In honor of my departed father, on his birthday.

Samurai Song, 15th Century

I have no parents.
I make the heaven and earth my parents.

I have no home.
I make awareness my home.

I have no life and death.
I make the tides of breathing my life and death.

I have no divine powers.
I make honesty my divine power.

I have no means.
I make understanding my means.

I have no secrets.
I make my character my secret.

I have no body.
I make endurance my body.

I have no eyes.
I make the flash of lightning my eyes.

I have no ears.
I make sensibility my ears.

I have no limbs.
I make promptness my limbs

I have no miracles.
I make right action my miracle.

I have no principles.
I make adaptability to all circumstances my principle.

I have no tactics.
I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.

I have no talent.
I make ready wit my talent.

I have no friends.
I make my mind my firend.

I have no enemy.
I make carelessness my enemy.

I have no armor.
I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.

I have no castle.
I make immovable mind my castle.

I have no sword.
I make absence of self my sword.

I think this is so amazing for men. In some places it is referred to as
The Warrior’s Creed.
As a woman out in the world, these principles makes  sense to me, too.