Shaolin

by Bernhard Moestl

ഷാവോലിന്‍: യുദ്ധമില്ലാതെ എങ്ങനെ ജയിക്കാം; മനഃശ്ശക്തി ഉപയോഗിച്ച് സമാധാനവും വ്യക്തതയും ആന്തരിക ശക്തിയും കൈവരിക്കാം. ചൈനയിലെ ഐതിഹാസികമായ ഷാവോലിന്‍ വിഹാരത്തിലെ സന്ന്യാസിമാര്‍, കുങ് ഫുവിലെ തങ്ങളുടെ അജയ്യമായ വൈദഗ്ദ്ധ്യത്തിന് പേരുകേട്ടവരാണ്. കുങ് ഫു എന്നത് വെറുമൊരു ആയോധനകല മാത്രമല്ല, ഏതൊരാള്‍ക്കും തന്‍റെ വ്യക്തിജീവിതത്തിലും ഔദ്യോഗികജീവിതത്തിലും പ്രയോജനപ്പെടുത്താവുന്ന ജീവിതശൈലിയും പെരുമാറ്റരീതിയും കൂടിയാണ്. അതിന്‍റെ ഫലങ്ങള്‍ അതിശയകരമാണ്. ഷാവോലിന്‍ സന്ന്യാസികളുടെ യഥാര്‍ത്ഥ വിജയരഹസ്യം അവരുടെ ശാരീരികബലമല്ല; അവരുടെ ചിന്താശേഷിയാണ് അവരെ അജയ്യരാക്കുന്നത്. ഷാവോലിന്‍ സന്ന്യാസിമാരില്‍ നിന്നും പഠിച്ച് ഇന്ന് ഷാവോലിന്‍ പരിശീലകനായ ബെര്‍ണാര്‍ഡ് മോസ്റ്റല്‍, നൂറ് കണക്കിനു വര്‍ഷങ്ങളായി ഷാവോലിന്‍ സന്ന്യാസിമാരുടെ വറ്റാത്ത ഊര്‍ജ്ജത്തിന്‍റെ ഉറവിടമായ ‘മനഃശക്തി’ തത്ത്വത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് ആദ്യമായി വെളിപ്പെടുത്തുന്നു.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Personal Development, Philosophy, Spirituality, Personal Growth, Psychology

268 pages, Paperback

Published June 21, 2023

About the author

Nach der Matura in Wien begann Bernhard Moestl eine Ausbildung zum Berufsfotografen, die er mit der Meisterprüfung beendete. Schon in seiner frühen Jugend verspürte er nach eigenen Angaben eine Faszination für die asiatische Philosophie und Kampfkunst. Seit 1991 ist er als Reiseleiter mit Schwerpunkt Osteuropa und Asien für verschiedene Veranstalter in Österreich und Deutschland tätig. Wesentliche Erfahrungen machte Moestl bei seinen Aufenthalten im Shaolin-Kloster in der chinesischen Provinz Henan. Dort lebte er mit den Mönchen und studierte ihre "Gedankenmacht". Heute ist er als Autor, internationaler Vortragsredner sowie Unternehmenscoach tätig. Er lebt in Brașov und ist Geschäftsführer der SC brainworx Europe SRL.

Reviews

[Nishi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shaolin: How to win without fighting gives us thirteen principles and a way to evaluate yourself throughout the book in the form of various exercises. It took me long to finish the book as it made me think hard and long on some questions.

You definitely come out as better thinker and a better fighter be it the smallest battles of not purchasing unnecessary things or not divulging in extra calories.

A good read.

[Anand Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bernhard Moestl's book, Shaolin: How to Win Without Fighting, dives into the ancient teachings of Shaolin monks, giving readers practical tips for finding inner peace and achieving success without getting into conflicts. Based on his experiences with the monks, Moestl translates their wisdom into strategies we can use in our everyday lives.

The book focuses on controlling your thoughts, gaining mental clarity, and harnessing your inner strength to face challenges calmly and purposefully. Moestl's easy-to-read style makes these deep Shaolin concepts relatable, showing how self-awareness and discipline can help us deal with life's struggles without being aggressive.

