Be a SAMURAI today! / Codes of Bushido in your Life JAPAN

The Bushido code arose in Japan from the Samurai social class, the high-ranking Japanese warriors, who followed these ideals within their society. Inspired by Confucianism, which is a relatively conservative philosophy whose beliefs are based on the importance of loyalty and mission. Bushido contains 8 main rules or virtues, which the samurai had to maintain at all times.

The word “bushi” means warrior, “do” means path, so Bushido literally means “the path of the warrior”. The word samurai can be translated as “one who serves”, although its use is exclusive to warriors. To understand the basics of bushido, it is important to know the history of the samurai

In short, the history of the samurai begins in the 8th century, when armed people who protected the wealthy landowners began to be known as samurai. By the end of the 12th century, a shift in the balance of power in Japan led to the rise of a military state known as the Kamakura Shogunate. During this period, many leaders made use of the service of the samurai and codified their privileged status.

After a complicated and tense period, when the Mongol invasion destabilized the government and brought Japan to the end of the Kamakura period in the late 14th century, there was a long era of peace under the Tokugawa Shogunate. During this period of peace and prosperity, the samurai were no longer required as a military force; instead, their role became that of bureaucrats in the civil government. Slowly, their role changed from knights of old to government officials.

During the Tokugawa period, the samurai promoted many of Japan’s traditional arts, leading them into a revival. These included the tea ceremony, rock gardens, flower arranging, and painting.

In 1615, the Buke shohatto was established, samurai were called upon to train not only in strength, but also in civility and chivalry. It is during this time that bushido emerged explicitly as a code of conduct throughout Japan, influenced by samurai culture, Buddhism, and Confucianism. The idea of ​​samurai became the highest point of education and correctness.

In general, the code of bushido invites us to appreciate and respect life, to lead by example, to express benevolence and show compassion.

The 8 virtues of Bushido and how to carry them in our daily lives

Justice (Gi 義): The virtue considered fundamental, the backbone of the samurai code. It invites us to reflect on what is fair and stand firm on what is morally correct. We can carry this into our lives at work by avoiding engaging in office gossip; with our family, trying to mediate conflicts between relatives or friends; with ourselves, being firm in our moral principles.

Courage (Yuu 勇): Like justice, it invites us to reflect on what is right or wrong, pushing us not only to perceive it, but to act according to the situation. To take action. At work we can start by admitting our mistakes and working to fix them; with our family it is possible to be honest in some “secret” that would help us get closer even if it leaves us vulnerable; and in a personal way we can write a diary where we expose our fears and the actions we take to overcome them.

Compassion (Jin 仁): This is the ability to manifest love and sympathy through patience. It invites us to see the world from the perspective of other people. This is essential for people who must fulfill the role of leaders. At work we can help our colleagues when they are in trouble or their workload is excessive; with our family we can be patient and understanding when a family member apologizes to us; in our private life we ​​must be patient and understanding with ourselves, learn to forgive ourselves.

Respect (Rei 礼): Value the experience and feelings of other people. It is necessary to collaborate with others, in a polite and cordial way. At work we must thank and listen to the opinions of others; with our family, thank you for your appreciation and affection towards us; and in our person, to have respect for ourselves by exercising and eating correctly.

Integrity (Makoto 誠): It means to live honestly, as sincerely as possible in order to follow the other 7 principles. At work we can carry it out always giving the best of us; with our family we must avoid lies, especially those that are born to “get us out of trouble”; Personally, we must keep our expectations as high as possible at all times, demanding the best version of ourselves available.

Honor (Meiyo 名誉): Samurai were warriors who held a high sense of personal worth. For this, it is essential to be responsible with our role in life and society. At work we can start with performing all our tasks in the required time and manner; with our family, we can teach the youngest respect for the elderly; in our person, continue with our values ​​and principles even when we are alone.

Loyalty (Chuugi 忠義): First of all, to stay true to oneself, and when another person is in difficulty, we should not abandon our position or change for immoral convenience. At work we must share and give credit to the work of our colleagues; with our family always being with them even in the most difficult moments; with ourselves we must stand firm in our convictions even when we are under a lot of pressure.

Self-control (Jisei 自制): In bushido this means holding fast to this code at all times, whether in the company of others or when alone. At work we can apply it by focusing on professional goals and not office dynamics; with our family we must avoid points of conflict in family meetings not related to the subject; Personally, resist temptations that can make us lose balance, such as the excess of social networks.

Obviously, there are many other ways we can apply these 8 virtues of the code of bushido in our lives, and they will probably help us to be the person we have always wanted to be. Every little step, every little advance, is a great victory on our way.