Miyamoto Musashi is remembered as one of the greatest samurai who ever lived. A Japanese Buddhist born in 1584, he taught that there are twenty rules one should follow in order to lead a happy and fulfilled life. He was a famous warrior and expert swordsman, and his wise teachings are still studied today. According to his famous texts Musashi’s Dokkodo (The Way of Walking Alone): Half Crazy, Half Genius – Finding Modern Meaning in the Sword Saint’s Last Words and The Complete Book of Five Rings,
here is a list of the 20 rules he chose to live by that may change your life:

1. Accept Life, As It Is

People tend to often create stress for themselves by wishing that things and circumstances were different than they are. Rather than obsessing on why life should be different, accept it for what it is, accept things as they are. Stress, worries and anxieties are a natural part of life, and rather than attacking your natural feelings, accept them and you will become stronger.

2. Abandon Obsessions To Seek Pleasure

Humans tend to spend a large amount of their time on Earth chasing fleeting pleasures, becoming slaves to their inner desires. Instead, live in the moment, do not chase pleasure but rather appreciate it when it comes naturally.

3. Do Not Act On Impulsive Emotions

Musashi believed that sudden strong feelings should be regulated by reason, before turning into action. When powerful feelings seek to sway decisions, first engage in reason and have your decisions be well thought out, not controlled by random impulses.

4. Don’t Self Obsess

Too much of a focus on how we appear and on our ego causes us to lose sight of what’s truly important in life. Realize that you are deeper than your self, and do not obsess over superficial things.

5. Jealousy Should Not Be Part Of You

Jealousy is a powerful form of hatred, and Miyamoto Musashi taught that if we get stuck in a world of jealousy, we can easily destroy ourselves. Instead, be grateful for what you already have, and you will be blessed with true abundance.

6. Let Go Of Your Desires

By desiring for things which we do not have, we create suffering in ourselves as we begin to feel that we lack something. The great samurai taught to not live wanting more than you have, but rather let go of desire and all good things will come to you.

7. Never Live In Regret

Musashi believed that everything happens for a reason, that everything has a purpose and is part of our life path. The past served a purpose and cannot be changed, so rather than stress over or regret it, learn from it and let it prepare you for your future.

8. Do Not Dwell On Sad Separations

Choosing to constantly think of or dwell on the sad departing of friends and loved ones prevents us from moving forward with our lives. Musashi believed that since there was no way to bring back the dead, stay in the moment and choose to move on.

9. Avoid Complaining

People often end to complain when problems arise, but Musashi’s teaching was that this can damage our mental strength and keep us stuck in the past. Rather than complain, let your troubles pass you by as your mind keeps calm in the moment.

10. Don’t Let Lust Control Your Life

Humans are sexual by nature, but many people spend their lives in a state of constant desire. Musashi believed we should not seek for lust, but rather seek for love and long lasting relationships, as in the long run they are much more beneficial to one’s life.

11. Keep Your Options Open

Do not become narrow minded, and do not become stuck in only one possible future. Stay open minded and allow for life’s possibilities.

12. Don’t Be A Slave To The Material World

While society throughout the ages always teaches that material possessions are the most important things in life, the reality is that we cannot take any of these luxuries with us after our lives have ended. Instead, build up things that truly matter in life; your character, love, and an inner state of tranquility and calm.

13. Do Not Be Gluttonous

Miyamoto Musashi believed that food was fuel for the body, not an object of unnatural cravings or desires. A warrior knows that food is a tool to be utilized, not a pleasure to be abused.

14. Abandon Possessions And Practice Minimalism

We do not need many things to be happy, in fact having less can often make us the happiest as a simple life is stress-free. If you have things you don’t need, get rid of them and travel light.

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15. Do Not Believe In Something Just Because You Are Told To

Never believe anything unless it agrees with your own reason and inner knowing. We must learn to form our own opinions and own beliefs. Do not just follow the crowd.

16. Respect The Gods, But Do Not Rely Solely On Their Guidance

Musashi believed that Gods should be praised, but never let that be a cause for your own inaction. A person must forge their own path.

17. Have No Fear Of Dying

If we fear death, we cannot live fully. Live one day at a time, and do not fear the outcome of each action you take. Be free from fear.

18. Only Use Your Weapon When Absolutely Necessary

Miyamoto Musashi was an undefeated samurai who had over 60 duels on record, yet he believed that attacking another for no reason was a sin. Self-defense should be the only reason to use your sword, and it should never be taken lightly.

19. Do Not Focus On Riches

Musashi believed those who live simple lives are to be more admired than those who amass large quantities of wealth for themselves. Living in the moment is the sign of a wise person, and hoarding riches is the sign of someone whose own priorities are not of the heart. Possessions distract from life’s true meaning, so let them go and live simply.

