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Fourthly the Wind book. This book is not concerned with my Ichi school but with other schools of strategy. By Wind I mean old traditions, present-day traditions, and family traditions of strategy. Thus I clearly explain the strategies of the world. This is tradition. It is difficult to know yourself if you do not know others. To all Ways there are side-tracks. If you study a Way daily, and your spirit diverges, you may think you are obeying a good way, but objectively it is not the true Way. If you are following the true Way and diverge a little, this will later become a large divergence. You must realise this. Other strategies have come to be thought of as mere sword-fencing, and it is not unreasonable that this should be so. The benefit of my strategy, although it includes sword-fencing, lies in a separate principle. I have explained what is commonly meant by strategy in other schools in the Wind book.

Miyamoto Musashi#4

StrategyLearningComparisonDifferenceHistorySelfTradition

About this quote

What does it mean?
The Wind book compares other strategy schools to your own. It is hard to know yourself without knowing others, and true way can be lost to side-tracks.
In plain terms
Compare different schools to understand your own path and avoid false ways.
What can you take from it?
Study others to ensure you are on the true Way.

Where it applies

  • studying strategies
  • self reflection
  • learning history

Putting it to work

  • study other schools
  • check your path
  • avoid side-tracks

Questions to consider

  • Do you know other ways than your own?
  • Is your path truly right?

Another view

Comparing schools can lead to confusion if not done carefully.

More from Miyamoto Musashi

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  2. Fifthly, the book of the Void. By Void I mean that which has no beginning and no end. Attaining this principle means not attaining the principle. The Way of st…

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  3. Second is the Water book. With water as the basis, the spirit becomes like water. Water adopts the shape of its receptacle, it is sometimes a trickle and somet…

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