Zen Master Teaching #84

Zen Master Teaching #84: Pace yourself. Injuries and times of relaxation take devastating toll on cardiovascular abilities. Attempting to ruckmarch at old pace after six months of inactivity will result in near-death experience.

Zen Master Teaching #83

Zen Master Teaching #83: Do not question training. One should only take apart pieces of weapon one has been shown how to take apart. Losing tiny spring to weapon will cause rifle to function as well as blind, deaf, 3-legged cat.

Zen Master Teaching #82

Zen Master Teaching #82: Be on guard for foolishness always. When team leader decides to let unarmed personnel into unsecure complex in middle of warzone, best to advise them otherwise. Better to be cautious as nervous chipmunk than risk being ambushed by insurgents.

Zen Master Teaching #81

Zen Master Teaching #81: Danger is best teacher. It is when one faces fatality that one's mind becomes clear. Deployment to warring country, though not reccomended for general populous, is highly educational; it makes all insignifacnt worries melt away like snowman in mid-August.

Complacency

We soldiers have a phrase: "Complacency kills." And it's true. We let the vast complexity of life and drama grip us and pull us into a fatal vice. We seek out the pursuit of pleasure and the absence of pain, and do not allow ourselves to even be aware of these actions. We ignore everything and work in disharmony with our own well-being.

I have been complacent. It incites me to fury that I have been so foolish as to allow the petty events around me to distract me from what is necessary.

No longer. I impart this one small piece of wisdom to you all: do not get complacent. Harden yourselves and sharpen your minds, so you may better enjoy life. The fat wildabeast may be content, but it will always fall pray to the cheetah. Choose which you shall be.

Zen Master Teaching #80

Zen Master Teaching #80: Dress wisely. One who does not think ahead and prepare does so at one's peril. Wearing short sleeves and shorts on cold rainy night will make one feel as comfortable as turtle without shell.

Zen Master Teaching #79

Zen Master Teaching #79: Be wary of natural elements. Man-made objects do not do well in environments where forces of nature exist. MP3 player will be as successful in survivng washing machine as swine is in flight.