Warrior in a Garden: 3 Precepts of Musashi

There are many interpretations of phrases like "It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war" or "He who desires peace must prepare for war." Some relate these to the concept of war itself, while others keep them in mind in case they find themselves in a situation where recalling or mentioning one of these phrases might help them at that moment.

In this section, Warrior in a Garden, I aim to give a different nuance to these phrases, focusing more on self-directed warfare. War is directly associated with external conflicts between parties, leading to the destruction of lives and the expropriation of lands and goods, to mention a few consequences.

Nowadays, war is a taboo subject, and those who think about it are often viewed as brutal. However, this has led to both personal and professional preparations exclusively for times of peace. Yet, when we emerge into the real world and break that bubble of perfection we've been encapsulated in, we realize we are unprepared to face the real world, which is a battlefield without weapons, without loss of life, but always with the same essence of conflict.

Warrior in a Garden invites you to engage in self-directed warfare, a war where you face yourself. It is a battle that only you can fight, but when I refer to war, I don't mean it in the sense of bloodshed or hostility. Instead, it is strategically and pragmatically, allowing for self-analysis aimed at your ongoing development and improvement so that you can prepare for the various wars and battles you face daily and become a warrior in a garden.

In this writing, I will cite three precepts from the master of the sword, Miyamoto Musashi, a celebrated warrior in Japan whose works have transcended history thanks to his integral vision of life and each element that composes it. He understood that the negative aspects of life should neither be feared nor avoided but should be addressed, understood, and turned into strengths.

1. ACCEPT THINGS AS THEY ARE

This may seem like a simple task, something we do unconsciously every day, but by establishing "Accept things as they are" as a principle, Musashi invites us to evaluate how we perceive and react to reality. It may seem redundant, but these are two entirely different things.

Perspective: There is a saying, "We must learn to see life as it is, not as we want it to be." This idea generally applies to the situations we experience daily and to the people we know and interact with.

This means that there is an unconscious bias that creates prejudices and predispositions. For example, when you wake up "on the wrong side of the bed." The morning starts; you get up, prepare for a significant moment in your life, have breakfast, and spill something on the shirt you bought for that specific moment. Unconsciously, you predispose your entire day because, by staining your shirt, the perspective of "the best day of your life" turns gloomy, and this negativity carries through to all your activities simply because you base your entire day on the negative emotion of that one specific moment.

When you accept things as they are, you learn to detach from emotion, to be pragmatic or "cold," as some say. That's why it's advised not to make promises when you're in a state of emotion or euphoria and not to express opinions when angry. In times of strong emotions, rationality disappears, taking the perception of risk and benefit with it.

Reaction: This is a similar concept but more externalized, as the focus of perspective is something only you experience and know. In contrast, there are external situations requiring a quick and crucial reaction. For example, in a dangerous situation, it's essential to be as realistic as possible to maintain clarity of mind and thus evaluate the situation to find an appropriate solution.

Musashi's principle shares some similarities with the philosophy of Wabi-Sabi. However, unlike Wabi-Sabi, where we seek to recognize and accept every aspect and situation of our lives, knowing that in some instances, we do not have the power to interfere, Musashi implements that spirit of resilience where, even if we lack the external power to change a situation, we still have the internal power to adapt, as long as we can see and react to the situations as they arise in nature, without overestimating or underestimating them.

This idea, or at least the concept of honor, should be something we all understand and apply in our lives, but currently, this isn't the case. The concept of honor is considered by many to be an outdated notion belonging to the warriors described in stories.

The question is: What is honor? It's like asking, What is ethical? The answers will vary, and the perspectives will be different. This does not mean that some are right and others are wrong; ultimately, it is up to each person's discretion. However, you can answer the question: What message do you convey to the world? Reflect on whether sharing with the world aligns with your ideals, morals, and values. In other words, is it truly you, or is it behavior conditioned by social standards or pressures?

Consider that now, not only does reputation (in person) exist, but there is also digital reputation, which arises from our digital footprint. Everything we do online is recorded on the internet.

One piece of advice I offer (it's up to you to take it or leave it): Each time you do something, both in the physical world and online, ask yourself the following questions:

• Does what I am about to do represent me?
• Is what I am about to do genuinely mine, or is it conditioned?
• When someone gets to know me or looks at my past, will I be happy for them to see or associate me with what I am about to do?

If all your answers to the above questions are "yes," you significantly reduce the margin of error. The lower the uncertainty, the lower the risk. In a sense, you ensure that what you do and share truthfully represents you.

At the end of the day, we are different, which does not mean we should be judged for it. However, we must ensure that we are entirely realistic with ourselves. We should not allow material, social, or economic benefits to lead us against ourselves and what we believe. Always remember the phrase: "First Me, then Me, and lastly Me."

3. NEVER ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE SAD ABOUT A SEPARATION

This precept from Musashi may be questioned since it goes against human nature. Humans have a very complex brain that includes the Reptilian brain (Instinctual), Mammalian brain (Emotions), and Neocortex (Reasoning). What Musashi suggests contradicts both the mammalian and reptilian aspects. Scholars in both psychology and sociology have established various theories and diagnoses to better explain how humans deal with the loss of a loved one, such as John Bowlby with attachment theory and Jeff Greenberg with terror management theory, among others.

Ultimately, humans are social beings by nature. This is so much the case that it forms part of our basic needs. The pioneer of humanistic psychology, Maslow, represents his motivational theory graphically in a pyramid categorizing human needs, and two of these categories (Safety and Belonging) highlight the necessity of human relationships, from familial ties to belonging to a group.

To maximize and put Musashi's precept into practice, we won't place it in the context of human relationships but instead in one of the perspectives.

As I mentioned earlier, humans are naturally emotional and social; therefore, we will always create some type of attachment to a place, a situation, or even an idea. This is not a bad thing. For example, a company seeks to establish a relationship with its customers and products in such a way that they become loyal, or there is also the example of the attachment one can feel toward belonging to a group, which can empower a person to give their best.

The problem arises when this "connection" or "attachment" becomes harmful. Consider the following perspective:

You have been working for many years in a specific industry or sector, developing a solid professional identity in that area. You have become an expert, well-known, and liked by colleagues and clients. However, an "X" factor now bothers you and no longer aligns with your ideals, or you simply wish to dedicate yourself to something entirely different. Yet, your attachment to this routine, which has been your life, prevents you from being yourself.

Learn to step away from the game when you are winning, or in other words, know when to end something. "Getting too far is just as bad as falling short." - Confucius.

Of course, this does not mean you should go through life without emotions, closing chapters simply "for the sake of it." No, this is where you need to weigh cost versus benefit and always stay one step ahead. Just because you choose to end something doesn't mean the world will stop or change its course. Life goes on, and this is where you must never allow yourself to feel sad about a separation.

Learn from cats; they always land on their feet, even when they fall.

I hope you have learned something new. Remember to share your perspectives, as through dialogue, we transmit knowledge. Authentic hospitality shares the essence of life, making every encounter meaningful.

Satoricha ~

References

Greene, R. (2019). Las 33 estrategias de la guerra. Océano.

Burrese, A. (2015). Musashi's Dokkodo (The Way of Walking Alone): Half Crazy, Half Genius?Finding Modern Meaning in the Sword Saint's Last Words (L. A. Kane & K. Wilder, Eds.). Stickman Publications, Incorporated.