The Magic of Conflict: Turning a Life of Work Into a Work of Art

The Magic of Conflict does an excellent job of reframing conflict in way that makes a lot of sense. For example, when discussing the nature of conflict Thomas Crum states: "It's not whether you have conflict in your life. It's what you do with that conflict that makes a difference." There are many other useful concepts in the book. For example, Crum recommends focusing on finding your "Center" and using it to handle situations in life. Crum's definition of "Center" is authenticity. In other words, when we come from our center we are in touch with who we really are. Crum also talks about fear and how to deal with it. He points out that fear is becoming stuck in time and worrying about a possible future occurrence, which may be based on a (real or imagined) past experience. He suggests handling fear by stepping out of the remembrances of the past and return to the present moment. Well thought out and written, this is an insightful, interesting and useful book. The methods this book discusses are easy to understand. They take some time to apply, but are well worth the effort. Overall, a great read! The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

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!

Crum does and excellent job describing universal truths, conflict as an essential means of learning, growing, and relating to others, and provides an introduction to the philosophies of Aikido. I loved this book, and have purchased it for many of my friends, all of whom enjoyed it as well.

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.

If you are ready to turn your life into a work of art, this is the book for you. This book will help give you a new perspective on the term 'conflict.' It helps you understand that conflict is not a negative thing, it just is...and the sooner we learn what options we have to deal with conflict, the happier and fuller our lives can be.