The Way of Conflict: Elemental Wisdom for Resolving Disputes and Transcending Differences

By Deidre Combs

Book Overview

The Way of Conflict teaches how to use ancient wisdom passed down through symbol, folk tale, and ancient classics such as The Art of War and the Bhagavad-Gita to confidently engage in any dispute and reach a balanced resolution. It is the first book to integrate the wealth of conflict skills found throughout the world's major religious and indigenous traditions with the latest scientific systems and conflict resolution theory. The Way of Conflict employs the cross-cultural metaphor of the four natural elements -- earth, water, fire, and air -- to identify our innate conflict personalities and forge an understandable path through the chaos of conflict. Using assessment tests, anecdotes from indigenous and religious traditions, and illustrative folk tales, Dr. Combs describes how to quickly assess a conflict and its participants and implement an appropriate resolution strategy.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1577314492
• ISBN13: 9781577314493
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: New World Library
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 1.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.3" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Resolve disputes and overcome differences

Resolve disputes and overcome differences with the help of The Way Of Conflict, where common traps to progress are outlined and implications of conflict outside the situation at hand are considered. Chapters handle everything from initial conflicts to escalation to violence, using first-person and real-world experiences to explore problems and solutions.

Read & get ready to transform your view of conflict forever.

Don't let Deidre Combs light-hearted approach in The Way of Conflict fool you...she is up to serious business here. She offers deep insights into the nature of every conflict and into the heart of every person. Her lessons apply as well from your smallest spat to our world's oldest and most deadly dilemmas. It is my hope that her work sinks a hook into each reader as it did into me and gets us all re-thinking the possibilities for resolving of our worst personal conflicts. From there the resolutions to age-old conflicts in the Middle East, between nations, between peoples are but steps away. This is not a light read. It is powerful. Like The Artist's Way it has the power to change you and your point of view. It is well researched and has an extensive Bibiography. And all for a very reasonable list price! Beyond a bargain. A Gift.

some timely wisdom

This is one of those rare books that contains a deceptively simple idea that has fascinating and universal applications. It will change the way you think about conflict. I enjoyed the fact that it was practical but also philosophical. It seems very well researched. I particularly enjoyed the multi-cultural use of myths and stories to illustrate the concepts. This is a book full of wisdom.