It's a great pick for anyone curious about Eastern philosophy, personal development, or resolving conflicts, offering a balanced way to approach life. The lessons in this book remind us that real power comes from the mind and that peace often wins over conflict. It's a thoughtful and uplifting read for anyone looking for wisdom and tranquility.

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a self-help book that nominally draws on the philosophy of Shaolin Kung fu and its Chan Buddhist underpinnings, but - more broadly - employs quotes and examples from many, mostly Eastern, sources. For example, the ideas and stories of Miyamoto Musashi are perhaps as common as any source (Musashi was Japanese, not Chinese, and was not noted for being Buddhist. In his own words, he respected the gods and buddhas, but didn't expect their help.)

The book offers a fine discussion of Eastern philosophic thought in action, particularly that which arose from warrior sources, but it isn't particularly ground-breaking in any way. For those who like homework, the book does include many exercises to make the reading a more interactive experience.

I enjoyed reading this book well enough, but it didn't distinguish itself and will soon fall into the mind-space of a fuzzy amalgamation of similar books I've read over the years.

[Knjiga i Kavica · Rating 4 out of 5]

RECENZIJA
Šaolin - Bernhard Moestl
4⭐️
13 lekcija o usmjerenosti, pripadanju, osobnosti, percepciji, poslovanje, upoznavanje sebe i nosenja sa stresom. Lagano pisano i uvjerljivo prihvatiti. Najbolja odlika knjige mi je što te natjera da preispitaš sebe i promisliš o nekim svojim navikama i ponašanju. Nakon svake lekcija nalazi se mali upitnik kojem je cilj propitati svaku etapu i proniknuti u nutrinu osobe. I to mi je najbolja odlika ove knjige - da ti na temelju procitanog zapisujes i evaluiras sebe.

[John Magdaraog · Rating 3 out of 5]

SHAOLIN: HOW TO WIN WITHOUT FIGHTING






LEARN TO BE STRONG



-The Principle of Calmness
-The Principle of Slowness
-The Principle of Imitation
-The Principle of Yielding








THE PRINCIPLE OF CALMNESS



THE UNEQUAL COMBAT


“The monk did exactly what his master had advised him to do. He took his sword in both hands, raised it above his head, closed his eyes and waited, absolutely motionless.”


“He was focused so completely on following the advice of his master and dying with dignity that he stood there detached and free of all worldly concerns.”


“In a pleading tone he finally began to speak: ‘I beseech you, have pity and do not kill me. I considered myself to be a master of swordplay but I know now that I have met a true master today. Please accept me as your student and teach me the way of swordsmanship.”



CALMNESS IS A WEAPON


The act of doing nothing while staying calm.

“His master advises him to stay calm. ‘Do not fear and do not do anything.’ He follows this advice and it is this calmness, the act of doing nothing that leads the samurai to a wrong conclusion, which ultimately saves the monk’s life.”



THE ART OF SELF-CONTROL


Lack of self-control makes you predictable.

“Your calmness can be a very powerful weapon, especially in situations where the opponent is agitated or enraged. ‘When you are unable to discern what is in the mind of your opponent…feint an attack and his mind will then be reflected in the movement of his sword,’ writes Musashi.”




GIVING UP BEFORE A FIGHT

(Throwing out the white flag before a fight..)

Imagine that you are on a train and the conductor is approaching your seat. He is actually in a hurry and has no interest in checking your ticket because the train is approaching the final station. You, however, start rummaging in your pockets to show him your monthly pass. Suddenly, you realise that you forgot it at home. But since you have drawn the conductor’s attention he stops, asks to see your ticket and collects a hefty fine.


(Note: It’s important to keep calm and maintain your composure at any situation rather than throwing the white flag. For ex, on card game this is wht we call bluff.)





WEAPONIZING YOUR OPPONENT’S FEAR

“They simply leverage their opponents’ fears. Of course, fear is sometimes important, but in most cases, it is your biggest enemy.”


