Review & Reflection: “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu

As someone who reads a great deal, something I’ve found true in my personal practice is that books not explicitly about magic practice or spiritual concepts often stick with me more than a how-to guide. Reading in between the lines and trying on a new lens is also one way of deepening your own research. There is wisdom disguised in the most uncanny places. To me, “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu is an example of this experience. Those of you who’ve listened to my podcast The Real Witches of the End Times for a while likely know how much I like this book, and thus I wanted to share a bit about why.

While not for everyone, this particular text speaks to me in a way that I can connect. Business people love to cite this as a must read for competitive investments or whatever, but I feel that only scratches the surface of the text. I feel it is a work a magician can benefit from reading, particularly since offensive magic is often a debated topic. If you’re tired of every source you read attempting to tell you one way or another what is and is not right, why not read something that presents the realties of battle differently? Get a different perspective, then make up your own mind.

You can decide for yourself while reading “The Art of War” if you believe it is pro war, or anti war. Or, you can simply let it be what it is, and read it by the lantern light of a different life each time... shading the words with new shadows of your own experience.

If you would like to get a copy of “The Art of War,” I highly recommend the 2020 translation by Michel Nylan. It’s the first translation published by a female scholar, and I find it stands out from the other translations I’ve seen... so be sure to read the Introduction.

Find a copy of The Art of War here.