Customer Reviews

Soul Sword: The Way and Mind of a Warrior

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I read this book straight through in one sitting: It's that good and thought pro- voking; one of the things I really liked is he gives you methods which can help you to develop your spirit.

The book gives you great understanding of yourself,religion,martial arts and eastern western traditions and how they all come to- gether to help us to grow.

I would recommend you give a copy of this book to anyone seeking to understand the way to truth and enlightenment.

It's fascinating because you feel truth coming "thorough" vernon and you are not so focused on him. He is not the message but the messenger. When the student is ready; vernon is the teacher. Yet he lets us know in reality we are vernon and he is us.

I absolutely cannot wait to read all of his books. I am just stunned. Reading the book was like reading the bible,tao te ching, koran and all great spiritual books; yet his booked seemed to unlock the teachings of all these books.

I truly feel if you understand the message in his book it will bring forth the greatness in you and therefore all of us. Many things which I intuitively knew were expressed; yet it was light in a dark room to have someone validate what is truly in your heart.

Every teacher needs to assign this book as read- ing for every student as soon as they are capable of reading; for in it,like all great books is the key to self understanding and universal peace.

thankyou...vernon for being the instrument of a message we all need to hear. I know I can now get my life back on track.

By the way I saw an article about you in Enlightenment magazine which is what made me buy your book. And for anyone else reading this he has a website too. Search for him through his name.

I have not only had the pleasure of reading Soul Sword and recommending it to my friends but I have been touched by its message. ...The author is a Dharma successor of a master and Truth is universal. Many Zen masters, ancient and current have no problem quoting the Bible. Soul Sword reveals that the author's Zen and Christian experience progressed seamlessly and without conscious design or internal conflict. He helps us to become aware that the divisions that we see are only because mind and spirit are split apart. Christ underscored this dichotomy as strongly as did The Buddha..."The mind and spirit are enmity to each other." we are told. In Soul Sword Kitabu outlines the path he took to warriorship,both physically and spirituallly, a path which brought his mind into submission to the Divine Spirit. This is what the biblical warriors, David, Joshua and Sampson also did. No one can prove that the Shaolin and Zen inspired samurai did not embrace that same Spirit in the silence of their meditation. That is their secret.

Soul Sword is not talk. When "What is Enlightenment?" magazine did nearly a 20 page aricle on the author, many people became curious and wanted to see or test him out. I witnessed an incredible demostration at Aikido of Fresno where he took on all comers in a peaceful loving manner. It was an open forum with masters and experts from any style invited to come. The author came alone. In one demonstration he knocked down six practitioners with a single finger while they resisted with all their strength. He was fluid, graceful and inspiring to all. Now that was Zen action. Religion is in the head, Soul Sword reveals it comes alive only after we put it into personal practice. By definition, when one can act from The Spirit of Heaven that is Zen. Zen is not a religion, per se. It is a word used to indicate athe methodology of taming the mind, and the activity which results from illuninated mind. D.T. Suzuki/Roshi said that Zen can be practiced by those of ANY religion. Vernon Kitabu Turner/Roshi and Soul Sword proves that it is so. Those of us here need American masters to help us understand and recover our Original nature. Who knows us better. Soul Sword is a bold step in that direction. I sincerely hope the author gives us more to digest.

When I was living in Virginia Beach I met a most wonderful man, that man is Vernon Kitabu Turner. We met each other in September 1998 at a coffeehouse that he frequents. During the time that I was in Virginia, and even now as I sit out in the Gulf on the USS Carl Vinson, we talked about everything and anything. He helped me realize that there was more than one way to look at life, and many more things to life than what I know. When I bought his book I started reading it the moment I got home. Every night I would read it until I couldn't keep my eyes open. I just finished a few weeks ago, and I plan on reading it again and again. The teachings are very insightful and make you look at your life and re-evaluate the way you deal with things. I miss the face to face conversations I had with this great man. The joys of being able to communicate with him via e-mail will have to do. He makes me look at what life is, and what it could be. Thank you very much Kitabu, I wait for the day we are face to face again!

Beth Ann Charlton

I first heard of "Soul Sword," from a friend who said it was the best Zen book he had read, bar none. I was surprised to learn that an American had written it. Later, I discovered that the author, Vernon Kitabu Turner came about the Zen flavor the hard way, he has lived the life.

I was fascinated that a person who had admittingly come from a Christian (Baptist) background could take to both the Martial Arts and Zen as if they were but a seamless thread.

The book helped me to see that the primary problem of human beings is that we have made fragmentation of mind a way of life, thus spirit and body are out of harmony, as well.

"Soul Sword," discusses faith as a true and demonstrable powe in daily life and real situations, not as a Sunday School lesson focused only on the actions of men and women of faith in yesteryears. To warrior of "Soul Sword" fiinds God in his fingertips and the warning of impending danger. He finds Him in the still moments.

What I like most about "Soul Sword," is that it is not a book about Zen, martial arts or spirituality in general. It is all of those things. Vernon Kitabu Turner is not afraid receive wisdom at its source. With the boldness of a Lao Tzu or a Bankei, the Zen Master, he recognizes that the secrets all lie withiin. He challenged me to really seek that master. "Soul Sword" helped me to see that no one has to be a victim.

