Memorial for Jim the Barbarian

[IanRichardSharpe]

Jim posted this the day he was killed:  I have comments to follow regarding the many wonderful things that were said about him at the funeral service at the synagogue.

Swordfighting and Life
By Jim Gasser


Most Warriors are made.
Some are born.
A few have always known.

Sword fighting and life, while on the surface appearing diametrically opposed, are in fact, parallel paths.  Sword fighting in its purest form is the taking of life.  There was no other reason to pick up a sword.  Through the Path of the Sword we discover the true Path of Life.  We slice away at the very layers that cloud our true purpose...Enlightenment.  The principles and foundations of sword fighting are congruent with those of life.
Why does the sword feel so natural within our grasp?  It is a symbol, a reminder of our past.  Today, the sword is not the sword of the past, an instrument of death; the sword has become a tool for our enlightenment.
With the correct mind, any endeavour or action can lead to enlightenment.
The style that I pursue is one of basics and practicality.  I have found it is best to embrace simplicity as the cornerstone of sword fighting and life.
We fight with swords because it is who we once were and will ultimately define who we become.
Fighting is a progression and must be approached as such.  To leap over or ignore the fundamentals will result in weakness, false hope, and ultimately defeat.  Fighting is form following function.  No superfluous, wasted movements.  Our movements are timeless.  They have always been.
We must continue to question the strength and integrity of the bridge, until one has crossed over it and come back.
I often speak of what lies within us as something eternal. I believe that our concept of death occurs as we conceive it.  Under no circumstances do I think that we truly know and understandthe concept, which we call death.  Until one has crossed over the bridge and come back, it is nothing but conjecture.
It is my theory that God would not allow us to have this insight until we have evolved enough to grasp it.  At this point in our existence, if there were complete certainty as to the concept of after life and a closer relationship with God, why would we choose to remain in this life?  Our evolution would never occur if we walked like lemmings into the water.
Anyone can pick up a sword and swing it.  Sword fighting by its very nature embraces simplicity.  A child can grasp a sword and begin the dance.  As we grow older, we forget these deep-rooted natural movements.  The timeless simplicity of the sword's lesson is replaced by the complexity of life.  We have become distracted by the race.

Jim's friends and family said that Jim embodied contradictions and that they thought him difficult to understand.  I understood him perfectly.  He had a dream, a goal, and worked toward achieving that goal.  Jim wanted to evolve and become the best at what he wanted to do, and that was improving himself, his own soul, his life and the lives of those around him, and have fun while doing it.  Jim evolved and became the One, and had to move on to the next life's duties in order that we who are still here may evolve on our own paths.

As for myself, I've a long road ahead to evolve, as do many of us left behind.

I shall never forget Jim's smile, the infectious way he had of making one feel as if they were more important than anything else in life at that shining moment when one was interacting with him.  God gives us many chances to improve, I believe, and we live as long as He has given us to live, taking each opportunity and hopefully making the best of it.  If our opportunities improve our condition or the condition of others around us, then it is a step toward evolving, and one step closer to our next life.

It was said that Jim wouldn't take "no" for an answer.  If you reasoned with Jim on any subject, he certainly would take your opinions into advisement.  He was far from unreasonable.  He was hard to persuade if you didn't have a logical or valid reason to present him on a topic on which he was firm, however he was reasonable and logical, and if your viewpoint or opinion were logical enough, he would be very inclined to change his mindsetl.

Someone said that Jim embodied both peace and violence that man has inside him, and I saw both sides of those in Jim.  I remember once at a Shakespeare on the Green event where we were promoting the Barbarians to raise money for an arts centre, a teenage boy was sparring with Jim and had been repeatedly hitting Jim in the head.  Jim warned him various times, finally thwacking the lad a time to warn him further. 

I was in the pavillion tent when Jim came through with an intense angry look in his eyes, thrashing this young man soundly, spilling over all of us, knocking over tables, a veritable whirlwind of blows and pursuit.  It ended quickly and the lad was no worse for wear, however he'd learned a valuable lesson.  I watched Jim speak to him without hearing what was said, but I can imagine how Jim must have counseled him on the "rules" of fighting.  I saw Jim hug the lad and they parted with huge smiles.  Jim was a walking balance of our innate and inborn instincts toward violence and peace, but Jim was the yin and yang of those I believe.

Jim took me in and mentored me some years ago, and he took my corner during a very difficult time in my life when no one else would speak for me or believe in me.  His confidence and trust in me brought me out of a very deep abyss and motivated me to become better, to improve myself and be the best I could be at swordfighting, my personal life, my work life and my performances at renaissance festivals all over the country.  When I met Jim and the Barbarians, the motto was "Be the One."  I have had that motto on the splash screen of my phone since the very first day I knew Jim and have lived it every day since making Jim's acquaintance and friendship.

I can only extol Jim's virtues and encourage others to do as Jim did...live life to its fullest and be the best you can be at whatever you do.  In the end, you can say that you have led an honest and productive life.  Success isn't in how much money we make or how many friends we have, but how we have affected others, hopefully in a positive way.  If we have made a beneficial footprint on this planet, in this life, and made the paths of others more tolerable or better for our having been here, then we have evolved and become one.

My personal philosophy, beside "be the one" is to leave any situation in which we find ourselves better than that in which we encountered it.  In essence, this is what Jim did, but on a much grander scale than I could ever possibly hope to achieve.  For those of us left behind, we are sad and will be longing for his company.  Speaking for myself, I am happy that when it is my time, Jim will be there at the gates to greet me with that smile I shall never forget, and that mischevious glint in his eye that means he's on about something great.

We've a lot of work ahead of us!

[Emerald Shaunassey]

Rather eerie what he knew that morning, before he met the end of this existence.  And the words you have shared from his funeral are truly moving. 
Please humor me as I share words written by my friend and co-worker after I called her and told her of Jim's passing.


For Gunnar

His blue eyes flashed with eagerness, And mirth was in his smile, he strode through ren faires far and wide, and walked mile after mile.

A barbarian was he, with furs upon his back, he'd fight with man or woman or child, and give them each a whack. 

His weapons were of padded foam, not sharp and edged steel, his battles were for merriment, no danger did he wield;

For Gunnar was a gentle man, who loved the children dear, though many lost to Gunnar, not one would shed a tear.

And now our friend has gone away, to Valhalla some would say, he's gone to live among the gods and to fight another day. 

And it saddens us to see him go, for we will surely miss him, the gods have the warrior home to praise him and to bless him.
(P. Williams April 2009)

[TKM]

I believe that deserves more than being humored, Emerald. It really is moving just to see how much Jim meant to everyone. He was definitely one of the biggest influences and inspirations in my life, and I would never think twice about calling him part of my family. Thanks everyone for memories worthy of someone so magnificent.