Dojo Wisdom: 100 Simple Ways to Become a Stronger, Calmer, More Courageous Person

by Jennifer Lawler

Book Overview

In the hours spent perfecting their skills in the dojo, or training hall, martial artists practice much more than how to master a punch. They also learn essential lessons which help them become stronger, calmer, and more courageous people-and enhance their lives. In Dojo Wisdom, Jennifer Lawler, a martial arts teacher and second-degree black belt, shares one hundred of these life lessons from the martial arts to help anyone find his or her inner warrior...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0142196223
• ISBN13: 9780142196229
• Release Date: May 2003
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Length: 219 Pages
• Weight: 0.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.1" x 7.2"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

very cute, some decent advice!

While many of the 100 "lessons" are fairly commonsense, the way this author distills them to digestable nuggets is worthy of a read. This book is not what I'd call a "sit down and read" book (unless, like my husband, you read... sitting elsewhere!), but more of a "pick it up here and again" sort of thing. I have internalized many of the "lessons," not because I didn't know them prior to reading this book, but because in the race of life, you sometimes focus so hard on FINISHING that you forget your form, or finishing WELL. Even if you only take one or two of the "exercises" (ways to practice the lessons that the author provides) and put them to daily use, you will feel like a better you; walking the walk of being a better person, rather than watching from the sidelines. My favorite lesson has to be Lesson #9 "Strike Through The Target." Here, Lawler explains how martial artists (and I fully admit that I am not a martial artist, and the closest I have ever come was watching Karate Kid in 3D) are taught to see THROUGH their target, because if you see what you're actually trying to accomplish, as opposed to what you need to do to get there, getting there will be far more attainable. I am not explaining it well, which is another reason you should read the book, as she makes it much clearer than I ever could!The only downfall to the book, and it'll depend on how active a reader you are and your personality style, is that the author frequently uses the "she" pronoun. While warriors can certainly be women, men might feel alienated, and the over-usage of "she" where "he" would do (or a whole other sentence structure) is a constant reminder of this author's beliefs. While I was not bothered, I did notice, and some less-patient readers might not make it through the book (which is the WHOLE POINT!). This book is a great gift if you know someone who is about to make a change in their life (graduate, fiance, parent-to-be), or someone who's stuck in a rut and needs some motivation (you, maybe?), or someone who could just use a great, positive, easy to digest, read!

Life-changing!

I absolutely LOVED this book, and found myself dog-earing many of the pages for quick referral back. Jennifer Lawler has a terrific style with words and her insights are worth sharing with friends, family, kids, anyone who's facing challenges...I've even brought this to work! I love it when a book surpasses my expectations. Great job, Ms. Lawler! I'll be hanging on to this for future reads.

A great primer on lessons for life

Dojo Wisdom by Jennifer Lawler is an interesting book written by a martial arts instructor who has applied her Tae Kwon Do teachings to all areas of her life. There are 100 "lessons" in the book (each 1 to 3 pages long), followed by a paragraph of how you can put those lessons to work in your life. By doing so, you will practice the way of the warrior in all you do. For instance, there were a couple of items that spoke to me. Lesson 3 was Revel In Your Awkwardness As Much As In Your Mastery. In other words, learn to enjoy the learning phase of a new skill. Everyone goes through it, so just enjoy that thrill of learning new skills. As a consultant, you go through that phase with all new clients as you learn their processes. The other lesson was #90 - Frequent Encounters With Fear Make You Strong. Not too long ago, I would have tried to avoid certain activities that I wasn't comfortable with. I feared them. Now, I understand that I need to face those fears in order to grow past them. A good book, and I recommend it...

already calmer

I enjoy learning new ways of thinking about the challenges I face, and Dojo Wisdom inspired me to do more than think. It encouraged me to act. Although I've already read the book several times, I pick it up whenever I'm a bit frustrated, and it seems no matter which page I turn to, there's something there to inspire me.

A Positive Message in Trying Times

Jennifer Lawler, a martial arts teacher and second-degree black belt, shares one hundred life lessons she's learned from the masters and passes on to her students in the ancient tradition. Martial arts is far more than kicks, moves, and chops; the key to being a successful warrior is to master the lessons that help you tap into the inner power you never knew you had. Just as the Sherpa guides help Western climbers reach the peak of Mount Everest, Jennifer Lawler is our guide to help us cope with the demands, pressure and stress that come at us from every angle in today's lightning-fast paced, "always on" world. By helping you become stronger, calmer and more courageous, DOJO Wisdom can help you reach your personal peak for a satisfying life. This book is an inspiring book that gave me great insights into how to focus, cope with an increasingly stressful world that seems to spin more out of control each day, and to become stronger in the face problems I can now see as new challenges. Don't be deceived by this book's apparent simplicity; you'll find yourself thinking back to these universal lessons over and over again as you see how relevant they are to your everyday life.