If We shake Hands Wrist to Wrist..: The Warrior-Code of Brotherhood

Often times the warrior archetype is associated with rigid discipline and uncompromising loyalty. Though there always is a downside to being too rigid or too stuck to rules, there is something to be taken from the warrior's determination and rock-solid decision-making. If he says yes, he means yes. If he says no, he means no. If he has once pledged loyalty, then so it is. If he is your friend, he is your brother (or she is your sister for that matter).* That's what this will be about.

*I really do not care whether it is a female or a male warrior and it really does not matter. For the sake of convenience and in order to not disrupt the flow of reading too much, I will resort to using 'brother' and the adequate pronouns. 

Comedian Joey Diaz has often publicly talked about the time during which he was addicted to cocaine. One day however, after another bad thing had happened due to the drug, he decided to never touch it again and from then on never did. (Listen to the master storyteller himself tell the whole story here, I wouldn't do it justice.) This is the way the warrior decides. He says so and does so. Right away. Nobody has to remind him to do what he has promised. The same kind of powerful decision-making is at play when the warrior calls another person friend. Friend does not merely refer to an acquaintance, it is an extension of the family. The warrior does not care about superficial 'friendships' that only last as long as it is convenient, he lets those go. Whatever lasts though, he holds in high regard. As a Zen poem puts it:

Over a few years
let intimacy
ripen naturally
the number of friends will be small
but the quality will be very large

If he calls you friend it means that he will bleed and fight for you any time. There is no hesitation in his action, as he sees everything clearly and with total commitment. This, of course does not only apply to fighting physically. No matter what it is, the warrior sticks tight to his brothers and sisters. When they mourn, he mourns with them. When they laugh, they laugh together. Regardless of whether he can be physically present or not, his support is always tangible. No questions asked. This is the Warrior-Code of Brotherhood.
This is not a 'duty' that the warrior has to fulfil, this is what he does, what he is. He doesn't talk about it, he breathes it, embodies it, expresses it with every step he takes.

To me, this way of life is expressed beautifully and powerfully in hardcore music. I feel that mellow, slow music is fine and all, but it cannot grasp the emotions tied to this. Bands like Madball or Terror are made of this attitude. Hence I will resort to one of their songs in order to illustrate what I'm talking about here. Their music transmits the intensity I feel in writing this better than the words I use:

Video from Century Media Records

I want to thank you

for all you gave to me.

You opened up my eyes built me a family.

Without you, I was so fucking lost

this is commitment

I'm forever yours.

There are no grey areas, no 'maybe', no 'I can't'. If it's time to step up, the warrior steps up. This is commitment, I'm forever yours. He further does not expect anything in return, he doesn't 'invest' in the relationship with his eyes on the future. Like the Daoist sage, he acts and expects nothing.* Reminiscent of the ancient ritual of becoming blood brothers, the handshake wrist to wrist symbolizes afore mentioned state of mind. (It's a metaphor kids, don't hurt yourselves.) The handshake itself however, is not important. Important is what it means, as it means everything. Daniele Bolelli, martial artist, author and host of the Drunken Taoist Podcast, put this attitude down beautifully when he wrote about the warrior archetype of the Samurai: 

"A samurai doesn't forget. He doesn't ask for anybody's help, but is ready to tame storms for those who give him their trust. The person who holds out a hand to help him, gains an ally willing to die to return the favor. Betraying one who has given him their heart is not an option for a samurai. Even the power of laws and written contracts fade in comparison with his word, because laws can be bent with shrewdness and contracts can be broken, but his word is more sacred than life itself." - Daniele Bolelli in On the Warrior's Path

*Taken from Daniele Bolelli's Lecture series about Daoism. Get it here.

As I don't think that the written word can truly convey this, I will close with one more song: 

Video from TheSouless1992's channel

Don't say a word

Don't need a reason why

Just point them out

Your enemies, they are mine.