The Dokkodo: Miyamoto Musashi’s 21 rules to live by - part 3.
Do not depend on a partial feeling.
The Dokkodo is a set of 21 rules for life written by the legendary samurai and philosopher Miyamoto Musashi in the days before his death in 1645. The third rule in this series is: “Do not depend on a partial feeling”, and this article will explore what this means and how we can apply it to our lives (if you want to read this series from the beginning, click here for part one).
What does it mean to not depend on a partial feeling?
To not depend on a partial feeling means to avoid relying on incomplete, biased, or distorted emotions that cloud our judgment, perception, and choice in regard to making decisions or taking action. It means to resist the influence of impulsive, irrational, or extreme feelings that sway us from our true goals, values, and principles, and to refrain from acting on the basis of partial feelings that do not reflect the whole truth, reality, or situation.
Often, these preceding pitfalls can be heavily influenced by the opinions of others, social and mainstream media narrative, or persuasive advertising / marketing.
Not depending on a partial feeling does not mean to ignore or deny our emotions altogether. It does not mean to live a life of coldness, numbness, or indifference, nor does it mean to suppress or repress our natural desires, needs, and feelings.
Not depending on a partial feeling means to acknowledge and understand the way we feel about something, as well as our emotions, without being attached to them, controlled by them, or identified by them. It means to consciously evaluate and regulate our emotions with common sense, reason, logic, and evidence, and also encourages us to express and communicate our emotions with honesty, respect, and compassion.
Why is it important to not depend on a partial feeling?
Not depending on a partial feeling is important for many reasons. Firstly, it is the key to overall inner peace, harmony, and balance. Depending on a partial feeling can cause us to become agitated with situations, conflicted regarding decisions, and imbalanced in our thinking, which can lead to undue stress, anxiety, and anger. All of which contribute to disharmony, discord, and spiritual turbulance.
When we do not depend on a partial feeling, we can become confident and secure in our decision making, which leads us to become calm, coherent, and balanced. The security we cultivate in experienceing this confidence, allows us to be more relaxed, centred and in control. All of which contribute to the creation of internal harmony, acceptance and resolution.
Secondly, it is the foundation of clarity, insight, and intuition. When we depend on a partial feeling, we lose sight of the bigger overal universal picture, the deeper meaning, and the higher purpose associated with our actions. We make poor, hasty, and irrational decisions, missing opportunities, signs, and synchronicities.
When we do not depend on a partial feeling, we can see the big overall picture, where all the pieces fit, the deeper meaning, and the higher purpose. We make wise, careful, and rational decisions, and we are able to identify the related signs, opportunities, possibilities, and like circumstances.
Thirdly, it is the source of creativity, innovation, and inspiration. When we depend on a partial feeling, we limit our imagination, freedom to express ourselves, and potential to convey ourselves authentically. When we depend on a partial feeling, we are more likely to follow the crowd, accept the narrative and regurgitate the same old boring ideas and the cliché.
When we do not depend on a partial feeling, we give our imagination and opportunity to expand, express, and and explore potential. This allows us the ability to lead the crowd, create the trend, and influence the status quo. We contribute to creating the new, exciting, and original in the world around us.
How can we practice not depending on a partial feeling?
There are many ways to practice not depending on a partial feeling, but here are some simple and effective ones:
- Practice mindfulness.
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with openness, curiosity, and acceptance. It helps us to be aware of our sensations, thoughts, emotions, and impulses, without being attached to or controlled by them. It helps us to recognize the triggers, patterns, and consequences of our partial feelings, without judging them, resisting them, or avoiding them, assisting us to cultivate a calm, clear, and compassionate state of mind. - Practice meditation.
The art of meditation is essentially the practice of focusing our attention on a chosen object, such as our breath, a mantra, a sound, or a visualization, helping us to quiet our mind, calm our emotions, and relax our body. It helps us to detach from our partial feelings even more so, observing them objectively, and having the confidence to let them go. It helps us to access our inner wisdom, insight, and intuition. - Practice journaling.
Journaling is the practice of writing down our thoughts, feelings, experiences, and reflections. It helps us to express, explore, and understand our emotions, without censoring, editing, or filtering them for fear of judgement. It helps us to identify, challenge, and change our partial feelings, without denying, suppressing, or repressing them and it helps us to communicate, connect, and empathize with ourselves and others by extension.
Conclusion:
That was the third element of the Dokkodo - do not depend on a partial feeling. It is a powerful and profound rule that can enhance our lives for the better, empowering us to understand ourselves better. By not depending on a partial feeling, we can achieve greater peace, balance, wisdom, insight and intuition, creativity, innovation, and inspiration. We can also overcome the challenges, difficulties, and uncertainties of life with courage, resilience, and optimism, confident that we are clear about our decisions and the choices that we make. It also allows us to live in harmony with ourselves, others, and the world.
Until next time, please check out my previous posts for all things motivational, self-help and personal development by subscribing to me (click here) — and if you’re interested in developing yourself further in your own time, check out my book “Think Success!” available to download now on Amazon for less than the price of a small coffee (get your copy by clicking here)!
Hope you got something out of this post, and if you did — please let me know in the comments section below. Have an amazing day!
