Thread by @ThyConsigliori

John Minford, #SunTzu 5: 4 "With an understanding of weakness and strength, an army can strike like a millstone cast at an egg."

We have been taught by Master Sun, in many previous verses, about spending time in the temple planning, comparing. Out scripture is called The Art of War, by the English-speaking world. We might easily have named it The Science of War. All those calculations!

Another type of name might have been more spiritual, something like Meditations on Victory, or Visualizing Victory. Have you ever read Homer? Or seen any of the representations of his work in movies? Can you picture Athena showing up and guiding Odysseus?

Of the 422 verses, any one of them would serve as a prayer to Athena if she materialized right next to you and started discussing your coming battle with you, giving her commands, and indicating her will for your victory. Oh Athena, guide me, you might pray.

Guide me to my enemy's weakness, so I may employ my strength as though to cast a millstone at an egg. Amen.

Can you imagine 422 battles? Here's why I ask. How mighty might you be if you had all 422 memorized as prayers?

Let's attack this, instead of as a prayer, as a visualization. Can you see a millstone? Have you ever been to a New England mill town? Have you watched the water turning the great wheel, slats in the cascade like a passive river boat wheel? The smallest amounts of water suffice.

Can you picture the great wooden shafts and gears connecting the water wheel to a gigantic round, flat-topped stone on which the grain is poured, and the lowering of a flat-bottomed stone to grind out the flour? These two great stones are millstones.

Clearly, you would never dream to employ them in any part of making an omelet. Yet, Master Sun wants you to see your own power as able to pick one of those up - why have I shifted to Heracles in my mind's eye, now? - and hurl it at an egg. Can you do slow motion visualization?

When I work on my own visualizations, in addition to reading stories about ancient gods and warriors, or watching movies that contain connected images, I often return to previous verses - in various translations - but most especially I read forward to coming verses.

Let's discuss chapters briefly, and how they're created. I have almost no clue, actually, I just know that they are created, that is. Somehow, through history, all these little bamboo strips get organized into sets on ropes kind of a like a key chain. Were they mixed and matched?

They had to be. But by whom and with what order and sequence, and why that one as opposed to another? Personally, no clue. But, I do know that scholars have debates over every detail at wonderful conferences in beautiful places where they drink rice wine all day.

If I were one of the ancient editors, playing with my strips on prayer bead-like strings, I'd have combined our previous chapter 4 with our current chapter right now, chapter 5. Or, I'd have pulled some stuff from each and recombined the two chapters a bit differently.

At any rate, the various visualizations of victory in each of these chapters - not to mention the entire book - flow into and out of, implying and deriving from each other. It is absolutely a chaotic process, but one you must resist. You must implant each visualization firmly.

Implant firmly, you rightly ask, excellent student? That simply means two measurements. Repetitions and durations. You must go over each visualization repeatedly, the more times the better. You must spend time within, or during, the visualization. The more time the better.

And if you think about it, there can be no questions that Master Sun was no mere great general, amazing as he was at that. He was one of the greatest teachers in all of human history. He takes care of both of those measures, allowing us to be terrible students yet still learn.

Here's an example. I absolutely guarantee you that, if you bring a little note book to your temple and simply note each visual image as a list, while you read the book through, the list itself will be almost magical in its power to transform your mind, heart and soul.

Now read the book a second time. This time, no matter how long or short a time you spend, just pause at each image and try to see it again. The book's power will deepen within you. It is impossible to visualize Master Sun's counsel with that the counsel transforming you.

Last, let's assume you're just not that dedicated. You know you don't learn by reading books. You couldn't put together a visualization of breaking out of a wet paper bag. You just suck at study. Okay. Can you read? Just one time through Master Sun's book? He's got your back.

Here's how. Just read the book through, one time. That's all. Just once. Master Sun has packed so many visualizations in, for you, that just a single reading will begin to familiarize you with a totally new way of thinking. Minford's version is just 101 short, small pages.

If I was the principal of an elementary school, I wouldn't let an 8th grader graduate without a) having read it, and b) having completed a course based solely on participation in the classroom, no tests. You just have to show up and talk, or you don't pass, that's it.

So, that's how good Master Sun is. One pass, a little conversation, you're heading in a new direction with your mind's powers rising, and a bit more study, your battle tactics on the field will begin to rise as well. If you're one of these one-pass readers, having completed...

Once through, here's all you need to do. Whenever you face conflict, or make a goal, or attempt to learn a new skill, etc., always ask yourself:

#WhatWouldMasterSunSay?

You will never, you simply cannot go wrong with that question. It almost doesn't matter your answer, as well.

In a profound way, the question is the answer. You already know, and just asking, your visualizations of victory will begin to arise from within. You will see openings and take them. You'll see obstacles and flow around or over them. But enough for one class. Just...

Just remember to always ask:

#WouldWouldMasterSunSay?

To return to previous sections in our #WarForAmerica2020 and #SunTzuForMAGA series, don't forget to head over to @WarForAmerica21.

92 verses completed, 330 to go. And also, be sure to purchase John Minford's translation, here:

amazon.com/Art-War-Pengui…

The local MAGA leader’s library needs three other books. The first is by my great friend, hero, and today’s greatest constitutional scholar, @shestokas. His most important work so far is:

amazon.com/Creating-Decla…

The second is available free. It is the combined Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

uscis.gov/sites/default/…

Last is my own book. I'll give you the link here, and then conclude with its ten MAGA principles:

amazon.com/America-First-…

1. Remember The Forgotten Americans
2. Rule Of Law
3. American Jobs
4. Quality Of Life For Every American
5. Heal Our Cities
6. Build The Wall
7. Make America Wealthy Again
8. Make America Strong Again
9. Make America Safe Again
10. Make America Great Again