20. Protect Your Honor

Musashi said we must stay true to ourselves and follow our own beliefs. Live with integrity and honor, and do what you believe to be morally right.

From the Rorschach inkblot test to the Meyers-Briggs personality test, psychologists have often found many interesting and creative ways to discover certain aspects of our personalities. From the images we first notice to our personal preferences, it can be fun to see what our mind is telling us based on our first perceptions.

Take a look at the picture below and remember what you notice first. What you see first may tell you about who you are on the inside and reveal something about your perception of life:

The Letter ‘A’

If you saw the letter ‘A’, which is quite arguably the most difficult image to find within this picture, it means you have a sharp eye for detail unmatched by most. Those who see the letter A tend to have powerful deductive reasoning skills, able to pickup on clues from certain situations and discover the truth of what happened.

You likely have been drawn to detective related stories, TV shows or movies at some point in your life, and your ability to solve puzzles is another indicator of your high intelligence. Those who see the letter ‘A’ are typically great listeners and able to stay fully aware when listening to someone. You likely are extremely good at reading people’s emotions and in detecting their underlying intentions after exchanging a relatively short amount of words. You know when someone tells you the truth, and when they don’t.

You have a strong sense of intuition, and possibly a hint of sensitivity. Remember that even though you are able to see and understand and extraordinary amount of the details concerning yourself and others, warm acceptance of things as they are is the sure-way to bringing about inner peace. When you practice deep acceptance of things being okay just the way they are, your self-esteem will elevate you to being a truly wonderful support and benefit for those around you.

The Man With Binoculars

If you first noticed the man with binoculars, it indicates that you are a highly creative person who tends to see the bigger picture in life. You don’t sweat the small stuff, and tend to lead a generally happy life. You’re a fast learner and are able to absorb information quickly, and most likely have excelled to a very high degree in certain creative areas in your life. It’s useful to remember that sometimes details are important too, so maintain your stress-free outlook but try to pickup on the little things that resonate within your heart.

Those who saw the man with binoculars tend to be visionary people whose genius is expressed in their creative and unique ideas. You may have several projects that you are working on at the same time, and while busywork is not appealing to you, you can see the fruitful outcomes that your brilliant ideas and projects will lead to.

Your heart is your guide more than your mind, and the very wise would agree with this way of being you’ve developed. You are a good natured human being, and if you could heal whole world you truly would. Maintain your focus within your heart from a space of love, and the things you envision will be so beautiful that the people around you will want to help you achieve your dreams.

The Car

If you first saw the car, it suggests that freedom is deeply important to you. Being able to travel when you want, to see the place you love to see, and to explore and engage in new adventures is one of your life’s passions. You choose, think and act without needing approval from others. You trust yourself, and your friends might even describe you as bold. You follow your heart when it comes to big decisions in your life, and you know why things such as love, compassion and adventure are important in life, and you’re not afraid to say so.

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You tend to take life at your own pace, and maintaining a certain level of independence and control over your life is important to you. You like to do what comes naturally, and seeing as the car is the smaller part of the picture, you have a keen eye for details. Between you and your friends, you likely are able to find the best deals when traveling, or even shopping for that matter.

Those who first see the car can also have a habit of overthinking certain situations or feelings. Stay balanced during stressful times by practicing self-care; read your favorite book while drinking some warm tea, take a warm bath, take yourself to see a movie, get some exercise, practice self-compassion. All of these things can keep you grounded in your heart and body, and can allow for truly great times to occur.

What did you notice first? Let us know in the comments.

Stay focused on your heart, love and compassion, and we wish you a beautiful day. You are loved.

Who are you based on the first word you see?

It’s an old saying, “We see what we want to see and hear what we want to hear,” but the reality is that we tend to gravitate towards and see things which match our emotional state and way of thinking. When we experience happiness, we often tend to see the happy things around us; we see a Mom with her child and stop for a second just to enjoy the cuteness and purity of the young one playing, or we may notice someone smiling and smile in return. On the other hand, if we aren’t feeling good, we can tend to focus on and pick up on things that are not visually appealing and add to our unhappiness: we may see some smog from a car passing by instead of the beautiful blue sky above, or we may notice some litter on the side of the road, further adding to our experience of unhappiness.

We unconsciously attract to ourselves things that align with our feelings, thinking, personality, traits, goals, and wants. Our perception of our world reflects on who we are as an individual. This is why the practice of self-compassion is so important. When we begin to practice feeling the feeling of love for all of the parts of ourselves, we begin to see loving things outside of ourselves, and attract loving things into our lives.

Look at the picture and remember the first word you see, then read below to find out what it means:

What is the first word you see?

1. Heart

If the word heart caught your eye, then you choose to live your life from your heart your focus is in the right place. You’ve discovered that your innermost part of who you really are comes from deep within the quietude of your heart, and the beauty with which your personality expresses itself makes you a treasure among friends.

