THE ELEMENTAL MIND

Why Musashi’s Code Still Governs the Modern Martial Artist
By Alan Condon, 7th Dan | Founder of the KAJU-KAI Method

“You can only fight the way you practice.”  Miyamoto Musashi

After more than five decades on the mat, one truth has never changed: the deeper you go, the more everything returns to fundamentals.

Not the flashy ones. The honest ones.

That is why I continue to return to Musashi.

The Book of Five Rings is not a historical curiosity or philosophical relic. It is a pressure tested manual on how human beings move, adapt, decide and survive. Written nearly four hundred years ago, it still maps cleanly onto modern training, modern conflict and modern life.

Musashi didn’t teach techniques. He taught principles.

Five of them.

Earth.
Water.
Fire.
Wind.
Void.

Not as poetry, but as realities every serious martial artist must eventually confront.

EARTH: The Foundation Never Lies

When I was younger, I believed mastery meant speed. Power. Complexity.
Time has a way of correcting that illusion.

Nothing stands without a base.

Earth is stance. Structure. Posture. Balance. It is the discipline to repeat simple things until they no longer fail under pressure.

Most adults don’t come to training to collect techniques. They come because something is unstable…physically, mentally or emotionally. Earth is where that stability is rebuilt.

You cannot fake balance. You earn it, inch by inch.

Weak base. Weak everything.

WATER: Adapt or Break

Early on, I tried to control everything, the pace, the outcome, the opponent.
Water taught me otherwise.

Water does not fight force. It absorbs, redirects and continues forward.

In training, Water is relaxation under stress, angle changes, timing, response without rigidity. In life, it is knowing what to release and when movement is wiser than resistance.

Rigid systems fail. Fluid systems endure.

FIRE: Intensity With Discipline

Fire is action, the moment preparation becomes movement.

But uncontrolled fire burns the one holding it.

I have watched countless fighters mistake anger for power. They are not the same. Real fire is focused intensity…the ability to act decisively without losing clarity.

When aggression is trained and channeled, fear no longer drives the response.
Purpose does.

That is where training stops being mechanical and becomes transformative.

WIND: Awareness Beyond Yourself

Musashi described Wind as understanding the ways of other schools. I have come to see it as something broader.

Wind is perspective. It is the willingness to learn from everywhere and the humility to accept that no system is complete on its own.

Over decades of study across disciplines and cultures, I’ve found that every art has strengths and blind spots. Wind teaches you to recognize both.

It is also the awareness that keeps you safe: reading intent, recognizing patterns, sensing danger before it announces itself.

Most conflicts are decided before they begin. Wind is how you see that coming.

VOID: When Training Disappears

Void is not mystical. It is earned.

It is the moment technique dissolves and response remains…when the body acts before thought interferes.

After decades of repetition, you stop chasing perfection. You begin trusting what you have built. Hesitation fades. Presence sharpens.

That is Void. Not empty. Clear.

WHERE THE FIVE RINGS CONVERGE

Each time I return to Musashi, the message changes, because I have changed.

Early on, it was about fighting. Later, about teaching. Now, about understanding, myself, my students and the art beneath the art.

The Book of Five Rings is not a relic. It is a mirror.

And the reflection is always honest.

Because these elements do not belong only in the dojo. They apply to life:

Build your base.
Adapt without panic.
Act with purpose.
Remain aware.
Trust your preparation.

That is not ancient wisdom. That is reality.

Alan Condon
7th Dan Black Belt
Founder, The KAJU-KAI Method
Creator, E.D.G.E.® Knife Defense Program

What are Musashi’s Five Rings in modern martial arts terms?

Musashi’s Five Rings describe how humans function under pressure. Earth is structure and foundation, Water is adaptability, Fire is disciplined intensity, Wind is awareness and perspective, and Void is clear response without hesitation.

How does Earth apply to adult martial arts training?

Earth represents stance, posture, balance, and repetition of fundamentals. For adults, it rebuilds physical and mental stability so techniques hold up when stress and fatigue are present.

What does Water mean in practical training?

Water is the ability to stay relaxed under stress, change angle and timing, and respond without rigidity. It teaches when to flow rather than resist, both in training and in life.

How is Fire different from anger or aggression?

Fire is focused intensity with control. Anger is reactive and chaotic. Properly trained Fire allows decisive action without losing clarity or composure.

What does Wind represent beyond studying other martial arts?

Wind is perspective and awareness. It includes understanding different approaches, recognizing strengths and blind spots, and reading intent before conflict fully develops.

What is Void and why is it not mystical?

Void is earned through repetition and experience. It is the point where technique dissolves into instinctive response and hesitation disappears.