Dokkodo: The Path I Walk Is Mine Alone: A Kirigami Inspired Art Book

Inspired by her partner’s more modern take of Miyamoto Musashi’s words and the astonishing creativity that can be achieved with little bits of digital paper, Illustrator Chris Bedrosian re-imagined his book into this celebration of Kirigami, the Japanese art of cutting and folding paper.<br/><br/>Dokkôdô is a set of Precepts (rules for how to live), that were written in 1645 by the renowned Japanese samurai and sword master, Miyamoto Musashi.<br/><br/>Dokkôdô is a short, almost poetic list of twenty-one simple rules that he refined over his lifetime. These rules focus on his belief that an ascetic life could bring peace and fulfillment as well as offering a path for personal growth and self-mastery.<br/><br/>His ideals focus on the importance of self-reliance and he encouraged his students to take responsibility for their own actions and decisions. He encouraged individuals to cultivate their own skills, develop inner strength and rely on their own abilities rather than depending solely on external factors or circumstances.<br/><br/>During his life Musashi traveled extensively and had a great thirst for learning and experiencing the world through other professions. He was a rōnin and a great sword master but he was also an architect, a sculptor, a calligrapher and a painter.<br/><br/>Dokkôdô, as well as his other great work, “The Book of Five Rings” were given to his favorite student, Terao Magonojō who took them to heart and shared them with others.<br/><br/>The simplicity of his Twenty-One Precepts facilitates a true clarity of purpose and allows individuals to channel their energy and efforts effectively, which I imagine explains my and our continued fascination with them, all these years later.<br/>The stunning original illustrations, inspired by the life of Musashi and the world of feudal Japan are a fascinating peek behind the curtain of time into the ancient age of the Samurai.<br/><br/>AUTHOR NOTE: Musashi’s written words were ambiguous (even for his times) and there are many different and conflicting ideas about how best to translate his works into English. This book is a concise and a more modern take on the original interpretations of Dokkôdô with a lot of really amazing full color illustrations!