1. Earth
   Musashi calls his first scroll Earth because in it he lays out the general principles of his martial strategy – the “groundwork” or preparation needed to set those who are seeking to find the “straight” or true path. To understand Earth we must know the greatest and smallest details, the shallowest as well as the deepest. Likewise, in design we must understand every aspect of the project set before us, including (but not limited to): the target audience, the personality of the brand, the time lime for deliverables, the personal likes and dislikes of the client, the medium of the deliverables and their limitations. Like any straight path drawn in dirt, this is the book of Earth.
2. Water
   The soul is like water. Water takes on the shape of it’s vessel. Sometimes it drips, some times it rages. Singularily it is clear, in mass it is blue. You must accomplish one task in order to accomplish ten thousand. You can slip into water with ease and find it comforting, but if you hit it with great velocity and it can break every bone in your body. Through the teachings in Water we learn that if you can defeat one competitor, you can defeat many. When you have truly learned how to sucessfully complete one project, you can complete any project. A project may seem too large at first, but after analyzing it you will learn that taken in small steps anything can be accomplished. Remember, the large buddah is fashioned after a 1 foot tall model.
3. Fire
   The essence of fire is fierceness, big or small. A large fire is easy to predict, but a small one can change direction easily which makes it difficult to predict. But by understanding the nature of fire and the surrounding environment one can make educated predictions about where the fire is headed. You must train night and day in order to learn how to make the right decisions quickly. Wether working solo, in-house, or in an agency there are sure to be constant changes. Be aware of your surroundings. Make creativity part of your daily life so that it never changes.
4. Wind
   As in the winds of change, The Book of Wind is involved with traditions; family, society, old, new. Learn and understand all strategies, also understand that they are always changing. This is tradition. Learn the traditions of graphic design, what were the standards and rules, why they have changed and what they have changes into. When you understand why certain traditions remain and others have dropped, you will be better equipt to reinfoce the existing standards and to help write the new ones.
5. Void
   The Void has no beginning and no end, and in being so teaches us that to acquire is NOT to acquire. The way of strategy is the way of nature. You must learn to appreciate natures power. When you do, you will learn that there is a rhythm to every situation. When you attack you must learn how to strike naturally. Creative epiphanies ebb and flow. Understanding the void will help you understand how to choose the brilliant spark that naturally solves the problem set forth in your creative brief. To learn the Void is to follow the true way according to nature.

The samurai were thought of as the elite of society, when in fact most had no means of support. If we want to be respected and thought of as “elite” we need to conduct ourselves (in business and in life) with morals and integrity. It would be easy to say that the design world is in a state of civil war and chaos, not only with the constant battle between print and interactive, but also with the flux of changing technologies in both arenas.

The century before Mushashi’s birth was ripe with civil war and chaos. Mushashi started on his path to becoming a samurai at age thirteen, and by 16 was wandering the country on his own. For most of his life he lived as a nomad traveling from dojo to dojo. Mushashi was also invested in all aspects of Bushido, the samurai code of conduct, or “The Way of the Warrior.” As Mushashi was nomadic, a designer must be as well, learning how to survive in all disciplines and mediums. He traveled from dojo to dojo in an effort to learn, we too can learn from many sources. Education does not stop with formal schooling.

Mushashi fought many duels using nothing more than a bokken (wooden sword). It is written that on April 14, 1612 he fought Sasaki Kojiro, master of the two-handed sword, again, with nothing but his bokken. After Kojiro made the first advance, Mushashi brought his bokken down onto the masters head, killing him instantly. After this fight, they say that Mushashi never again used real swords in battle, only his wooden sword. He was unbeatable and from that time forward devoted himself to understanding The Way of The Sword. Like Mushashi, we must not fall dependent upon the computer. It is only a tool. The real skill of deisgn comes from within us, it is the ability to create imagery that mixes a strategic focus with un-blound creativity that is appropriate for both client and target market alike. We also learn here that competition is a good thing. Set yourself up and be preapared to win or lose. Learn from the experience. Set your goals high. Attempt to take down the masters.

Mushashi started his own fencing school where he perfected his two-sword technique, using both the katana (long sword) and the wakizashi (short sword) simultaneously. This technique, now know as Ni To Ichi Ryu, is said to have been inspired by his observation of the hand movements of temple drummers. It is a humble and noble practice to pass on the knowledge you have learned to the next generation. Wether starting your own school, teaching at university, or mentoring younger designers, education the next generation is a nobel pursuit. Also, keep an open mind and look everywhere for inspiration. Inspiration is not only drawn from design annuals, but from the world that lives all around you.

As Mushashi writes of himself, it was not until the age of fifty that he achieved enlightened understanding of strategy. This shows us that you are never too old to learn, and that learning is an ever involving process.

In 1634 he retired from society and secluded himself in a cave named Reigando where he composed Go Rin No Sho (The Book of Five Rings). Mushashi died in 1645, just a few days after completion of his book.

Kendo, or “The Way of the Sword” is synonymous with nobility. In Kendo, knowledge of military arts is considered the highest form of learnedness. To Study Kendo means to learn the spirit of Shinto and to merge it with Zen principles. The Book of Five Rings by Miaymoto Musashi is considered the bible of Kendo. In further entries I will take a closer look into each of the five books as well as other aspects of the way of the Samurai.