The Dokkodo: Miyamoto Musashi’s 21 rules to live by - part 7.
Never be jealous.
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 seventh rule in this series is: “never be jealous”, 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 never be jealous?
To never be jealous means to avoid feelings of envy, resent, or bitterness towards those who have something that we want, like, or admire. It means to resist the urge to compare ourselves with others, to feel inferior or superior to them, or to wish them ill. Never being jealous means to refrain from being influenced or disturbed by our jealousy, which can cloud our judgment, perception, and action.
Not being jealous does not in any way mean that we should ignore or deny our feelings of envy, which are natural and human. It does not mean to live a life of apathy, complacency, or indifference, nor that we should suppress or repress our desires, aspirations, or ambitions.
Not being jealous does mean that we should acknowledge and understand our feelings of envy as they are, without being obsessed with them, controlled by them…
