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About this quote

What does it mean?
There are various spiritual states related to using weapons or not. These nuances cannot be fully captured in writing and require direct training.
In plain terms
Many spiritual aspects of fighting cannot be written down; you must train.
What can you take from it?
Some insights require direct experience rather than reading.

Where it applies

  • skill learning
  • mentorship
  • martial arts

Putting it to work

  • seek hands-on training
  • trust experience
  • go beyond theory

Questions to consider

  • What can you learn only through doing?
  • How do you find a good mentor?

Another view

Some knowledge is hard to verbalize which can make teaching difficult.

More from Miyamoto Musashi

  1. 'To renew' applies when we are fighting with the enemy, and an entangled spirit arises where there is no possible resolution. We must abandon our efforts, thin…

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  2. When you have mastered the Way of strategy you can suddenly make your body like a rock, and ten thousand things cannot touch you. This is the body of a rock. Y…

    Permalink to quote #70
  3. When we are fighting with the enemy, even when it can be seen that we can win on the surface with the benefit of the Way, if his spirit is not extinguished, he…

    Permalink to quote #67

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