Recommended film.
The Last Samurai.
What was a true story gets the Hollywood overhaul and fact goes out the window in favour of the main character played by Tom Cruise who is given far to much capability in his role as Captain Nathan Algren. He portrays an alcoholic, emotionally scarred ex Veteran of the American Indian wars and is hired to train Japans forces against the last of the Samurai in a rapidly changing world.
Ken Watanabe brilliantly plays the samurai leader Katsumoto, who eventually crosses paths with Nathan Algren in a meeting that facilitates the Captains healing.
Despite the films wild historical exaggerations, it remains a great watch and it is evident how hard the cast trained in the way of the sword. The best part of the movie is where Algren has no choice but to take a prolonged stay at the samurai village. This section demonstrates the discipline and focus of the mind in everything they do.
The particular section of Algren continually being beaten in the art of the Bokken (wooden sword) leads to a younger samurai shouting over to him:
“To many mind!”
Referring to the mind of Algren being scattered across many thoughts and not being fully present. Everyone suffers from to many mind at times and the movie beautifully demonstrates how Eastern philosophy taught to focus ones entire attention on a single action.
This weeks podcast.
The Fatherless Void.
My work with young men has become one of the most rewarding and important parts of my work and life.
Many of the young men I coach are part of the Fatherless generation and I get to turn these remarkable young men around and live life on their terms, free from the pain of rejection.
They always without exception teach me lessons alongside me guiding them.
This podcast looks at the Fatherless generation, it’s impact and the consequences.
The Fatherless Void
https://simonlee.buzzsprout.com
Saying of the week.
“Truth is not what you want it to be;
it is what it is, and you must bend to
its power or live a lie."
– Miyamoto Musashi
Recommended Read.
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles
One of the few books author and marketing guru Seth Godin regularly reads to place himself in creative mode when needed.
This is a small book but packs a mighty punch on how to overcome resistance, self sabotage and time wasting. It has become one of the main constant reading companions for entrepreneurs, creators, athletes and artists.
The entire book contains nuggets of wisdom such as:
“We must do our work for its own sake, not for fortune or attention or applause."
“The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.”
“It’s better to be in the arena, getting stomped by the bull, than to be up in the stands or out in the parking lot.”
A must have for anyone’s collection and one you will read time and again.
A question I got asked this week.
"Does my Father love me?"
This heart wrenching question got asked to me by a young man that no longer sees his Father.
This heart wrenching question got asked to me by a young man that no longer sees his Father. I’m always aware this question is on many young men’s minds but few ask it. The Fatherless generation is an absolute catastrophe in modern society and when I use the term Fatherless, it refers to both physical and emotional absence. Much of the male angst in modern society that manifests in gangs, drugs and mental health issues are a result of the Fatherless world of today.
This cycle of pain moves through multiple generations. Girls too are not spared from this concerning trend, it just manifests in different patterns of negative, self harming behaviour.
What I have to do is take a young man and get him to see the cycle of pain his Father is trapped in and then forge his character in a way that alchemises his feelings of abandonment, rejection and pain into pure potential.
When someone doesn’t love their children and many parents don’t, its because they are unable to love in general due to the barriers they have built within themselves.
It’s never personal but a conditioned reaction to how they were treated.
Leave a Reply