A Warrior’s Kitae

We all began as sand
Satetsu
Pulled from the breast of the earth
Smelted in the womb of creation
Blended
Purified
Tomahangane we become

Raw and ready
To pass through the Creator’s forge
The fire is stoked
The bellows blowing
The breath of life is given
As the master Smith prays for divine guidance
And soul is worked into the core
Flexible
Bending
Shingane becomes our heart

But a softened heart
Stands most vulnerable
So we are worked
Into a jacket of trial
Creating strength to withstand the blows
Heated
Hammered
Folded
Kawangane is our armor

And the armor and the core
Are melded into one
By the master Smith’s careful hands
Shunning the base and the vile
Which would weaken our metal
Embracing the bond of purity
Our beauty glowing
Subtle
Exquisite
Jihada is our robe

And thus are we formed
A warrior in birth
Once merely grains of sand
‘til we walked through the flames
Of the Creator’s forge
And we are reborn
Strong
Glorious
The Samurai’s Sword


S.A.T.

I have read of the making of the Samurai's sword, the most skilled and amazing work of steel ever made.It is a long and difficult process, but the result is a sword of great beauty, spirituality, and strength.This is not so unlike what we go through in this life, ending, we hope, much like the Samurai's sword, strong, spiritual and beautiful.