A fifth-degree black belt in the revolutionary martial art of aikido and co-owner of an aikido school in Mill Valley, California, George Leonard is, ''the granddaddy of the consciousness movement'' (Newsweek). Leonard is president of the Esalen Institute and founder of Leonard Energy Training (LET), a practice inspired by aikido that offers alternative ways of coping with everyday issues. In this book he applies ancient techniques, physical and spiritual, to the battles we wage every day in both our public and private lives. Along the way, Leonard shows us unique and effective ways to: * cope with sudden, often brutal, setbacks in our lives--and turn them into gifts for growth * develop ki, or positive energy, to enhance vitality * use the aikido principle of ''blending'' to deal with verbal and psychological attacks With an already large following, George Leonard now brings the valuable wisdom of aikido to a wider audience.