Young J. F. Millet, Road to Success
Thomas Henry Museum

Preface to The Way to Vict’ry

The Way to Vict’ry on AmazonThe Way to Vict’ry is an ebook of three haiku inspired by Sun Tzu, Matthieu Ricard, and a magpie flight instructor.

 

Preface

In Sun Tzu’s Art of War, the fifth-century BC Taoist author likens the successful battle plan to a watercourse: it follows the path of least resistance to its objective.

Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard devotes a chapter of his book Happiness (Atlantic Books, 2012) to the ego. He suggests the ego, imposed as a shield, becomes a target, which attracts suffering.

These works inspired the first two haiku in this book.

And the magpie flight instructor? It’s one of a mated pair that makes its nest in the bay tree behind the house. The springtime garden is a cacophony of young magpies on flight training day.

In haiku form, the lessons are easier to retain. These three have become personal mantras.

Stephen Wendell
November 9, 2016
Paris, France