My latest book, ‘Awaken – Meditations of the Warrior’ , is out now and available to download wherever in the world you order from Amazon.
Download your copy now and read the whole thing or whet your appetite with the overview below.
Note:
UK based readers can buy from here.
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In gratitude,
Carl
Chapter Excerpt –Introduction
In the foothills of a small village settlement in Japan, a lone figure sits under an old maple tree.
He inhales deeply, holds his breath for a pause then exhales. Drawing on the energy and lifeforce around him.
Listening to the wind blowing through the trees.
He hears village folk in the distance, waking and starting their days.
He sits in the moment a little longer, embracing all it brings. Then he opens his eyes.
The morning meditation sets the tone for Akira’s day.
Although his days on the battlefield are from another time, many still refer to him with reverence as ‘The Warrior’.
Training ingrained, his daily practice serves mind and body. Meditation for the mind, physical movement and exertion for body and mind.
For several years Akira has lived a life of relative peace and contemplation.
His days mostly fall into a simple rhythm. Time for meditation, time for physical practice, time for wandering and reflection, time for being in nature, time for writing and sketching. Time for being of service to others in some small way.
Masterless, Ronin but undoubtably still the Warrior spirit burns within. He will right wrongs where he sees them on his travels, it is his nature after all. But he looks for no more battles. He seeks no further masters.
He helps where he can. Odd jobs. A helping hand where he can provide one. He takes no payment, except a shared meal here and there, or a bed to lie his head for a night or two.
His life as a Warrior has given him all the riches he requires, to live a life that suits his needs. The life of a wanderer. An eternal seeker. A student. A nomad.
Some of the village folk know the truth. They know not only of his warrior background but also that this was one of the most feared and celebrated of all warriors, Akira.
His belongings are minimal. All carried in a bag he takes with him as he wanders the lands. Just enough room for the essentials. This is the way Akira likes it. He appreciates the constraints and freedom this way of life affords him.
What’s left of the rest of his belongings, including his cherished sword, are kept with a good friend who holds a fixed location in a small village in the mountains of his homeland.
Akira does not want to signal his warrior status with weaponry. It does not sit with his chosen way now. He knows if the situation calls for it, he can make weapons out of whatever is to hand, or close by.
He has learned that to rely on anything, even his beloved sword, is a weakness. An attachment that weighs him down. He needs no such crutch.
He moves with the seasons. Led by sights he wishes to see for the first time, natural wonders to be awed by, or fruit coming into season, favourite places to revisit and old friends to check in on.
He lives in balance with his environment. Taking from the earth what it gives him, and what the season offers, no more.
Lessons from a Master
His original teacher had instilled the need for Akira to develop a daily meditative practice of his own. What form this took could shift.
Most days involve some combination of seated and walking meditation. Nature often leveraged for mindful practices. Sitting for long periods by the waves. Laying beneath the trees. Listening to the birds sing.
“All are opportunities to come back to ourselves, to come back to the breath” his teacher would encourage. “All are opportunities to find stillness in the now. All can nourish us. All can become parts of our armoury.”
“Use those which resonate with you, that serve you but continue to experiment with other techniques. Liberate yourself from thinking there is only one way, or a best method. All can work, all can fail, depending on how we engage them.”
Akira enjoys this time for quiet reflection. More than this, he understands he needs this time. It acts as positive fuel. Giving him a solid foundation for the rest of his life. Something reliable he can come back to.
Something that will rejuvenate him over and over.
His teacher passed some time ago but Akira lives a life in accordance with his learnings. He pays his respect daily in his practice, his meditations, his gratitude practice and his breathwork. He is eternally in his sensei’s debt.
A Book of Meditations
Akira has started to distil some of the most powerful lessons he has learned into a journal. One of a few books he carries with him. Another is to pen poetry and sketches. He utilises this journal as part of his daily practice.
Akira uses the book as both a reminder to himself of essentials that have served him well and as an attempt to share his learnings for others looking for answers.
He moves through the pages and reads the words he has deemed worthy of leaving on the white of the pages.
About this Book
We are all warriors in our own way.
We can learn from Akira’s story. We can benefit from his notes and meditations. The lessons carry, they are timeless.
We will fight different battles, we will have different challenges, but we can learn to cultivate our ‘inner Warrior’.
We can find our Way.
We can commit to our path.
We can honour the spark inside.
We can tap into an inner strength and resolve that may surprise even us.
We can develop the necessary resilience for challenges ahead.
We can find stillness in the eye of the storm.
We can develop our own code of conduct.
We can focus. We can evolve. We can transform.
We can share our light.
Unlock your warrior spirit.
Awaken and unleash the warrior within.
Download your copy now