You are a deeply loving person inside, and with a bit of openness, people around you are able to feel loved when they are near you. If your mind gets busy with overthinking, stress, or worry, remember to stay in your heart; it is the rock within to build your empire of relaxation and love.

2. Compassion

If compassion is the first word that caught your attention, then you are a truly beautiful person with a calling to help serve the world.

You see the humanness is all people, and you see the life in all living things. You love others as your self, and when someone is struggling or in need, your heart goes out to them. You always try to operate from a place of sweetness within, and if people could always see the real you, they would fall in love.

Others may not always recognize your value, but you are truly a blessing to anyone who is lucky enough to have you as a friend or family member. When you choose to follow your heart, great things happen in your life; both for you and for those around you.

3. Softness

If softness was the first word that appeared to you, then you are a gentle soul with deep potential. Softness correlates with inner freedom, as those who remain soft of heart are blessed with the inner mobility to freely move through their emotions. They do not get stuck in heavy feelings such as hatred and pain, but rather soften within them and allow them to flow out of themselves.

Your deep reservoirs of potential are connected to your ability to listen deeply to your heart and to others. The way you are able to connect with others when you are coming from a place of softness and non-judgment is truly beneficial and healing to them. If you haven’t already read a few books or taken a few classes on how to enhance your already natural talent for listening, now would be a good time to do so. There is a world of opportunity waiting for you.

4. Hope

If hope was the first word that caught your eye, then you are the kind of person who can let go and trust that the future will be okay and will bring you all that you need. You may struggle at times to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but deep within you have an unshakeable knowing that things will turn out okay, and this deserves to be listened to more than whatever tries to bother you in the moment.

Gratitude is your secret superpower. Your ability to envision a bright future only needs the soil for this beautiful idea to grow, and that soil is being thankful for what you have now. Try practicing writing down, saying, or thinking of five things you are grateful for each day. Even after the first week, you may notice that you become happier, and that things start to move forward in positive ways in different areas of your life, that you’ll start saying ten things each day instead! Once you discover how powerful the practice of gratitude and thankfulness is in your life, your wonderful future will turn into a reality.

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5. Kindness

Those who practice genuine kindness are truly people to be valued in life. If this was the first word that caught your eye, then you are one of the treasured people who possess this wonderful skill and ability. You offer a hand whenever asked, and often in your life have had times where you helped someone without expecting anything in return. Kind people like you make the world go round, and if there were enough people like you… it would be like heaven on Earth.

You may not always receive the same treatment from others that you give, but that is the essence of kindness, you do not expect anything in return. Yet you will find that those around you will answer you with kindness when you find yourself needing it the most. Stay true to your kind heart, these kind experiences will end up being the greatest things you look back on in your life.

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6. Helping

If you first saw the word helping, you are a truly passionate person who has their priorities in the right place: in your heart. You are the friend people come to when they are in need, and your support helps people to change things that they can not accomplish on their own.

It can be a little exhausting to help others as often as you, to say the least, and sometimes when others ask you for help, it can feel challenging. But remember this; these people love you and you are their Angel in their time of need. When they think of a strong person who is there for them and  offers them unconditional love, you are the person that comes to mind. If anyone was to be given an award for integrity and being a truly good friend or family member, it would be you. Balance is key, so remember to take care of yourself too 🙂

7. Giving

Did you see giving first? If so, then generosity is in your nature and charity is your blessing to this world. You are naturally altruistic, and give without hopes of getting anything back. Your life has blessed you in certain areas as you well deserve it, but getting these blessings back is not what motivates you. You desire to see the best for everyone, we are all here to help each other.

You have a strong vision for how kind the world should be, and while the world is not perfect, you never stop giving your time, energy and money towards making it a better place. You are able to see things in a different light from others, and being able to motivate and show them why we need to contribute to others is one of your deep underlying strengths. Your potential for leadership is incredible, as you are not afraid to stand up for the causes you believe in. Stay true to the love in your heart, and share this love with others, and people will naturally follow you.

8. Laughter

If laughter was the first word you saw, then you know that one of the greatest joys of life is laughing till your belly hurts with friends and family. ‘Life is better when you’re laughing,’ and your witty sense of humor has been known to cause a few outbursts of amusement and joy. Others tend to feel comfortable around your warm and gentle energy.

You’re able to build intimacy quite easily with others and help them to feel good and to let their guard down. You don’t take yourself too seriously, and you accept yourself; flaws, beauty and all. You’re Flawsome; a person who accepts their flaws and knows they’re awesome regardless. Being able to brighten the day of someone who isn’t feeling the best is a specialty reserved for you. Go out of your way every now and then to cheer up your friends, family or even a random stranger, and life is sure to bless you with even more wonderful things to be happy about.

Which word did you see first? Let us know in the comments.

Have a beautiful day. You are loved.