Evergreen Reads to Empower Your Mind
The Standard Sister
Issue no.15
The Warrior Issue
May 2, 2025
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To Win, To Loose
Every woman fights battles—some loud, most invisible. The Warrior Issue isn’t about endless struggle; it’s about understanding the difference between being a fighter and being a warrior. A fighter reacts. A warrior chooses her battles—and writes her own code. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is surrender—not out of weakness, but out of wisdom.
In this issue, we explore ancient female samurai warriors, the art of surrender, how fashion can sometimes act as a shield, and why discovering your inner truth is the greatest weapon of all.
This issue is dedicated to the battles of daily life—and the quiet losses and bold victories they carry.
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Image from "Paco Rabanne" Book 1996 Kamitsis, Lydia (Inscribed)
The Way of a Samurai
History- Article by The Standard Sister
When we think of samurai, we usually picture men—stoic warriors with swords at their sides and honor etched into their every move. The word itself conjures images of masculine discipline and blood-stained glory. But hidden within that history, often erased or overlooked, were women who chose another way. Instead of learning the traditionally accepted feminine rituals like working in the fields or becoming a geisha, they defied every expectation—training in martial arts, defending their homes, and riding into battle with the same resolve as their male counterparts. And even though we prefer Mulan over any other iconic character, this time it’s not about her.
It’s worth understanding the deeper philosophy behind the sword. The samurai followed a code called Bushidō—the Way of the Warrior. It guided their lives with strict values: loyalty, courage, integrity, and self-sacrifice. For them, fighting wasn’t just about winning—it was about living and dying with purpose.
Among the few whose names survived the centuries stands one unforgettable warrior: Tomoe Gozen.
She was part of a rare but formidable group of female fighters known as onna-musha—women of the samurai class who trained in weapons and went to war when their homes or honor were at stake. These women weren’t symbols of resistance—they were resistance. A legendary onna-musha, Akai Teruko, is said to have fought until the age of 76—proving that the warrior spirit has no expiration date. Armed with bows, blades, and strategy, they shattered the belief that battle was a man’s world alone.
Tomoe Gozen lived during the late 12th century, a time when different warrior families were fighting each other for power in Japan. Under the leadership of Yoshinaka, she commanded 300 samurai against 2,000 warriors of the rival Taira clan. After defeating the Taira in 1182 and driving them into the western provinces, Yoshinaka took Kyoto and sought to become the leader of the Minamoto clan. Tomoe wasn’t just a fighter—she was a leader. She served under Minamoto no Yoshinaka, a prominent general of the Genpei War—a conflict that shaped the future of Japan. But Tomoe wasn’t just by his side. She was on the front lines.
The historical text The Tale of the Heike, a famous 13th-century epic chronicling the Genpei War, describes her as both exceptionally beautiful and incredibly fierce—“a warrior worth a thousand men.” With her long, flowing hair tucked beneath her helmet and a bow nearly as tall as herself, she mastered the arts of horseback archery, swordsmanship, and hand-to-hand combat.
Like all true samurai, she wasn’t just a fighter but a warrior—a woman who fought not just with weapons, but for a code. For loyalty, for honor, for something bigger than herself.
One account tells of a battlefield where Tomoe, armed with her naginata (a curved-blade pole weapon), charged into the chaos, unseating enemies and beheading them with terrifying grace. In one of her most famous acts, she challenged a powerful samurai to single combat—and won. These weren’t legends whispered long after her time. These were records written by men who couldn’t ignore what they saw: a woman who embodied the code of the samurai as fiercely as any man.
But as much as Tomoe’s legacy burns brightly, it’s also shrouded in questions. Did she survive the war? Did she become a nun, as some stories say, or did she vanish into exile? Her story ends not with clarity, but with myth.
And maybe that’s the most samurai thing of all.
Winning the Everyday Battles
Wellness- Article by The Standard Sister
For most women in the world, battles are not fought with swords or guns—but in many cases they are fought with shields. Most of those battles happen quietly—inside the mind, between past and present, between who you were, who you are and who you are trying to become.
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We often hear people praised as “fighters.” But we wanted to understand the deeper difference between a fighter and a warrior—and what truly defines a warrior.
A fighter reacts. A warrior lives by a code she has consciously chosen.
