Hard discipline is about hierarchy and chain of command, like the military. Some monasteries also have strict forms that are about control and manipulation under the pretense of training your mind. Softer forms are about understanding the nature of form and awareness of the form. The fundamental understanding comes from observing the form, not obeying it. Soft discipline makes use of the forms to observe the way the person learns. The gradation into the spiritual path is where you begin to transcend this relative situation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-QP73Kdvwk