The Actualized Human: Being a warrior, Part II

Billy Shin — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:07:51 GMT

The Actualized Human: Being a warrior, Part II

Quotes from different masters approaching the same idea from different sides:

Benvenuto Cellini, an Italian sculptor, goldsmith, and writer: The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini, 1500-1571: "An ideal man is an artist, a warrior, and a philosopher."

Miyamoto Musashi, a Japanese ronin with over 40 duels to the death, written in his Book of 5 Rings in 1643: "It is said the warrior's is the twofold Way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both Ways. Even if a man has no natural ability he can be a warrior by sticking assiduously to both divisions of the Way."

Abraham Maslow, Toward a psychology of being, 1962 : "What a man can be, he must be. This need we call self-actualization."

All refer to the complete human (the recognition of the reality of violence, and the warrior aspect, refers to this more sociologically to males, but women are not exempt), a 'self-actualized' person in 'Maslow's hierarchy of needs'. The 'self-actualized' human is a person who has the desire to become more than what one is, to become everything that they are capable of being.

One approaches from an artistic, philosophical point of view, while the other approaches from a life of violence and a practical point of view. And both converge on the idea of becoming a complete human, yet another idea explicitly defined by a psychologist.

This ideal has been one of the primary drivers of my life.

Billy Shin (Posts about musashi)

The Actualized Human: Being a warrior, Part II

The Actualized Human: Being a warrior, Part II