false 5306720 1 The dawn of the 17th century saw peace descend on Japan. With the value of their martial skills on the decline, the samurai sought new spiritual, moral, psychological, and physical moorings. Tsunetomo Yamamoto, author of the now-classic Hagakure, combined a Confucian sense of justice with a Zen-influenced abandonment of the ego to espouse loyalty and death as paramount qualities of the samurai's calling.<br> Kaibara Ekiken (16301714), a samurai physician with philosophical and Buddhist leanings, took the opposite approach. He sought ways for a healthier, more rewarding life. In his Yojokun: Life Lessons from a Samurai, he collected six decades of study and observation to compile one of the most remarkable commentaries of his age.<br> Ekiken's sweep was vast. In Yojokun, he combined his knowledge of holistic health, the principles of chi (the material force that pervades all things) and jin (human heartedness), Buddhism, Confucianism, and the art of living. He addressed concerns that ran from mental and physical health to spiritual matters. His discourses examined the intake of food and drink, sexual practices, sustaining stamina and health in old age, overindulgence and restraint, bathing and healthy habits, and more. And throughout his discussion he wove a subtle but potent spiritual and philosophical thread. <br> Yojokun offers startlingly profound and fresh insights into many of the same problems that concern us today. Translator William Scott Wilson notes Ekikens relevance for the 21st century: The Yojokun, then, is not just a vestige of quaint Orientalia, but rather a living guide to a traditional Way of life and balanced health. If we do not immediately understand some of its more exotic prescripts, it may be wiser not to dismiss them outright, but to approach the work as Ekiken himself might have: with humility, curiosity, respect, and imagination. 5374178 1 1 2009 Yojokun: Life Lessons from a Samurai (The Way of the Warrior Series) total:3|3:3| 3 9 10 1 3 0 false false Sun Sep 06 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Dec 27 18:01:47 -0800 2008 Sun Sep 06 10:52:59 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Tue Sep 15 23:14:12 -0700 2009 Tue Sep 15 23:14:12 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Tue Sep 15 17:13:12 -0700 2009 Tue Sep 15 17:13:12 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sun Jun 28 18:08:53 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 28 18:08:53 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Tue May 19 13:23:26 -0700 2009 Tue May 19 13:23:30 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Mon Mar 30 07:23:04 -0700 2009 Mon Mar 30 07:23:09 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Mon Mar 30 05:57:31 -0700 2009 Mon Mar 30 05:57:35 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Fri Feb 27 17:05:41 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 27 17:05:41 -0800 2009 3 0 false false Mon Feb 23 16:10:51 -0800 2009 Mon Feb 23 16:10:51 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Tue Jan 06 13:25:55 -0800 2009 Tue Jan 06 13:25:55 -0800 2009 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=5306720