“As far as fear is concerned, we humans are very similar to animals: we can literally smell it. A mighty elephant allows itself to be controlled by a tiny human as long as this person displays no fear. But if the same person shows they are scared to a little dog, the animal suddenly becomes loud, aggressive and dangerous.”



African Hunter taking away deer meet hunted by lions



M.V says..

“Pag may takot sa pusut’ isipan mo yan ang mag sisilbing butas ng mga kalaban sayo.”





Know every person’s info

-Fear
-Most important thing in their life
-Their values in life
-What they like


“If you can control your fear of your opponent, you have already won half the battle.

‘It is important to know the enemy’s sword…’ Do you remember? Those who allow themselves to be distracted by its movements, or worse still, to react to them, can easily be manipulated and consequently defeated”



Edner
-Afraid of losing his jobs.

Osman
-Afraid of old-age




YOUR ANGER ONLY HARMS YOU
(Anger is like coal because the longer you hold it, the more it burns you.)

-Anger damages your body’s organs;don’t get angry.

“And you? You will have realized that anger is always directed only against oneself. In this case against yourself because you are the only one who is not happy. You might now say, ‘If I were to stay calm then that idiot would continue driving badly until at some point something serious happens!”

“The principle of calmness teaches us to convert our opponents’ anger and fear to our advantage. It teaches us to remain calm even in the bleakest situations and to not let ourselves get carried away.”

“The next time someone challenges you and you feel you might lose control, simply smile. And then forget it.”





THE PRINCIPLE OF SLOWNESS


Learn to conquer haste with slowness



Don’t allow yourself to be rushed!

“In the hands of an experienced warrior, speed is a dangerous weapon. ”

Your slowness is clearly not in the interest of your opponent. Once again, the IT industry presents a very interesting case study. ‘Don’t miss this offer: superfast computer available for the next three days only at this extraordinary, one-time, special price!


Fast-paced life


“So objectively, the enhancement in speed is something good. The question is, now that you are able to complete your work in half the time do you actually have more leisure time as a result? Or to put it differently:
What have you gained by the increase in speed? And what has it cost you?”



Slowness is a principle of nature

“Being able to slow down is one of our most important abilities which, like so many other things, we seem to have lost over the years.”



“A Chinese proverb says, ‘If you must hurry, then hurry slowly.’ This might sound paradoxical but it is not, because walking slowly lets you arrive faster.”

“Whenever you get into a situation where you start thinking frantically, remind yourself of the principle of slowness”

“At such times force yourself to slow down. You will see that it works wonders.”


SLOW IS FASTER


“Whenever you get into a situation where you start thinking frantically, remind yourself of the principle of slowness.”

“At such times force yourself to slow down. You will see that it works wonders.”




Speed can be a tactic


my maths teacher taught me a life-long lesson. I can still hear his words today: ‘You are dumb. You knew that there is a fixed time allotted for each candidate to be tested by the panel of examiners, after which the exam has to conclude.


“If you had worked slowly, the time would have been up and I would have said, “You obviously know the rest, right?” But you worked so fast that at the end everyone could see you were stuck”

“Trying to do more and more, faster and faster, will lead to a point where fatigue causes slowing down. This can only be offset by adopting an even faster method of working, which then leads to more mistakes and a decline in overall productivity”


“Girl and boy scouts employ a technique they call the ‘scout stride’ to reach their destination as quickly as possible. The idea is not
to walk as fast as you can until you drop. Instead, keep slowing down from time to time.”


“It is better to do nothing than to achieve nothing with a lot of effort,’ said Lao Tzu.”

“To be able to do something swiftly, you must begin by learning to do it very slowly. You must keep forcing yourself to slow down. Swiftness will then come automatically. Everything that you master slowly, you will, over time, also be able to execute faster. In an age that is so dominated by speed, there is a fascination for ‘slow living’.”



Rediscover your own pace

“The Shaolin principle teaches us that slowness and stillness are very powerful weapons.