If you ever felt there was something about yoursef, about human beings that was eluding you then "Soul Sword" is the book which will lay it out for you to feel...FEEL. I keep it handy for a booster shot when the forces of the outerworld seem to be closing in, or I think I am powerless. Iam looking forward to Vernon Kitabu Turner's next book.

I bought Soul Sword some years ago and recently reread it. This is a classic. I have given away most of my spiritual books, keeping only the ones that convey a certain energy of wholeness. Soul Sword made the cut.

Vernon Kitabu Turner writes with clarity and conciseness, revealing himself as one who walks the walk. You sense his commitment to the inner world and what it took him to arrive there.

What I like best about the book is its insistence on denying the mind's power over spirit. There comes a point when one must let go and that is where important spiritual work happens. One's soul sword cuts through the knots of suffering and voila! One is free.

Kitabu knows his stuff.

Vicki Woodyard

I was lucky enough to learn about the Author in an interview with Enlightenment Magazine. Hidden in the text was the title of his book that I was fortunate to find and note. Being a practitioner of both Yoga and Mediation this is exactly the boost both practices and not to mention my life needed. Vernon Kitabu Turner/Roshi, hit upon topics I had internalized and slightly understood, but was unable to communicate. And others that I needed to hear to bring me beyond the basic physical mechanics of both my practices and touch the sprit that is with in all of us. I recommend this book and " The Secret of Freedom".

I am a female martial artist taught to fight and think like a man. I always felt something was missing but I did not know what. When I read Soul Sword by Vernon Kitabu Turner I found the answer. The author put me in touch with the feminine way of power in a way I never imagined. I found myself melting inside as I discovered I did not have to be "tough" to defend myself, or practice the Way of The Warrior which I love. The writing of Vernon Kitabu Turner sparkles with wisdom which is written in deceptively simple but beautiful lanquage. It flows through your mind into your heart. One suspects that his own Soul Sword is so keen that it could cut you through before you noticed, and you wouldn't even feel pain, only love. If this doesn't make any sense to you, read Soul Sword, then you will know the essense of a spiritual warrior, not the men or women of old but the teachings of a modern master, proven in the streets of New York City. Turner's book is not about Zen. It is Zen. Soul Sword shimmers. It is the kind of book you want to give as gifts to people you really care about. I keep looking for it on the New York Times bestseller list. It has my vote and Kitabu has my heart. If you love a great read which reaches your heart, mind and spirit, buy Soul Sword. You will want to keep it close at hand to study time and time again, I do.

Soul Sword is a one of a kind work that delves into the ways of the warrior. It is easy to mistakenly see the warrior as someone who must do battle with external forces only. Kitabu teaches the ways of doing battle within! He shows us that once we are able to understand the source of all strength, wisdom, power and peace we are only then able to overcome any and all challenges presented to us.

This is a wonderful book for martial artists but perhaps even more poiniant for those of us who have not studied the martial way because it gives us an understanding that life presents us with all kinds of challenges and the way we choose to respond is a result of our mental physical and spritual preperation. Kitabu gives us specific instruction on how to do this prepatory work.

The joy that is evident in Kitabu's work is a pleasure to read and I hope it will reach millions of readers around the world with it's universal messages of oneness.

Some read for entertainment and some read for instruction. It is not often that one finds a book that meets both criteria. I found that unlike many self-help books, I actually apply this book to everyday life. Also, with colorful anecdotes that show how the author's teachings and discoveries are incorporated in his own life, the book is entertaining. I used applications from this book to improve my free throws,through the realization that there is more than one way to look at things and accomplish goals. Where as many may consider this feat miniscule, the author led me to open my mind and see the relevance in all things. To focus on what I don't know as opposed to what I do know is the key to knowledge and potential enlightenment. Vernon Turner is an eloquent writer that leaves one reminiscent of Voltaire in the way he makes the seemingly complex, obvious. Take the time to experience this work.

I am a journalist who met and talked with Vernon Kitabu Turner before reviewing his book for a national paper.

Generally I do not like inspirational books, or those with a 'self-help' theme. Those books heavy with pretense and portent about the consequences of not following the author's advice -- whatever kind of rubbish THAT might be. Soul Sword was not so at all, assuming no knowledge that the reader couldn't himself gain by sufficient dedicated search, and experience....Kitabu's revelation of himself and his own journey demonstrates this.

It was a delight to read for this reason first. But beyond this, SS is a journey of discovery -- a slicing of the soul to reveal a cross section of yourself, now and in the future...This daily war that is a warrior's lot becomes defined by your own experiences.

SS is not only for the 'warrior' who must make the journey into himself, and to discover his potential, but for all who must fight those little daily battles.

Once you begin,you're not likely to walk away from it as another 'good read'. SS will remain with you, enriching your life and broadening your vision.

The most exciting idea in this book for me was that it is by becoming nothing that we can be everything -- a principle I believe in. It is on this ground that the battle is won.

Put it on your bookshelf: in fact put it in your purse or briefcase...