The idea that a fighter reacts while a warrior follows a code comes from ancient warrior traditions across cultures—samurai, knights, and other legendary fighters. True warriors were expected not just to win battles, but to live by a personal code of loyalty, honor, and self-discipline—even when it was difficult. To fight for something, not just againstsomething.
Today, that difference still matters.
Winning the everyday battles—like waking up early when you’re not used to it, reacting differently to a co-worker, a friend, or a lover when you feel anger, or showing up with courage when fear tries to take over—isn't about being tougher. It’s about becoming intentional.
It’s about recognizing that the habits wired into your brain—many from childhood, early adulthood, or a version of yourself that no longer serves you—don't have to define you anymore.
It’s about choosing a new code—and honoring it, even when your mind tries to pull you back into old patterns.
Maybe you once believed you were "lazy" because that’s what you heard growing up, or because of how you lived during your university years—pulling all-nighters, skipping mornings, drifting through opportunity.
But today, you crave calm mornings, time for yourself, space to breathe before the world claims you.
Maybe you learned to shut down when you felt upset, angry, or disappointed—preferring to retreat rather than reveal your vulnerability.
But today, you are committed to deeper communication, willing to step into connection even when it feels uncomfortable.
Or maybe your daily struggle is silencing the habit of self-judgment—believing you are never enough, always behind.
Maybe the code you are writing now is radical acceptance: honoring every part of who you are, beyond society’s standards.
Maybe your battle is learning how to be a mother while still honoring the woman you were before.
Maybe you feel torn between the endless demands of motherhood and the quiet voice inside you that still wants to create, explore, and simply be.
A true warrior doesn't erase parts of herself to fit into a new role—she weaves all parts of her story together with strength and grace, honoring the full complexity of who she is becoming.
The everyday battles are not about proving yourself to the world.
They are about proving, again and again, to yourself who you have chosen to become.
Being a true warrior means honoring the code you choose.
Practicing it. Persisting in it.
Until one day, it’s no longer a fight.
It’s just who you are
Print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi
The Art of Surrendering
Relationship- Article by The Standard Sister
Long before there were nations, kings, and flags, there was the primal fight for survival. In the natural world, conflict was simple: fighting for food, for shelter, for life itself. Survival mode shaped early instincts—to protect, to defend, to conquer if necessary.
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But as humans evolved, so did the reasons for battle. The first recorded war in human history dates back over 5,000 years to Mesopotamia — when city-states clashed over land and water rights. From there, history became a story of wars: some affecting single nations, others shaping the world as we know it. But one thing remains certain: as civilizations grew, wars shifted from survival to power, from protection to possession — fighting for land, wealth, influence, and control.
War became a reflection of the more complicated desires of humankind. Once, war was an act of protection, an instinct of survival. Over time, it became a fight for what we didn't have, instead of fighting to protect what we already had. Power, land, wealth — the hunger for more replaced the gratitude for enough.
If we look closely at the small battles of life today, we can see the same pattern. We often find ourselves fighting for possibilities, chasing what might be — especially in relationships — instead of protecting what already exists within us.
Take a simple example: a relationship that drains your energy, yet you keep fighting because of its potential. Or a career path that looked shiny at first but slowly eats away at your creativity and peace. Sometimes the real bravery is not in pushing harder — it’s in stepping back.
For The Standard Sister, a true warrior is someone brave enough to stop. To reassess. To recognize that when the battle costs you what you already have — your peace, your joy, your dignity, or your values — it’s time to let go.
In a world that glorifies endurance and endless fighting for what we want, knowing when to walk away can feel like betrayal — like weakness. But true warriors understand something deeper: not every battle is meant to be fought to the end.
The most valuable strength isn’t in holding on. It’s in letting go. It’s in surrendering with wisdom — recognizing when a relationship, a career path, a friendship, or even a dream no longer serves your becoming — and having the courage to leave the battlefield.
Other wars and battles in life will always appear — there is no doubt about that. But sometimes, it is crucial to lose one battle in order to win another, revealing a new path. Not because you failed — but because you evolved.
Some believe that when love is right, it shouldn't feel like a battle — at least not in the beginning. Others say that without fighting for your dreams and goals, nothing will happen. The Buddha would whisper: "Do nothing, and everything will happen."
At The Standard Sister, we believe that every case demands a different attitude. Sometimes knocking on the table will make people hear you. Other times, silence will be your roar.
