Be the Samurai Sword

Relationships are constantly facing crisis.correctly known, is made of the strongest steel.
Everywhere we look people are in dispute withMade hundreds of years ago in feudal Japan,
one another. Companies are in dispute with onemany examples of these swords are still in
another. Countries are even in dispute with onepristine condition. They will stand up to the very
another.best modern steel making technology of today.
Arguments, litigation, divorce, even war are theThe katana gets its strength from the many
products of relationships in crisis.separate and symbiotic processes that the sword
What is the purpose of fuelling animosity? Life issmiths of the era employed. (Re "The Craft of
so short. It's too short to waste precious timethe Japanese Sword" - Kapp and Yoshihara -
with such unproductive pursuits. Do we reallyISBN 0-87011-798-X - for more information)
need to keep conflict going? What can possibly beOne of the most important qualities is the
achieved by constantly fanning the flame ofkatana's soft malleable inner core. This embedded
conflict? But people do it.soft steel inner core allows the weapon to absorb
When one party has the strength to step back,outer hits on its striking surface without serious
conflict, or the escalation of it, can often bedamage.
avoided.There is little doubt that the katana was a
Strength? Yes I did say strength. It takesfearsome weapon in its time. It still is. Yet at its
strength and courage to take the first bold stepheart lies the softest metal giving the weapon its
of reconciliation and peace. Some might considergreatest strength.
such a move as being soft or weak.You can learn to be like the samurai sword. You
Allow me to give you an example of strengthcan develop strength through softness. Be the
borne through softness.samurai sword.
The samurai sword, or katana, as it is more