Product Description

This set of simple techniques, including meditation, breathing exercises, openness, and play--Aiki--leads gently to a reordered state of mind. From overcoming apathy to understanding how conflict doesn't have to mean contest, Aiki turns mind-body integration principles into powerful tools.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #160598 in Books
• Published on: 1998-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780684854489
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Crum's optimistic how-to stresses that conflicts are not games, which have winning or losing as their outcome; a conflict is a dance of energy, and if you embrace it in order to work through it, learning and growth occur naturally. Cofounder of the Windstar Foundation with singer John Denver (who wrote the book's foreword and supplied its photographs), Crum has adapted the Japanese martial art of aikido to what he calls the Aiki Approach to conflict resolution. Mental exercises for centering, photos of aikido postures and graphs of mindsets accompany this self-help manual. Examples of conflict-solving by business people, artists, politicians and others illustrate key points. Crum's New Age jargon is annoying ("Accept your correctedness"; "choose to cocreate"). His method seems to consist of equal parts positive thinking and Oriental wisdom, with aikido as the guiding metaphor. Prentice Hall Book Club alternate.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Not "fight or flight" but FLOW!
Thomas Crum uses his martial arts expertise to offer helpful insights about those situations in which you find yourself in conflict with another person and feel like fighting or running away. He says: "Flow!" In other words remain centered, redirect their energy: deflect, step aside, don't respond in kind, don't try to block. This is a basic concept of Aikido and the "Aiki Way" which he has derived from it. You don't have to be a martial artist to gain from this book. By acknowledging the visceral connection we associate with conflict he gets you much further than many books based strictly on communication theory.

How to turn the crisis of conflict to an opportunity.
"Connectedness is reality. Separation is an illusion. ... True strength is flowing energy and a willingness to blend energies. Unlimited strength and power are available to the extent that we let go of tension, fear, and boundaries."

Conflicts can be disastrous or miraculous says Thomas Crum in the Magic Conflict, depending on how you react to them. If you feel threatened and try to defend yourself, you will lose even if you win. If you know you will lose, you probably will. If you hope to win and work hard at winning, you MAY just wear yourself out and fall into bitterness and decay. OR you MAY take a leap from the you OR me attitude to the you AND me attitude, says Crum. This is the magic of conflict. That we both care so much that we are willing to talk until we learn from each other. Understanding each other's concerns, we can see other possibilities, win-win solutions. Through the alchemy of conflict, we can turn the base metal of discouragement and divisiveness into the gold of understanding a new paradigm.

This book can revolutionize your life.
Thomas Crum's book is truly a ground-breaking work on the ability to not only look at conflict from a different perspective, but how to change conflict into a true win-win approach, where both people (or parties) are left with power. Written in easy-to-understand prose, it is very much like actually working with Crum himself as he describes how aikido applies to life, and how to change your perspective on creating a winning situation for yourself.
My favorite part is when he give the "hara" exercise. It is a truly powerful technique for pre-creating the life that you desire, and having it come to pass. It is also very helpful for those that have fear or worry as they approach a new situation of difficult discussion.
I have personally used Crum's techniques in my own life and have seen very conflict-oriented sitations settle down, allowing both people to come to a powerful and winning agreement.
This is a true gift of a book - the world would be a better place if it were required reading for all!