But fighting on automatic mode — simply because "we are already here," or "we’ve come so far," or because it’s what you’re used to doing — can hurt more than leaving. Fighting for something without reassessing whether the win is still worth the cost drains your spirit, dims your light, and weighs you down. Sometimes, by the time you "win," it no longer feels like a victory at all.
True strength lies not in endless struggle but in knowing where to invest your precious energy — and when to protect it fiercely.
Maybe you let go of a relationship that demanded too much and gave too little, even if you saw the potential in it. (Remember: sometimes you’re clinging to your idea of it, not the reality itself.) Maybe you left a job that offered financial freedom but suffocated your creativity. Maybe you released a version of yourself you thought you needed to be.
Every time you surrender what no longer serves you, you make space for what does. Life — real life — is about choosing your battles and paying the price for them. There is no winning without also losing something.
Just remember: always stop and reassess when the price becomes too high.
Fashion as a Shield
Fashion- Article by The Standard Sister
Dressing in a certain way has always been an act of declaring identity, intent, and status—even when the logos are hidden. Before runways and street style, armor served the same essential purpose: protection and presentation.
For ancient warriors, attire was not merely about survival; it was a symbol of who you were and what you stood for.
In ancient Greece, soldiers wore bronze cuirasses sculpted to reflect idealized masculine physiques—projecting both physical power and divine favor. Their crested helmets, adorned with horsehair plumes, often indicated rank: the higher and more elaborate the crest, the greater the status. Shields were painted with individual emblems, family symbols, or mythological references—each warrior carrying a portable banner of their identity into battle.
Similarly, samurai in feudal Japan (a period when society was structured around rigid hierarchies of loyalty, land ownership, and warrior honor) wore armor that combined functionality with deep symbolism. Their helmets (kabuto) were often topped with dramatic crests called maedate—decorative motifs like horns, dragons, or rising suns, representing personal virtues, clan allegiance, or spiritual beliefs. Their layered garments and armor plates were fastened in intricate ways, using colors, knots, and materials that signaled their social standing, military role, and family lineage. Even the weaving patterns of the armor cords (odoshi) could reveal a warrior’s house or personal story.
Wearing armor wasn’t just protection—it was performing identity. A visible testament to what you fought for and how you wanted to be remembered.
As warfare evolved, so did armor. The Middle Ages introduced full plate armor, offering comprehensive protection and becoming synonymous with the knightly class. However, with the advent of firearms in the 16th century, traditional armor became less effective, leading to its gradual decline on the battlefield.
Yet, the symbolism of armor endured. In the 20th century, designers began to draw inspiration from historical armor, translating its forms into fashion statements.
Historically, armor was designed as protective clothing with the ability to deflect or absorb the impact of projectiles or weapons used against its wearer. And today? The battles have changed—but the instinct remains. They're no longer spears or arrows, but doubts, insecurities, comparisons, and the quiet erosion of self-confidence.
Now, our shields are built from choices—how we dress, how we show up, how we protect our sense of self in a world that often tries to chip away at it. Most of us use fashion to introduce ourselves to the world with quiet strength, just as warriors once carried their identities onto the battlefield.
In 1966, Paco Rabanne unveiled his debut couture collection, provocatively titled "12 Unwearable Dresses in Contemporary Materials," at the Hôtel George V in Paris. Crafted from unconventional materials like aluminum discs, Rhodoid (a type of cellulose acetate plastic), and metal rings, these dresses shimmered and moved like futuristic armor. Rabanne challenged traditional ideas of femininity and elegance, turning industrial materials into wearable art. His designs weren't about comfort—they were about making a statement: walking into the world not hidden, but shining, unapologetic, and untouchable.
The collection's impact echoed beyond fashion, influencing popular culture and redefining how fashion could serve as modern armor. Even today, the revival of his timeless 1969 metal bag is a reminder of how lasting his vision of strength, rebellion, and beauty remains.
Fashion can be a shield. Or a sword.
Our present armor can be anything:
A black blazer you wear to the meeting where you’re asking for what you deserve.
An oversized, cozy sweater that wraps you in safety after a day of fighting invisible battles no one sees.
Carefully chosen jewelry you wear not for trends, but as talismans—small reminders of your story, your strength, your personality.
Sometimes it’s about pretending.
But it’s always about choosing—choosing how you want to meet the world, and how you want the world to meet you.