We are inclined to believe someone speaking slowly and calmly rather than someone agitatedly defending themselves, irrespective of who is actually telling the truth.

Yet, many people today regard slowness as an unattainable privilege. I often get to hear, ‘I wish I had your calmness.’ ‘I would gladly give it to you,’ I then think, ‘but you don’t really want to have it.’


Remember, whoever controls your pace also controls your life. And that, I hope, will once again soon be you.”




“The Principle of Superiority”

“Draw the bow, but don’t shoot—it is better to be feared than to be hit. Chinese proverbs


“Learn that true superiority is the art of winning without fighting.”





BEING SUPERIOR BEGINS IN THE MIND


“One must know that being superior is not a character trait but a principle. Power is not something one receives like a reward. It is something that one seizes; it is something that resides in the mind.”





“DON’T FEAR THE PAPER TIGERS”





SEEING THROUGH OPPONENT’S MASK




“Symbols of power are an interesting way to explain this idea. Some animals play dead when a powerful opponent approaches. They offer no defence to the impending danger, hoping that it will pass them by. If you want to catch such animals, you only need to threaten them in a way that they recognise.”


“It’s the same with people. They allow themselves to be blinded by the opponent’s mask and in the bargain completely forget to take any action. A person in a suit or in uniform appears to be a figure of authority to us, and that paralyses our thinking and our defences. We are so afraid of the supposed power of such persons that we carry out their instructions unquestioningly. What I don’t understand is that such suits and uniforms can be bought in any shop. They reveal absolutely nothing about the person wearing them. Do you still remember the train conductor?”



“I refused to pay and both of them became increasingly aggressive, demanding the money. It was only when I took out a pen and paper and began to make a show of noting down their IDs that they did an immediate about turn. One of them mumbled it must have been a misunderstanding, everything was alright. And then they were gone.”






THE PRINCIPLE OF IMITATION



“Why not simply observe the animals and beat them with their own techniques? The monks began to analyse and finally to copy the behaviour of their wild adversaries and, suddenly, they were in a position to defeat their supposedly superior opponents.”

“What distinguishes humans from other living beings is their ability to deliberately imitate. This has helped them survive till today.
The ability to identify the strengths of animals and to combine these with human intellect have given us a certain superiority in many situations”



Learning through imitation



“The Shaolin monks also embraced this principle. Why develop your own fighting techniques when the best already exists? It is better to channel one’s energy into observing and adapting.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle observed that everything that depends on the action of nature is by nature as good as it can be.”

“An old proverb says that a good imitation is better than a bad invention.”

“Have you ever thought about how a child learns? They do so by imitating the behaviour of their caregivers. Children copy the successful behavioural patterns of others to achieve a certain objective”


Imitation and role models

“Just as young animals mimic the hunting behaviour of their parents, humans tend to copy the behaviour of those whom they look up to.”

“Confucius said that there are three methods by which we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is the noblest; second, by imitation, which is the easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest.”



Reflect on what is worth imitating

“Imitation, as the Shaolin principle teaches us, facilitates deep insights into the essence of others. It reveals their thinking, their feelings and allows us to predict their actions and reactions to our behaviour.”



‘Becoming the opponent means putting yourself in the opponent’s place and thinking from the opponent’s point of view.”


Anticipate an opponent’s arguments


“It is similar when you have a quarrel with someone. When one is in a rage one often uses words to verbally hurt the opponent. These need not be swear words; some people don’t use them. In such a situation, carefully observe your opponent’s choice of words. If during a really bad fight your opponent calls you ‘mean’, then this is the word you can use to hit them where it hurts.”

“For your opponent clearly the worst anyone can be is ‘mean’. And that is precisely what your opponent does not want to be.”


WIN OVER WITH EMPATHY
(Getting on the same wavelength)
THE CHAMELEON TACTIC

“By imitation it is possible not only to predict your opponent’s reactions but also to manipulate them. This technique is also known as ‘getting on the same wavelength’. People want to feel understood. If during a discussion you contradict someone in their very first sentence, you will have created an opponent who will reject anything that you propose.

