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1 " Unfortunately, religion often works to shrink and tame the very wild and mysterious forces that first drew our wonder. In the process of making the inexplicable safe for the masses, the possibilities for real illusion-piercing insight becomes reduced. One might say that they are only available to those who dare to ride the breaking crest of direct life-altering experience. "
― Stephen K. Hayes
2 " The warrior learns of the spiritual realm by dwelling on the cutting edge of the sword, standing at the edge of the fire pit, venturing right up to the edge of starvation if necessary. Vibrant and intense living is the warrior's form of worship. "
3 " Finding a master of the dark art of ninjutsu in modern westernized Japan seems as unlikely as finding an active practitioner of the magic of Merlin in contemporary industrialized England. "
4 " Neutrally investigate the nature of obstacles and the relationship that exists between your own frame of mind and your experience of impediment, and commit to becoming more masterful in pursuing a higher quality of life "
― Stephen K. Hayes , Heart of Light, Blade of Thunder
5 " We human beings choose to see things as we wish . Few people seem to believe this, though. We decide to be jealous, or angry, or depressed, or happy, or bored, and these choices are often based on our biased interpretations of the thoughts of others. It is amazing how much psychological control many people relinquish to others. If we think that someone else disapproves of us, we are worried. If we think that someone else is pleased with us, we are happy. If we think that someone else holds views contrary to our own, we are insulted. If we think that someone else is contemptuous of us, we are angry. With all these others determining how we feel, it is sometimes difficult to find the actual self. "
― Stephen K. Hayes , The Ninja and Their Secret Fighting Art
6 " My ninja teachers did not pound me to become faster and stronger as I would expect in any conventional martial art school. They urged me to pay more attention to what I felt. What was my attacker doing at any moment, and where did that put me? I must then change reality from within. Instead of me doing more things to him, I was supposed to sense where he was fighting to go, and then grant him what he wanted in a way that confused him into helping me win. The way to make that happen was to pay attention to my own perceptions inside and use that sensitivity to find the perfect way to usher the adversary to defeat outside. "
7 " Realize: The heart was intended to be a palace and not a fortress. "
― Stephen K. Hayes , Spirit of the Shadow Warrior
8 " Vajrakilaya’s phurba dagger is the sharp piercing quality of one-pointed, concentrated compassion aimed against obstructions to goodness. The phurba nails the ignorance at the root of hatred, aggression, fear, desperation, jealousy, arrogance, narrow-mindedness — all the mental and emotional perversions that grow untended in the heart throughout a life of trying to do our best and then retreating and rationalizing when we fail. "
9 " How do inner states — positive or negative — come to be? From where does the tone of our days emerge? How does momentum build to an awareness that labels our individual experiences as obstacles or blessings, hindrances or spurs to greater good? "
10 " Outer influences and distractions Consider the power of external influences to condition your life experience. Spend a day watching how what you encounter impacts your attitude and spirit. Pay attention to what is usually mere background noise. Probe all sights, sounds, and touches as life swirls about. Listen to the radio carefully. Study the comments on talk shows. Listen to popular music lyrics and rhythms. Pay attention to words and worldview, tones and timbre. What and how do you feel as a result? Watch people at a shopping mall. How many appear trim and in vibrant health? How many look happy? What are people wearing and how are they groomed? What does their appearance suggest about your community’s values? Does the appearance of others affect how you feel? Chat with coworkers. What comes up about the economy, government, and company management? Suggest changes in attitudes and actions for more happiness or productivity. What kind of responses do they give you? Look at Internet discussions and news. What is the tone and logic of the posts? Does the commenters’ passion reflect their intellectual depth and degree of knowledge? How many stories are negative and how many are positive? Could any of the negative stories be written with a positive spin and still remain true? How do you feel about what you observe? Is it possible that even if you had not been paying close attention, those experiences out on the margin of awareness might have affected your mood or attitude? "
