Miyamoto Musashi on Normal Mind

A monk asked an ancient worthy, "What is the way?" The ancient worthy replied, "The normal mind is the Way."
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To apply this to worldly matters, suppose you are shooting with a bow and you think you are shooting while you are shooting; then the aim of your bow will be inconsistent and unsteady. When you wield a sword, if you are conscious of wielding a sword, your offense will be unstable. When you are writing, if you are conscious of writing, your pen will be unsteady. Even when you play the harp, if you are conscious of playing, the tune will be off.

When an archer forgets consciousness of shooting and shoots in a normal frame of mind, as if unoccupied, the bow will will be steady. When normal frame of mind, as if unoccupied, the bow will be steady. When using a sword or riding a horse as well, you do not "Wield a sword" or "ride a horse." And you do not "write," you do not "play music." When you do everything in the normal state of mind, as it is when totally unoccupied then everything goes smoothly and easily.

Whatever you do as your Way, if you are obsessed with it, or think that this alone is of importance to you, then it is not the Way. It is when you have nothing in your chest that you are on the Way. Whatever you do, if you do it with nothing in your chest, it works out easily.

This is from The Book of Five Rings. Musashi is known as one of the greatest sword fighters to have ever lived here.

Submitted July 11, 2017 at 09:46PM by elbowbrunch http://ift.tt/2uNzVZA