“However, if you agree with the opponent five times and at the sixth time build on their argument, they will consider you highly competent and be very receptive to your ideas.

The Shaolin principle teaches us that imitation is a very powerful technique. It helps us to understand our opponents, recognise their behaviour and lead them in the direction we want.”


The Principle of Yielding



“Allowing a tactical ‘victory”

“The Shaolin principle teaches us always to give our opponents room for an apparent victory. Or as Sun Tzu says:”


When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard. This does not mean allowing the enemy to flee. It is to allow the enemy to believe there is a way to safety, for if a foe is cornered, they must fight for their lives and will do so with the strength of desperation.



“In the collection of successful options that we compiled in the last chapter, the ability to yield is the most universal and by far the most powerful.”

“Lao Tzu once said, ‘Stiffness is thus a companion of death, flexibility a companion of life. An army that cannot yield will be defeated.

“ A tree that cannot bend will crack in the wind. The hard and stiff will be broken; the soft and supple will prevail”





Allowing a tactical ‘victory


“The Shaolin principle teaches us to always give our opponents room for an apparent victory. Or as Sun Tzu says:

‘When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard. This does not mean allowing the enemy to flee. It is to allow the enemy to believe there is a way to safety, for if a foe is cornered, they must fight for their lives and will do so with the strength of desperation.”


ALLOW OPPONENTS TO DEFEAT THEMSELVES


“The better course of action would be to stay calm, even if it is difficult at that moment. It will draw attention to the fact that your boss is shouting at someone who is quiet and composed, and your boss’s boss who might be passing by will see this or the incident will be conveyed to them by a colleague.



The Shaolin principle teaches us that the soft triumphs over the hard. Yielding is a form of defence, but at the same time it is an attack that the opponent launches against themselves”


Note: By remaining calm and controlling your emotions will allow opponents to use up all their energy thereby defeating themselves. The soft will always beats the hard. Yielding is a form of defence and remember defence is an offence.





Blunting the opponent’s force


“Some animals have perfected the principle of ‘not fighting’.


“When challenged to a fight it reacts with complete refusal. In a best-case scenario, the adversary will expend a lot of energy to no avail and eventually move off.


It works the same way with a human opponent. As we observed with the principle of equanimity, when someone shouts, insults or provokes you in some way, they want to defeat you in a fight. Naturally, your pride does not permit you to ignore the challenge and you accept—with the expected consequences. The Shaolin principle teaches us to yield and thereby allow the opponent’s energy to dissipate. Simply don’t react, just keep looking at your opponent. At some point, they will feel foolish. Now, if you want to make them really furious and trap them into making a mistake, keep agreeing with them. That is the true art of yielding.
Do not contradict your opponent, instead pour fuel on their fire. Tell them with conviction how right they are, and how stupid you are”


THE SOFT DEFEATS THE HARD


Note: I absolutely 100 agree with saying “The soft defeats the hard” since I’ve implemented the principle into my life by being “malumanay” with my speaking and being diplomatic with people through my soft-spoken nature.

Remember, it’s not about WHAT you say, it’s about in tone of your nature on HOW you say it which will make people cooperate with you.

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Go for this book if you would want a good breakdown on how to stop reacting to unfavourable circumstances or circumstances that fires you up.

This book is broken down into several chapters with clear explanations and examples being provided. There are several questions to guide you through your thoughts (which is quite helpful).

[Aashu Kandoi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good guide if you are eager on personal development.

[HeenaShajhan HeenaShajhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book and gives us to understand the search of our soul.

[Shashank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read, some points highly effective!!

[Shourov Hasonov Pre · Rating 2 out of 5]

🥱🟠

[Yashika · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book with tools and techniques about how to stay focused on end goal w/o wasting too much energy during the process of achieving it.

[Edita · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more you feel calmer, the more your enemy will feel nervous.
Great book if you want to improve you skills in winnig stressful situations either in your private or work life as employee or leader