Truth is the cornerstone of any human relationship and interaction. It is the foundation of how we view the world and how we are viewed by it. It is strong and undeniable, yet is the most easily manipulated, fragile and potentially damaging of all the virtues. This is because the simplest false impression can go a long way and create an alternate reality that when revealed as fiction, can potentially create profound levels of destruction and pain. Honesty is most often compromised by greed and selfishness. Sincerity and truth reside on a steep hillside that must be constantly supported and upheld by each and every one of us. Once we compromise our commitment to honesty, then that hillside becomes a slippery slope and little "white lies" eventually lead to compulsive misrepresentations necessary to support previous untruths and so on. The choice to represent oneself or situation truthfully may initially be painful, embarrassing or scary, but those momentary feelings will be nothing compared to the pain that could be caused down the line when a long-believed lie has been exposed. The "straight and narrow" is known as such because it is that which does not waver and does not make accommodations for any kind of color or compromise--truth is black and white and sincerity lies within speaking from the heart with complete integrity of expression. Indeed, truth can be painful, but it is ultimately preferred and always most respected. More importantly, it is the only way of expression and communication for someone on the path of Bushido.

Sometimes, making a hard choice requires a great deal of courage. Situations which require us to make these choices don't necessarily come when we are called upon to save someone's life or commit a heroic act of such degree that will gain us notoriety. Most of time, it is the simplest of situations which force us to make a choice between taking a chance to do the right thing or remain in the shadows of our own pride, embarrassment or fear and merely observe with regret. Bushido dictates that we must act to support goodness and right action regardless of our level of comfort with the intervention. Sometimes, the lives or well-being of others will depend on our ability to rise with courage at any given moment, usually when we least expect it.

If there is one aspect of human expression that is most lacking in the world today, then it has to be compassion. We have become so accustomed to living in a selfish way that we are inured to the pain and suffering of others around us, not realizing that their pain is ultimately tied to our pain and that someday soon enough, we will inherit the effects of living our lives so selfishly in ways that we least expect. This should not only be approached from a karmic sense whereby we assume that if we don't act with compassion then someday we will be overlooked when we are in need. Rather, we should constantly show compassion to all manner of life and try whenever possible to take care of those less fortunate than ourselves as opposed to shunning and marginalizing them because of ego, shame or prejudice. Every living thing has a heart and soul...and most of us can relate to pain and rejection. As our earthly population grows, driving most of us to become more marginalized, greedy, defensive and selfish, let Bushido guide you to stand apart and act out of generosity and kindness. Setting a good example is a by-product of Bushido and most likely would have become the eighth virtue, had the masters not understood that all those strong enough (and smart enough) to apply The Code to their own lives would invariably understand how contagious even a small amount of decent and respectable human behavior can be to others. Spread the virus of good virtue today.

Most think of respect as how it is applied to those older than us. However, respect--as it is viewed in Bushido--is very similar to how it was viewed by almost every highly developed and spiritual culture throughout human history. Respect covers not only a reverence for those who hold authority or seniority over you, but it covers a humility toward all manner of life on this planet--and not only the type of life which happens to support our existence. Once again, we must relinquish our desire to dominate and be selfish. Not only do we have to defer to and honor our elders, we must do the same for other men, women and children and set good examples of humility, which actually requires more strength and restraint than aggression or dominance--primal behavior born out of insecurity. A practitioner of Bushido has nothing to prove, nor has any fear of being lessened by others. Always be courteous, humble and respectful, regardless of the situation. The only exception would be when we must defend someone or something close or important to us. The best part of practicing this virtue is the reward it brings to the heart of the practitioner. However, don't do it for any possible reward; do it because it is the right thing to do.

When warriors say that they will perform an action, it is as good as done. Nothing will stop them from completing what they say they will do. They do not have to 'give their word'. They do not have to 'promise'. Speaking and doing are the same action

When most people think of honor, definitions surrounding military service and awards of high distinction initially come to mind. This is because the societal relevance of this ancient measure of human merit has shifted over time. Honor is no longer a personal motivation to keep one from behaving in ways that would bring shame to one's self, family or country. Similarly, a breach of honor is no longer a reason to feel shame; we now can break laws and be convicted for each individual offense rather than trying to uphold some archaic overall personal standard. However, this societal shift has brought with it some disturbing and sad consequences. Now, most of us are trying to behave within boundaries of law and not even looking at our overall approach to ethics and morality. If we can "get away" with something that breaks a rule of law, then chances are that we will, whether accidental or intentional. This approach can best be analogized as walking through life with blankets over our entire bodies looking through holes cut out for our eyes, as we take what we can and do what we can to further our own personal agendas whenever possible, only coming out from under the blanket when absolutely necessary so as to not get caught...and hoping that no one else saw or recognized us when we were momentarily exposed. However, living with honor removes that blanket of obscurity, allowing us to live more fully and responsibly, taking credit for all our actions and consequently, living as more refined, honest and morally evolved human beings. Honor is honesty, fairness and most importantly, the integrity of one's own beliefs.

Warriors are responsible for everything that they have done and everything that they have said and all of the consequences that follow. They are immensely loyal to all of those in their care. To everyone that they are responsible for, they remain fiercely true.