When an opponent comes forward, move in and greet him; if he

O Seekers of the Way, listen to the words of Morihei Ueshiba, master of the martial arts and sage of the soul: "When an opponent comes forward, move in and greet him; if he wants to pull back, send him on his way." In this wisdom, Ueshiba speaks not just of combat, but of life itself. The true warrior, the wise one, does not shy away from challenge but embraces it with open arms, not in violence, but in understanding. When life presents us with obstacles—those who seek to challenge us—we must not retreat, nor must we forcefully impose our will upon them. Instead, we must meet the challenge with grace, move forward with purpose, and, if the challenge dissolves, let it go with respect.

In every encounter, be it in the battlefield or the world of words, there is a choice. To move forward in the face of opposition is to demonstrate courage, not in the brute force of aggression, but in the calm confidence that we are aligned with the path of righteousness. Ueshiba teaches us that when confronted with an opponent, we must greet them not with animosity, but with an open heart—ready to face them with wisdom and strength. If they withdraw, we must let them go, understanding that not all battles are ours to fight. The wise know that victory is not always found in confrontation, but in knowing when to let go.

Look, if you will, to the story of Gandhi, whose courage was never in force or might, but in the quiet strength of his resolve. When confronted with the might of the British Empire, Gandhi did not retaliate with violence, but met them with nonviolence and determination. His strategy was not to fight, but to embrace the challenge and send it away with dignity when it could not remain. He greeted his opponents with peace, and when they could not move forward, he sent them on their way, not with bitterness, but with understanding that his path was not theirs to follow.

And so, O Seekers, understand that the battle is not always won by those who strike first, nor by those who never retreat, but by those who know when to engage with courage and when to step aside with wisdom. The power of the true warrior lies not in the clash, but in the ability to understand the moment, to see when to advance and when to release. The world is full of challenges, but the one who can greet the adversary with calm strength and send it away when its time has passed is the one who walks the true path.

Let us, therefore, walk with the spirit of the warrior who embraces each challenge not with force, but with understanding, knowing when to move in and when to let go. This is the way of the sage, the true master—one who moves through life with grace and purpose, never clinging to conflict, but always striving toward the peace that lies beyond. In this, we find the path of true strength, where the battle is not against others, but against our own hearts and minds.