The journey is the destination... or as Tolken wrote "Not all that glitters is gold and not who wander are lost..." You live, you do stuff and you die. The End... Everyone's life story summed up in a very small sentence. That is the simplicity of life, what you do between birth and death is all that matters. No one gets out of life, alive but, that does not mean our lives are without purpose or meaning. This is the nature of the first path, one must be a Warrior...
The Warrior, is first phase of one's development. Taking responsibility for one's self, striving to better one's self in all ways and at all times, maintaining faith in one's beliefs and respecting one's self. The warrior not merely someone who fights but someone who is willing to lose their life for something greater. A future... the future. The warrior is were one learns to embrace hardship and forges themselves like steel. Each day for the warrior is competition with one's self. Competition with others only allows one enjoy their success in forging themselves but the goal is always in bettering themselves.
The Warrior, is a learning and exercising of the traits of Courage, Personal Honor, Loyalty to one's beliefs, Self-Discipline and Duty to one's higher power. There will always be those who see the Warrior as "hero" or "villain" but the warrior does not concern himself with such labels. The Warrior, does what he (or she) much because they can. Warriors do not call the call 911 to save a child in a burning car, they rush into flames because they are there. The Warrior must defeat their greatest enemy, their only enemy; themselves...
Self-Discipline is the core of the warrior's personality. They are in control of their emotions, they do not let fear, anger, sympathy, lust or love sway them. It is not to say that do not have such emotions, it is to say strive to control them, to do the hard right over the easy wrong. The warrior is not cold nor is he out of control, the warrior is logical and purpose filled. As I said this is the beginning of the path.
The Hunter is the next path. This is beginning of the path which leads to understanding tactics, strategy and in fact human psychology. The hunter studies his prey, manipulates it's habits and actions. The Hunter, requires all the Self-Discipline & Courage of the Warrior but adds the quest for understanding the nature & methods of their prey. A Hunter must be cautious not become the Hunted, as is the case when dealing with any dangerous animal.
The Hunter, shares traits with Carl Jung's Trickster & Magician... The Hunter baits, traps, ambushes, hides and stakes out the goals of the prey. The Hunter also lives with nature and uses the ebb and flow of nature; seasons, tides, etc. to bring about their end goal.
The Healer is the final path of the ninja, it is the path of learning to undo damage. Healing isn't just treating physical injury but, mental and emotional pain as well. The Healer is a storing force, a truce maker and teacher. This is were the traits of forgiveness, benevolence and mercy come in. The Healer's first patient is himself (herself). Such things are a manifestation of the complete circle of following the three paths.
Note: Image from TheWisdomWarrior.com, it seemed most appropriate...
The Warrior is disciplined and fights to preserve that which he loves, the Hunter is cunning and uses his (her) enemy against themselves (We are our own worst enemies after all...) and the Healer mends our wounds and seeks to help let go of old grudges. These three archetypes guide and manifest the nature of Omoto Ryu Budo...
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