Over the course of training, one hears various expressions and statements regarding our movement, with one of them being the importance of the warrior’s heart- mushashin.
Yes, martial arts techniques are important, yes one needs to
know the forms and the kata, yes one need to put the time in training, but
without the correct heart- the warrior’s heart the budo journey will amount to
nothing.
Having the correct heart is the most important aspect of the
martial arts, everything else can be learned.
So how do we make sure we have this warrior heart?
The training cultivates and develops it, being able to stick
with the training, and work through the draining despite personal desires.
Showing up each week for class.
Yet, built on this is the core of the warrior’s heart, the
ability to have an ideal that is unchangeable.
A commitment to the training, that no matter what happens,
one will keep going and keep training.
Commit 100% to the training.
Nowhere does the warrior’s heart equate skill or ability.
Yes, we all want to be the best in the martial arts, and
through the training one will develop skill of movement, naturally some will be
better and some not as good.
But, in budo this really doesn’t matter, as one only has to
die once.