these [Shaolin Temple] walls, you will come upon the many pillars of violence.” – Kan

“May not a man [at] one with nature [and] seeing such pillars, avoid them?” – Student Caine

“Other men stumble in the way. They go in idlest [lacking worth] search of peace [fulfilment].” – Kan

“Must I then tumble down these pillars?” – Caine

“Seek always peace. Wear no path for the footsteps of others unless the soul is endangered. We are all linked by our souls. To endanger one endangers all.” – Master Kan

“And if endangered, Master?” – Caine

“In such times THE SOUL MUST BE THE WARRIOR!” – Master Kan

These quotes come from the cult 70s TV series “Kung Fu” which dramatised genuine ancient Chinese spiritual wisdom. In doing so, it transformed the lives of millions of people [especially young men] around the world.

THE SOUL AS A WARRIOR
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“The Soul is a Warrior” was an episode of this series which is still available on DVD:
http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00013F38K/pigdiseaseinfo0c

Massive spiritual wisdom is dramatised in this episode around the theme of how best to deal with people threatening us via the “Psychopathic Character Defect” I referred to in the posting above. Also it gives an unusually deep insight into the “psychopathic personality trait” (ruthless, powerful, self-centred, materialistic – “I know only one law – the law of property”) – a trait that is not unknown in the “corporate jungles” or even the “Yes Minister” and “The Thick of It” corridors of public sector power struggles today.

To fight back in kind against a psychopath is to take on an unequal battle because psychopathic individuals are not encumbered in warfare by the soul qualities of empathy, self-doubt, compassion, love, justice, mercy, forgiveness or wisdom – qualities which temper and slow the aggressive behaviour of any normal-minded person. Retaliatory dangers and threats mollify the aggressive impulses of normal-minded people, but psychopaths respond with enhanced psychopathy.

At the end of the film, just as it is closing, there are some quick-fire words of wisdom from a Shaolin master, they summarise the issues that the film has powerfully portrayed, but they also encode (in enigmatic Taoist-style imagery) huge wisdom: “Psychopathic personality trait” is a mask of fearlessness (heartlessness) behind which lurks great fear – fear that arises from spiritual disconnectedness (love, harmony, compassion, humility). The power of another person is actually deeply subconsciously feared [paranoia] by a psychopathic indiviudal (in the past it has led to victimhood/humiliation) and therefore has to be forcefully controlled or annihilated.

“When the heart knows no danger, no danger exists. When the soul becomes the warrior all fear melts as the snowflake that falls upon your hand.” – Master Po.

“How does one find the strength within himself?” – Student Caine.

“By BEING [at] ONE with all that is without himself.” – Master Po.

“That prevails which refuses to know the power of the other. Where fear is, does not danger also live? And where fear is not, does not danger also die? Where the tiger and the man are two, he may die. Yet where the tiger and the man are one there is no fear. There is no danger. For what creature, one with all nature, will attack itself?” – Master Po

Psychopaths are drawn to the acquisition and abuse of any kind of power, including spiritual power. “Western” history is full of experiences of “spiritual psychopathy” from “evil witches” to “evil priests” including the horrific tortures and murders of the Spanish Inquisition. In present-day Western countries we have murders and mutilations by Fundamentalist Religious groups and only recently the Norwegian mass killings, maimings and terror perpetrated by Anders Breivik in the name of “The Knights Templar”.

An interesting idea of putting up spiritual barriers for protection. Though it is more or less a commonplace practice given the propensity of non-Christian spiritualities at large today, this subject is often not discussed widely (at least as far as I’ve researched). Two Druidically associated practices I’ve always performed when moving to a new house have been the Airbe Druad and Snaidm Druad protective measures (of course as I’ve thought them to be, as their true meanings and origins are speculative at best.) But they involve going along the perimeter of the living space to establish the barrier (airbe) and then going outside to ritually walk out a labyrinth of right angles and blind corners (snaidm) all about the house to bewilder any negative or evil spirits and influences. Though I do this mostly for my own peace of mind, I have been told by visitors how peaceful my home seems. Mike, have you come across any other forms of the practice of the Druid’s Fence and Druid’s Knot?
Very interesting topics you write about! I enjoy perusing your site.

interesting article. nice work and thoughtful. btw- there is a technique in the Andean practices called a Cuti.. it clears and polishes the edges of the bubble- and can be used to send back/ bounce back whatever negativity is being projected. a sort of.. oh,, here, I think this must be yours…:) not sent with malice or any charged energy behind it… just returning the HUCHA, to its “rightful owner”

They also have a special form of despacho ceremony, I forget the precise term offhand. And the intent is the same.. to return whatever is “attacking” the individual. And as we would note.. in regards to sorcery/envito.. this will catapult it back at them, so you’d better be damn sure it aint you ( self sorcery can be the most insidious kind:)… again- sent without an attack.. just returning it- but I get the sense that the return is somehow like the slingshot around a star/ planet and it gains momentum somehow…

Teri

Loved the article. This is a difficult subject to discuss. Well done and very readable.