Water philosophy of Bruce Lee

We are taught from childhood to fight to exhaustion. In that whatever was to bend under him the world. But as long as we keep hitting our head against the wall, some percolates through it like water. What is the way of water that adheres to the legendary Bruce Lee? Find out now.

To control myself, I must first accept yourself, not acting contrary to nature, and following in accordance with it.

Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee (Lee Chzhenfan) not only film actor, director and martial artist. Physical strength in it combined with a metaphysical philosophy. He's a legend, whose name with reverence, passed on from generation to generation.

Li began studying kung fu in the mid-1950s. His first teacher was Yip Man, who preached the style of Wing Chun.

In 1959, Lee left Hong Kong and went to America, first in San Francisco, then Seattle. In the US, he opened a martial arts school and began teaching his own style of kung fu - Jeet Kune-Do ( "Way of the Intercepting Fist").

A simple way - the right way. In a fight no one cares about beauty. The main thing - the confidence, honed skills and accurate calculation. Therefore, in the method of Jeet Kune Do, I tried to reflect the principle of "survival of the fittest." Less empty of movement and energy - closer to the goal.

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In 1971, at the peak of his film career, Bruce Lee starred in the TV series "Longstreet». In one of the episodes Lee said the phrase, based on the Chinese philosophy of wu-wei (contemplative passivity) and became very popular.

Be formless, bodiless, like water. When you pour water into the cup, it becomes a cup; you pour water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot shape. Water can leak or break. Be water, my friend.

However, the famous aphorism does not explain all the water philosophy of Bruce and how he came to her. In 2001, Little John (John Little), who wrote many books about Lee, published a collection of previously unpublished letters, notes and poems of the actor - "Bruce Lee: Artist of Life" (Bruce Lee: Artist of Life). This is an invaluable source for understanding the views of Bruce Lee on life, love, parenting, and martial arts.

Apparently, the water came to the philosophy of Lee after the disappointment: he could not understand the "art of detachment," which he taught Yip Man. That's what Bruce wrote on this occasion.

When the sharpness of my consciousness has reached the point that psychologists call double bondTeacher came to me and said, "Take care of yourself, follow the natural curve of things, whether detached. Remember: never go against nature, never resist the problems directly, but controls them, turning wherever they are clones. Leave for a week of training - go home and think about it. "

Bruce Lee

Bruce did.

After spending many hours in meditation and spiritual practice, I finally gave up and went to a single voyage on junk. At sea, I thought about my training. This angered me - I hit the water. And at that moment I was struck by one thought. Do not water embodies the essence of kung fu? I hit her, but she has not experienced pain. I am again struck with full force - it re invulnerable. Then I tried to hold her. But it was impossible. However, the water, the softest substance in the world that can be placed even in a tiny vessel just seems weak. In fact, it can ruin the most solid matter on the ground. I'd like to be water.

Suddenly the bird flew past, leaving the reflection on the water surface. Then I had absorbed another lesson, another hidden mystical meaning opened to me in the battle, in the face of the enemy, your thoughts and emotions should be like a reflection of flying birds on the water. This is exactly what he had in mind Master Yip, saying, "Be detached." This does not mean not to have feelings - it meant not to tire and not smother them alone. To control myself, I must first accept yourself, not acting contrary to nature, and following in accordance with it.

Bruce Lee

Citing well-known saying of Lao Tzu, Li wrote:

A natural phenomenon that most closely reflects the essence of wu-wei in kung fu - it is water.

Water - is the softest and weakest creature in the world, but to overcome the hard and strong, she is invincible, and the world is not her equal.

This is an excerpt from the "Tao Te Ching". It reveals the essence of water. The water is so beautiful that it is impossible to squeeze into a fist hit her unknown pain. Pierce it with a knife - not hurting. Break it - will remain intact. It has no form - the water takes the form of a vessel, where it is poured. If it is heated, it becomes invisible vapor, but it has so much power that it can split the interior of the earth. Frozen, water crystallizes and becomes a powerful lumps. Water can be fast like the Niagara Falls, and calm as a pond. It is appalling in a raging stream and refreshing on a hot summer day. This is the principle of wu-wei.

Rivers and seas - the rulers of the hundreds of valleys. That's because their strength in humility; they were kings over all. You want to conquer them? Follow them.

Bruce Lee

In other words, if we transfer the philosophy of martial arts to ordinary life, before fighting to the circumstances, it is necessary to try to adapt to them. You need to be as soft as water, susceptible to rapidly changing circumstances. life within itself will lead you to happiness. Resist worth only truly powerful storms. If all the time to row against the current, rapidly vybesh of forces and you will go to the bottom.

Do you share the water philosophy of Bruce Lee?