"SHU HA RI" is a very popular concept in the agile world, usually used as an analogy to detail the state of maturity in mastering a technique or mastery over something.
The most appropriate interpretation for this term and the one most used is "Follow the rule, adapt the rule, break the rule". On occasion I read that RI interpret it as Being or become the rule.
In order to explain this concept a bit I will tell you a little story that was told by a great Japanese mentor, and the story was told to me like this:
"Japan's feudal era, there was once a family of a samurai with his three sons. This samurai was required for a mission that would take seven years. The night before leaving, during dinner; The samurai asked his sons to never stop practicing the art of the sword and honoring the warrior's code in his absence. The three children nodded and swore to their father. Seven years later, the samuarái was back. That night, during dinner; The samuarái asked his sons if they had honored the oath they made before him at the time of his departure. Everyone nodded and claimed to have honored the promise.
Before sleeping, the samurai thought: "In what way can I realize that they have really practiced and fulfilled their promise?" He devised a test that would start the next morning. It dawned, and very early the samuarái prepared the test. He placed a wooden bucket with water on the upper edge of the shoji (Japanese sliding door), and he sat inside the room.
Then he called his youngest son, who waited with his brothers outside the house, with swords at his waist. When opening the door, the bucket fell at full speed. He hit the head of the youngest son, but before he fell to the ground ... he drew the sword and divided it in two with great skill. The samurai bowed before his son. Then, he put the trap back together and called his second son. When opening the door, the bucket fell at full speed, the second son realizes, eludes it ... and before the floor fell ... he unsheathes the sword and divides the bucket in two. The samurai bowed before his son. Finally, he sets the trap and calls his eldest son. When opening the door, the bucket falls at speed; the older son notices ... and raises his hand to hold it in the air without a drop of water falling. The samurai bowed before his son. "
Finish listening to his story and be fascinated, although he did not finish understanding how his story was conjugated with the term SHU HA RI. When he saw my face expressing doubts, he asked me:
Did you like the story? What is your doubt?
I answered that I loved it and it fascinated me, but that I could not understand the meaning, to which I responded with the following reflection, a teaching that I consider a gift from you:
"Shu Ha Ri" is not just about mastering the technique. It is about the awareness of your environment and the management of your energy. At the highest level of expertise, it is the search for the smallest action that generates the maximum possible impact using the minimum energy, without breaking the harmony with your environment. Action without action, be present, be aware ... beyond the skill of the technique.
I hope that this reflection will help them in their personal growth process and that of their work in teams.