Book Review: "Sun Tzu's Art of War Unveiled: A Fourth-Dimensional Interpretation to Master Your Mind"

In a world being buffeted by the winds of rapid change, having the requisite mental strength and fortitude to pivot with the times is imperative. Responding accordingly requires an awareness of what’s happening around us, all the while remaining attuned to our deepest values and life principles.  

I first became acquainted with the timeless wisdom of the “Art of War”, a timeless book of wisdom in January of 2002. A copy of the book was nestled on the bookshelf of my brother’s apartment in Carson City, Nevada. Curious, I perused the chapters, finding it to be a complicated read. It was filled with a vernacular about war and conflict that just didn’t seem relevant to me at the time. 

Compiled over 2,000 years ago, Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” is a profoundly influential piece of work on military strategy in the world. With its “five decisive factors” and “nine variables” it remains one of the most popular books across time anywhere in the world. 

For years, I sought out an interpretative version of this masterpiece hoping that it might offer some useful advice for navigating the often rough and tumble world that we live in. But none really ever resonated with me, particularly given the fact that the word “war” always felt misaligned with my Taoist proclivities around non-aggression and violence. 

Last year, while searching through the vast repository of the reading app Scribd, I stumbled upon Sun Tzu's Art of War Unveiled: A Fourth-Dimensional Interpretation to Master Your Mind by Genevieve Tan Shu Thung (also known as Sandhya). A spiritual guide and inspirational thought leader, she is well known for “Sandhya Maarga Meditation”, a well-known spiritual practice named after her. 

Tan Shu Thung’s version of Sun Tzu’s Art of War offers a thought-provoking, real-world approach to this classic tradition. Tan Shu Thung’s book serves as a sort of operator's manual that helps you pursue your life aims with foresight, wisdom, toughness, and grace. 

For Tan Shu Thung, life is all about strengthening one’s inner journey for the outer quest. By skillfully weaving in Sun Tzu’s treatises and philosophy, she asserts that the “mind” is the most powerful tool in one’s arsenal. This aligns with the Taoist wisdom I’ve used over the course of my life to unearth truths that help me shape my own destiny. 

The future is what you make of it, Tan Shu Thung asserts. Moreover, she says, the change is within you. But the trick is discovering the plan, guide, and roadmap on how to get there. This is what “Sun Tzu's Art of War Unveiled: A Fourth-Dimensional Interpretation to Master Your Mind” delivers.