Session #4. The Basic Strategy of Shih
For the next few weeks we will be contemplating shih, the central strategy from the Art of War (Chapter 4).
Assignment. To contemplate the qualities of shih in relation to your scenario. Each quality listed below is illustrated by a passage from the Art of War text. If a quality doesn’t elicit any thoughts surrounding your scenario, move on.
1. Advantage
If it accords with advantage, then act.
If it does not accord with advantage, then stop.
What elements of advantage or harm (prevention, resistance) naturally arise in the situation and/or can be brought to bear on it?
2. Preponderance
A victorious military is like weighing a hundredweight against a grain
In what ways can you envision building weight or momentum that will tip things in a given direction?
3. Swiftness, not prolonging
Thus in the military one has heard of foolish speed but has not observed skillful prolonging
What possibilities for delay and avoidance exist in your situation? What possibilities for seizing a moment?
4. Seeing people in a larger context
And so one skilled in battle
Seeks it in shih and does not demand it of people
How is it possible to see the people involved in your situation more in terms of their relationships, their place within larger contexts, and the flow of their energy rather than in terms of their fixed personalities and individualities?
5. Relying on the nature of things, not changing them
Going with it, going against it—this is military victory
What are some of the natural elements, propensities, proclivities, forces, directions, etc. surrounding your scenario that govern what will happen when you take action?
6. Inexhaustible
Do not repeat the means of victory
But respond to form from the inexhaustible
Are you looking beyond the expected and tried and true approaches into unknown areas and possibilities?
Assignment. To contemplate the qualities of shih in relation to your scenario. Each quality listed below is illustrated by a passage from the Art of War text. If a quality doesn’t elicit any thoughts surrounding your scenario, move on.
1. Advantage
If it accords with advantage, then act.
If it does not accord with advantage, then stop.
What elements of advantage or harm (prevention, resistance) naturally arise in the situation and/or can be brought to bear on it?
2. Preponderance
A victorious military is like weighing a hundredweight against a grain
In what ways can you envision building weight or momentum that will tip things in a given direction?
3. Swiftness, not prolonging
Thus in the military one has heard of foolish speed but has not observed skillful prolonging
What possibilities for delay and avoidance exist in your situation? What possibilities for seizing a moment?
4. Seeing people in a larger context
And so one skilled in battle
Seeks it in shih and does not demand it of people
How is it possible to see the people involved in your situation more in terms of their relationships, their place within larger contexts, and the flow of their energy rather than in terms of their fixed personalities and individualities?
5. Relying on the nature of things, not changing them
Going with it, going against it—this is military victory
What are some of the natural elements, propensities, proclivities, forces, directions, etc. surrounding your scenario that govern what will happen when you take action?
6. Inexhaustible
Do not repeat the means of victory
But respond to form from the inexhaustible
Are you looking beyond the expected and tried and true approaches into unknown areas and possibilities?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Gabrielle Donnelly on -
Some translations of Shih:
potential energy. energy. strategic configuration. authority. disposition. influence. force. potential. strategic configuration of power. strategic advantage. momentum. configuration. -
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Permalink Reply by Fran Lightsom on -
Looking at pages 106-107, Preponderance seems to be about recognizing tipping points and adding that little bit of weight that causes something to tip, rather than about building a lot of weight or momentum. It seems to be about recognizing where the fulcrum is and what is balanced on it, both of which are always changing, and having the flexibility to add weight at the right time. In my scenario, I can add the "weight" of information or knowledge or the support of a respected person, which can overbalance the comfortable inertia of doing what we always do, the way we always do it.
Does this make sense? -
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