Method of attack:
“In employing the army to invariably attack the enemy one must ascertain the enemy’s voids and strengths. Delay their strengths and concentrate where they are weak. When certain of your assessment, move like rolling thunder to take advantage of their endangered points.”
From The Wu-tzu –Wu C’hi, circa 415 BC

“The pinnacle of military deployment approaches the formless. If it is formless, then even the deepest spy cannot discern it or the wise make plans against it. Thus a victorious battle strategy is not repeated, the configurations of response to the enemy are inexhaustible.”
From The Art of War –Sun Tzu

Possessing an advantage:
“The Tao of an invader is that when one has penetrated deeply into enemy territory, the army will be unified, and seem invincible to the defenders. The defender in this situation will be unable to defeat the attacker.”
From The Art of War –Sun Tzu

The Way of the Warrior:
“Even with complete and thorough study there is always the possibility of being defeated and although one may be expert in a particular form, mastery is something a man never stops seeking to attain.”
From The Go Rin No Sho –Miyamoto Musashi, 1643 AD

Perceiving a situation:
“It is desirable that the potential for any situation be clearly perceived. In both social and professional relationships, since you are acting as you see situations develop; the attitude is the same as that of the warrior, even when there is no discord. The mindfulness to observe the dynamic of situations even in a group is an art of war. Even to furnish a room so that everything is in the right place is to see the dynamic of a situation. Thus it involves something of the mindfulness of the warrior’s art.”
From The Book of Family Traditions –Yagyu Munenori

Voice of the master:
“My name is Miyamoto Musashi. I have killed over 60 men in fights and duels, some with blade, most with a wooden sword. When I turned 60 I looked back upon my life and in a flash of wisdom, realized that all my victories were based on great luck, an innate ability, or perhaps the fact that other schools were inadequate. When I came to terms with my skills and abilities, the realities of what I had accomplished held me to a higher standard that left me no choice but to depart from the commerce of the world, seek isolation, and tear my soul apart to examine what I already seemed to know instinctively. I practiced and meditated constantly until I came to understand the workings of the spirit. I am considered the greatest swordsman Japan has ever known. During my fights and duels I developed my own style of two-sword fighting. Although I was committed to my sword, I was also dedicated to learning painting, sculpture, and poetry. I instinctively felt it necessary to understand the arts and be accomplished in them. But my prime focus was on swordsmanship. There are specific Warrior attitudes that make good sense for the martial artist. By constant repetition you will soon come to understand my Way of strategy. I will not leave it to you to quickly grasp my ideas in passing. I have not followed the paths of other men. I have lived without the benefit of a teacher and by my own devices I became the master of myself, and thereby master of the sword and the brush, never differentiating between any of these “arts”. It should be understood that without the assistance of a teacher many roads become open to a practitioner, some on the correct path and some on the incorrect path. It is not for everyone, to be without guidance; only a few, and they are exceptional, can make the journey to wisdom without a teacher. You must have extraordinary passion, patience, and self-discipline to make a journey alone. The goals must be understood, definitive, and no diversion can be acknowledged or permitted if you are to attain enlightenment within the sphere of a chosen art. This is a very difficult road to travel and not many are made for it. It is frustrating, confusing, very lonely, certainly frightening, and it will sometimes make you think you do not have much sanity left to deal with the everyday surroundings of your world. Also there is no guarantee that you will attain perfection. It must all come from inside you without any preconceived notions on your part. And so we begin…”
The Book of Five Rings

Recognizing change:
“The essence of the principles of warriors is responding to changes; expertise is a matter of knowing the military. In any action it is imperative to assess the enemy first. If opponents show no change or movement, then wait for them. Take advantage of change to respond accordingly, and you will benefit. The ability to gain victory by changing and adapting according to opponents is called genius.”
From Lessons of War –Liu Ji, c. 1365 AD

On footwork and field awareness:
“One can only develop an instinctive sense of distance if he is able to move about smoothly and speedily. An alertness of foot will transmute into an alertness of mind, thus reaction will be all the more spontaneous. Balance is mobility. When still, lighten the stance so that the force of inertia to overcome is less. Footwork must never be permitted to develop into an ungainly stride because footwork should always be under control; smooth but rapid, allowing the warrior to maintain his balance evenly and easily.”
From The Tao of Jeet Kune Do –Bruce Lee, 1975

“As for the matter of “hearing the sound of wind and water”, this means being calm and quite above while keeping an aggressive mood underneath. Wind has no sound; it produces sound when it hits things. Thus wind is silent when it blows up above. When it makes contact with things like trees and bamboo below, the sound it produces is noisy and frantic. Water also has no sound when it is falling from above; it makes a frantic sound down below when it comes down and hits things. Using these illustrations, be calm and quite above, while sustaining an aggressive mood underneath. These are images of being extremely serene, unruffled, and calm on the surface, while inwardly being aggressively watchful. It is bad when the body, hands, and feet are hurried. The aggressive and passive modes should be paired, one inward and one outward; it is bad to settle into just one mode. It is imperative to reflect on the sense of yin and yang alternating. Movement is yang stillness is yin. Yin and Yang interchange, inside and outside. When yang moves inwardly, outwardly be still, in the yin mode; when you are inwardly yin, movement appears outwardly. In martial arts you inwardly activate your mental energy, constantly attentive, while outwardly you remain unruffled and calm. This is yang moving within, while yin is quite without. This is in accord with the pattern of nature. When outwardly intensely aggressive, if you are calm within while aggressive without, so that the outside does not capture your inner mind, then you will not be outwardly wild. If you move both inwardly and outwardly at once, you become wild. The aggressive and passive modes, movement and stillness, should be made to alternate inside and outside. Keeping the inner mind attentive, like a duck swimming on the water, calm above while paddling below, when this practice builds up, the inner mind and the outside both melt, so that inside and outside become one, without the slightest obstruction. To reach this state is the supreme attainment.”
From The Book of Family Traditions
–Yagyu Tajim no kami Munenori

“When one faces off with a sword, operating the great function of the great potential, using one’s hands and feet skillfully to gain victory, in the same way the general is to successfully employ all forces and skillfully create strategies to win in war. While it is a matter of course to go out on the battlefield to determine victory and defeat when two battle formations are pitched against each other, one who is a commander pitches two battle formations in his chest, mentally leading a great army into battle; this is the art of war in the mind.”
From The Book of Family Traditions –Yagyu Munenori