Become Undefeatable : The Warrior Miyamoto Musashi
Japanese ideology of self-improvement
Hey there
I am back with another insightful Japanese philosophy.
I have lately been reading self-improvement books and I realize that this can be detrimental too. Reading books and philosophy take me near Japanese philosophy and I found the philosophy of Miyamoto Musashi.
Self-improvement is something that can be different from person to person.
For me, self-improvement might be waking up on time to maintain a healthy routine but for you, it might mean starting to eat healthily.
We as humans cannot be bound by a single definition and that implies to our personalities too.
I started to do a little research on Japanese philosophy and found Ikagai which I explained in the other article and now the philosophy of Miyamoto Musashi.
In a world that constantly urges us to push harder, to give it our all, there lies a paradox that many of us fail to recognize.
The legendary Samurai, Musashi, once walked a similar path of relentless striving.
Yet, through the art of the sword, he discovered a truth that defies common wisdom: sometimes, the harder you try, the worse it gets.
A counterintuitive notion challenges everything we’ve been taught about effort and determination.
In today’s world, we are often led to believe that the path to success is paved with relentless effort and that we must push ourselves to our limits to achieve our goals.
But what if this belief is not only misguided but counterproductive?
What if, as Musashi suggests, there is a way to achieve greatness that doesn’t involve straining ourselves to the breaking point?
What can we learn from this ancient Samurai that could transform the way we approach challenges in our own lives?
Musashi, born in 1584 in Harima Province, Japan, is one of the most renowned swordsmen in history.
His journey was one marked by continuous battles, both external and internal.
From a young age, Musashi was drawn to the way of the sword, dedicating his life to mastering the art of combat. However, his philosophy extended far beyond the battlefield.
Musashi was not only a warrior but also a philosopher, artist, and writer. His seminal work, “The Book of Five Rings,” is not only a treatise on strategy and martial arts but also a reflection on life itself.
Musashi’s philosophy revolves around the concept of “the way,” which he referred to as the way of the warrior, the way of the sword, or simply the way.
It is a philosophy that applies not only to martial arts but to life itself.
For Musashi, the way is about mastering oneself — one’s thoughts, emotions, and actions.
He emphasizes the importance of discipline, focus, and continuous self-improvement.
Musashi divides his philosophy into five elements, each represented by a ring: earth, water, fire, wind, and void.
These elements symbolize different aspects of existence, and understanding them is key to mastering the way.
Earth represents the physical world and our place in it; water symbolizes adaptability and the importance of flowing with the currents of life; fire represents combat and conflict, both internal and external; wind symbolizes tradition and the past, while the void represents the unknown, the future, and the infinite possibilities it holds.
Musashi believed that by understanding and mastering these elements, one could achieve a state of harmony with the universe and ultimately victory over oneself.
An essential aspect of Musashi’s philosophy is the counterintuitive nature of effort.
In a world that often preaches “the harder you try, the better the results,” Musashi offers a different perspective.