Soul Sword: The Way and Mind of a Zen Warrior

What is a Trinity? Is it Soul, Mind, and Body? Is it the Father, the Holy Ghost, and the Son? Is it the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha? What I got from this book is the idea that that only enemy is within. What I get from the author is the idea that the Way is One. Christian Zen Master? What is that? I see it as a trinity just as we all are. I see Christianity as his path, Zen as the method, and the Master as the man that can make harmony with the three in one. I've witnessed the man in action in Fresno. And honestly I was absolutely confused why these martial artists and even a prize winning wrestler went down so easily when he touched them. I had read his book and accepted the possibilities of what he was saying. I long came to terms with the fact that I will leave this world not knowing everything. But it wasn't until I stood perplexed, by these what I thought were "mental weaklings" falling so effortlessly that I understood the books message fully. Seeing the look on his face indicating that he was equally in awe to whatever was causing them to fall, it clicked. A Spirit Warrior has no enemy. These people weren't falling, they were surrendering to the Truth of the moment. Kitabu Roshi was not their enemy. There is no enemy in One. He touched them with love as they were baptised in the Spirit. They let go because they felt safe in that moment. They trusted what he was representing. Many of us will have a difficult time accepting what he has written because all we know is conflict. It's us against them. And them is whoever isn't us. But if it is true that the only enemy is within, let us give thought to how difficult it is for those who have made the choice not to project their inner enemy onto others like this man must be doing. A house divided can't stand. Eventually we'll see that the Way is One. Jesus said he was the Way. It is probably better understood, I manifest the Way. What is the Dao? It means the Way. Jesus is the Dao? Consider the possibilities. Books like this can help unify, much like Thich Nhat Hanh's "Living Buddha, Living Christ" and "Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings" by Marcus J. Borg. I'm greatful to live in a time when people are choosing to see more of what we have in common than what we have different. I encourage all seekers to look over the walls that have been built around them just as men like this are doing.

Soul Sword definitely gets five stars from me. From the moment I picked this book up I couldn't put it down. I still refer to it often as a daily guide. Myself being a personal student of Master Kitabu Turner consider myself truly blessed to have such an intriguing, insightful, master as my spiritual guide.Master Kitabu Turner has definitely been an inspiration to my whole being since having come in contact with this great man. Whether you're a martial artist or not Soul sword is must reading for anyone looking for answers on how to deal with the battlefield of life. I give Soul Sword five stars.

It is said that only a few men may ever know the taste of true enlightenment. Vernon Kitabu Turner is one of those men. When I first saw this book, I thought to myself, "Oh, no, another self-proclaimed master," but then I leafed through it and ended up purchasing it. All I can say is, "Wow." What a writer, what a poet, what a philosopher, what a man! This is truly an awe-inspiring book.

After this book caught my eye on the shelf, I read it without knowing anything about Vernon Kitabu Turner. I couldn't help but feel captivated by the amazing story of this man, and I quickly investigated more about him. Needless to say, the more I learn, the more impressed I am. What's particularly interesting is that Vernon is a talented poet and writer, a quality that is unusual to find today for someone who writes with an eastern/enlightened perspective. I highly recommend the book - truly one of a kind.

This is an incredible book by a profound author. At first I picked it up because I enjoyed reading about his awakening into martial artistry with no formal training, defending potential victims from violent gangs, meeting with a Zen Master and learning meditation training-- and then, much like the founder of aikido, culminating his combined training into the instantaneous realization of what martial arts are really about. . . and then giving many demonstrations in which he defeats martial arts masters WITH ONE FINGER, earning a Ronin (masterless warrior) award from the BUDO council and a 4th degree black belt in Aiki-jutsu. And doing it all while remaining as humble, benevolent, and loving a person as you will ever meet.Then I got past the amusing anecdotes and listened to what he had to say about how he got to them, and what he learned in the process. I read the entire book in a single sitting; it blew me away, and immediately assisted me in making some tough decisions with courage. I look forward to finding out what will happen when I try the exercises (Dancing to No-Music, Wingspan Theory, counting breaths, etc.) he suggests.While this book does dive deeply into Zen, that should not frighten away Christians-- Zen is not a religion (Buddhism is), and Turner comes from a very strong Baptist background. This book is also not a self-help book, and you will not put it down and be able to defeat skilled martial artists with one finger-- you'll have to put forth the effort. But _Soul Sword_ does illustrate what true martial artists are still trying to get across to the public-- it's not about arrogance and violence; it's about humility and love.