In the mid 17th Century in feudal Japan, there was a wise man that learned Wisdom from his Path and from his closeness to God. His name was Miyamoto Musashi. He was one of the most renowned and legendary figures in Japanese history. He was famous for his exceptional skill as a swordsman, philosopher, and strategist. His fighting technique and writings are still valued today. He was a warrior-philosopher. Musashi’s approach to life and combat emphasized self-reliance, discipline, and non-attachment. His philosophy was grounded in Zen Buddhism and Confucianism, focusing on the importance of inner peace, clarity of thought, and mindfulness. Despite his fame as a warrior, Musashi lived a life of humility and asceticism, often traveling and living alone.
Musashi is an example of a Heartbroken Warrior. He understood that it takes heartbreak to have the growth to navigate with Wisdom. The 21 Principles of the Dokkodo (“The Way of Walking Alone” or “The Path of Aloneness”) are a set of guidelines written shortly before his death in 1645. The principles reflect Musashi’s personal philosophy and approach to life, emphasizing self-discipline, independence, and clarity of thought. It was his Path … the way of the warrior. These principles were intended as a guide for living a life of integrity, self-reliance, and simplicity.
I am going to present these 21 principles of living that this master lived by. These are my thoughts and discussion on his views regarding how to be a Heartbroken Warrior. I will address the first three in this write-up.
The 21 Principles of the Dokkōdō
Accept everything just the way it is.
It is fruitless to try and change reality to fit into our view of how life should be. We must understand that acceptance and allowing is our strength. We can embrace reality with no need to alter it. Our world is Perfect. All of life’s circumstances are purposeful for our growth and perfection to be more like Christ or Buddha or whatever enlightened Master you identify with. My friend said to me yesterday … It is what it is. This sometimes sounds like a resignation and throwing up the white flag of surrender as if you have lost the battle. In essence, this is actually winning. We cannot beat Fate. It is Wisdom to Know this. We are on the path to achievement through our humility by understanding this.
We are trusting our Creator when we acknowledge the mastery of how our Universe is Perfect and in balance and harmonious. When a species goes extinct, it makes room for the growth of another and a new balance in nature. It is true blasphemy if we think we can make our world fit our needs. We are thinking that we can do it better than the Almighty Creator of all things including us.
We must understand that we are on a Path of Perfection and all situations are here for us to grow from. Our Journey can be less scary if we know this. We don’t have to wake up thinking this is a bad day and everything is wrong. We can have the courage to take the steps necessary to face our obstacles and Know that they are here for a reason. We can Know everything is going to turn out just fine. Maybe you have been doing your best to satisfy a requirement, yet no matter how hard you are trying you fall short based on the expectations of another. The lesson may be that you move forward and let go of that thing you wanted. The trouble you are facing is just a sign and push in a new direction and soon you realize that what you have discovered from this push in another direction is so much better for you than what you thought you wanted. Our situations are here for us to grow and learn from. When we Trust our God that created all things and has our best interests always in mind, then we can navigate and change course with confidence and without fear. We can be happy when we wake up to face a difficulty and we can Know it is actually a sign and future blessing.
Everything is under control by knowing it is out of our control. Isn’t that peace of mind? We do not have to carry the burden of having to make a square peg fit in a round hole. We do not have to pour all of our effort and time and energy into controlling our destiny. It is already controlled by a force that created worlds. It is in better hands than ours. We can learn from a more powerful and intelligent Way. We can rest in Knowing all will be perfect and we will always land on our feet. This is true Peace and we can use our energies in learning from things being just the way they are. It is a philosophy of using our energies and time wisely and we can apply our efforts to things we can control like our attitudes and understanding.
Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.
We must understand that overindulging in physical pleasures teeters the scale toward falling down. The overindulgence can be distractions from our greater purpose which is our unique Path that we are all allowed to choose. Our Path is to be our own without the need for others approval. It is with this uniqueness that we are to be respectful of our choices and value them as precious. We must nurture this Path because of our conscious decision that it is best for us. True fulfillment comes from mastering ourselves which is the only thing we can control. It is not from indulging in temporary desires. These are fleeting. They are fun for a moment and then you crave more while all the while we are not focused on the goals we want to achieve and the qualities we want to behold. Seek instead the Joy in the process of learning and becoming stronger. Enjoy the refinement of becoming a great warrior on our own Journey.
A Heartbroken Warrior’s path is one of balance and not excess. We are here to grow and indulge in our own growth and this is a ministry to all around us as they are inspired by our commitment to our own Self-Love. Anyone can get high artificially. It takes strength, determination, commitment and heart to stay guided and safe while on our Journey. We must keep in mind that the Journey is the destination. The Journey is what we have decided on and we must preserve it’s integrity. It is self-respect and honor to stay committed to what we have decided for ourselves as Truth. A true warrior is undeterred and continues the march toward the goal no matter the distraction.
Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.
We need to make our decisions based on a full understanding of a situation. We cannot base decisions on our own emotional baggage and connections. When we make assumptions, we are having unstable and dangerous footing. Assumptions are making decisions without proper perspective or knowing exactly what the situation is. We must involve the other people to see a situation with clarity. Asking questions helps us fully understand exactly what a situation presents so we can properly address it for success. If we do not, these assumptions lead to misunderstandings, confusion, and unnecessary drama.
When we do not have a full understanding of anyone or anything, we are destined for an error. Asking questions and not making assumptions are key concepts in the philosophy of living with clarity, peace, and authenticity. We are often influenced by our own interpretations, personal perspectives, emotions, biases and by our past experiences. We do this often to protect ourselves, however the plans we make for “just in case it goes a certain way” are false and that certain way is very uncertain. We might believe that we know what someone else is thinking or feeling, when in reality, we can’t know unless we ask them directly. We become storytellers by building up scenarios in our minds that aren’t based on facts. Personally, I have become upset with a good friend because they didn’t respond to my message after some time and it lead to unnecessary stress and frustration. However, the truth was that they simply got busy and their ringer was turned off.
If we choose to keep ourselves open to not knowing, ask questions, communicate effectively and stay present with the facts rather than being trapped in the stories we tell ourselves, we will stop assuming and create space for more honest and open communication which leads to healthier relationships. This allows us to experience the world as it truly is, rather than through the lens of our distorted beliefs.
Leave a Reply