Howdy. Ando here from Happy Life Martial Arts. I just drove to the park to
pretend that I sit under trees and read books. I don't. Now, if you saw my video
about Bruce Lee, you know I'm a big fan of the Tao of Jeet Kune Do.
Today I want to talk about another one of my favorite martial arts books, The
Book of Five Rings by the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi. No joke, I've
got like four translations here. Now, even though Musashi has been dead for over
350 years, reading this book still feels like you're taking a private lesson.
Maybe the greatest private lesson you could ever have. coming up I'll tell you why.
Too many bugs and birds out there okay the first reason I love this book
is because it's very personal Musashi starts off by basically saying
it's three o'clock in the morning I'm 60 years old I've been fighting my whole
life and I've learned a lot I just climbed this mountain and found a cave
so I can be alone and write this stuff down once and for all how cool is that
the fact that Musashi died a few weeks after writing those words only makes
them more poignant and powerful I'm truly amazed in how his words have lived
on transcending time distance language and culture to inspire students that he
would never meet like me I only wish he had made a video the second reason I
love this book and maybe it's because I'm a little stupid is that it's short
no poems no mumbo-jumbo he gets right to the point
musashi's writing style tells you everything you need to know about his
fighting style it's direct and honest and in that spirit that's all I'm gonna
say about that okay the third and most important reason that I love the book of
five rings is the advice itself you would swear that Musashi was writing
this today he criticizes commercial schools fancy moves and so-called secret
techniques now keep in mind he's not writing this like a troll in
YouTube comment section. He's writing this on scrolls in a cave 350 years ago.
now putting all that aside perhaps the greatest lesson I took away from the
book is this-- advice is meaningless without practice. Musashi tells the
reader over and over it is impossible to write about this in detail you must
train constantly you must research this well you must study hard so cool even
though Musashi is giving advice he understands the limitations of giving
advice he knows that gaining your own
experience is the key to wisdom not reading about his experience to drive
that point home Musashi also wrote I practice many arts and abilities all
things with no teacher all things with no teacher Musashi presents himself as a
self-made man he tells us that he wasn't influenced by religion or any martial
arts writings instead he only gives credit to to teachers experience and
reflection Musashi wrote that it wasn't until the age of 30 that he stopped to
reflect on how he'd been so successful in all of those battles it took him
another 20 years to figure it all out of course as a teacher I believed in
sharing information and offering advice but as we discussed in podcast number 70
for inspiration and motivation if you're not willing to practice and do the work
well it doesn't matter if you've seen the deadliest techniques known to
humankind that information is worthless if
anything it works against you because you judge yourself based on what you
know instead of what you can do and that my friend is always trouble so whatever
journey you're on if you find yourself needing a little inspiration or maybe a
little guidance on how to as Musashi would say polish your particular way
then I highly recommend that you step into the cave pull up a rock and join
Musashi by the fire it might just be the greatest private lesson you'll ever have
if you like this video thanks for giving it a thumbs up and sharing with a friend
Until next time, maybe turn off the videos and go practice a little more and
keep fighting for a happy life.