Today's reading...

Today's reading comes from Miyamoto Musashi's A Book of Five Rings, The Fire Book.

Musashi wrote this book on sword strategy in the last few weeks of his life in 1644, but the book is widely read  for business strategy, and it really is a brilliant essay on strategic action. Note: Please use these techniques on the business competition, not as part of an internecine struggle.

"To Hold Down a Pillow" means not allowing the enemy's head to rise.

In contests of strategy it is bad to be led about by the enemy. You must always be able to lead the enemy about. Obviously the enemy will also be thinking of doing this, but he cannot forestall you if ytoui do not allow him to come out. In strategy, you must stop the enemy as he attempts to cut; you must push down his trust, and throw off his hold when he tries to grapple. This is the meaning of "to hold down a pillow". When you have grasped this principle, whatever the enemy tries to bring about in the fight, you will see in advance and suppress it. The spirit is to check his attack at the syllable "at...", when he jumps check his jump at the syllable "ju...", and check is cut at "cu...".

The important thing in strategy is to suppress the enemy's useful actions but allow his useless actions. However doing this alone is defensive. First, you must act according to the Way, suppress the enemy's techniques, foiling his plans, and thence command him directly. When ytou can do this you will be a master of strategy. You must train well and research "holding down a pillow".