Bruce Lee Part 7 - Life Application

Please see my previous articles on Bruce Lee and be inspired:

http://gforce-guru.blogspot.com/2010/11/bruce-lee-part-1-legend-remembered.html

http://gforce-guru.blogspot.com/2010/11/bruce-lee-part-2-family-friends.html

http://gforce-guru.blogspot.com/2010/11/bruce-lee-part-3-philosophy-martial.html

http://gforce-guru.blogspot.com/2010/11/bruce-lee-part-4-movies-quotes.html

http://gforce-guru.blogspot.com/2010/11/bruce-lee-part-5-training-other-key.html

http://gforce-guru.blogspot.com/2010/11/bruce-lee-part-6-incredible-feats-death.html

Now, I shall give you its life application.

Bruce Lee was about liberation. He saw things differently from others. He saw how the Japanese planes soared over Hong Kong into China and stopped short of Hong Kong, a British Colony at the time and he hated it and you could see it expressed in the Fist of Fury but yet Bruce's best friend is Taky Kimura, an American "Japanese". He has an open mind with no prejudice.

He did not see himself as belonging to one group of martial arts affiliation and he taught to all races. He was colour blind. Of course he was passionate, in fact, to a point obsessive. Above all, he was himself and always original in his interpretation even as he learned from various arts. He sparred and observed, learned and borrowed from different arts usually to find out how to defend against them rather than to incorporate into his art. With all the incredible feats that he could perform, his physique and ability, it was his philosophy which added a greater dimension to his already very formidable art.

Surely we could adopt his attitude and ethics but with his philosophy, we too can add a new and extra dimension to our life or in sports or in whatever pursuits. Let me share with you some of Bruce Lee's philosophy as a Life Application:

Knowing is not enough, you must apply. Willing is not enough, you must do.

How often do you find knowledgeable people who can't make decisions. They freeze and dare not apply them. Others keep knowledge to themselves and would not share. There are also many willing folks around but they will not "do". If you don't apply what you know, nothing happens. It's all about "doing." For example, you can know all about how to build that perfect abs or solid forearms but all you do is sit down and drink beer you will only get beer abs and strong arms needed to lift that frozen beer mug.

You know about how to make the world a better place how to help in charity but you did not apply you do nothing, it is still nothing. Knowing and talking is easy. It's all about doing and doing the right things. It does not matter what you think or say, what really matters is what you do. Be water is not enough, you have to be a doer.

I give you a great and admirable example. Some of you may have read about Mr. Abraham Loh, a retired businessman who at 98 is the oldest person in Singapore to hold a valid class 3 driving licence (car), drives around in his Mercedes Benz, plays nine hole golf almost daily with his wife in her 80s at SICC, practises qi cong and is always at charitable events. Recently, he hurt his leg and the doctor advised him not to drive.This being the case, as a patron of a certain charity, he donated the car (Mercedes Benz) to the charity who sold it for more than a hundred thousand dollars.

Bruce was not academic and he was bullied, so he has to find his own path in life but being a street fighter is no fun as one could end up dead, beaten to pulp or be in prison. It is a matter of time. When he was at his peak, he realised that when one has acquired knowledge, self-knowledge he does not feel the need to fight anymore. Out there in this world, there are people who are agitated, angry, hyper-sensitive, argumentative, quarrelsome, aggressive, likes to shout and bang tables or use authority over others. Please understand them that they may be lacking self esteem and self confidence. They have not acquired knowledge, self knowledge and therefore feels insecure.

Whatever you do, do not be nervous. Keep calm with no illusion or imagination so as to apprehend the situation and find a way to deal with it. No excessive action is needed, just keep your mind and body relax.

These days, more people are impatient and hot-tempered. They are anxious and nervy. Very often, they do not even listen properly, jump the gun and become defensive or feel offended easily. They get agitated or angry without even understanding the situation. They may hear but would not listen.

Every situation needs an appropriate response. Sometimes, no action is needed at all. When you are calm and do not let your imagination run wild, you will have no illusion. Add to it a relax body and mind and you will find the eye of the storm. Highly trained people with great self knowledge are like that. They are always calm and measured. Never excessive.

I fear not the man who practised 10,000 kicks once but I fear the man who has practised one kick 10,000 times.

Practice - practise and practise. That is the only way to become better in everything and anything. One chin up can be difficult if you do not train. A professional golfer would have hit a golf ball more than a million times. When ready, they can strike a ball with their eyes closed as they would have mastered the swing. It takes hard work and sacrifice. It takes focus and discipline. A sportsman cannot be long at the top if he is distracted be it a top golfer or soccer player, etc. Likewise your study or your work. Ditto your thoughts and application.

The eyes must pick up as much information as possible prior to and during a physical struggle. Watch the elbows and knees to get the best results. At no time should you blink or turn your head giving away the most important instrument which supplies the visual information.

I would say not just in physical struggles but any kind of struggles. Not only should we keep our eyes open but our minds too and we should prick our ears like a doggy and watch our hearts. Observe keenly everything around you and you can know where those elbows and knees are coming from. When you have keen observation, data are transmitted to your senses all the time. You begin to see things that others do not. I am not talking about ghosts here. You see a way when others saw none. You will find a solution when there is none. I am not referring to watching girls. I love this music by Walter Wanderley which music lovers would appreciate - Music To Watch Girls by:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgWVsNW5uQY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5-GD8YeObE
 It's not about daily increase but decrease - hack away the unessential.
 

Picture a piece of stone and you are the sculptor. You chip away to a finished product hacking away the unwanted. Human faults lie evenly among all of us. Our selfish nature like doing things without care or consideration for others are inherent in people so we have to learn how to let go. Pause and think about it. Unlearn and do away with our human selfishness, ego and pride. They are with us all the time. Hack them away, they are unessential. Decrease them daily.

Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive but adjust to the object and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.

Some people are one dimensional. They just go in hard in every situation. If you use an explosive to blow up a huge hole all the miners in Chile could have lost their lives due to a cave in. Egg against a wall and the result is obvious. So you have to find a way. You can resolve certain situation by being soft. Soft and quiet should never be mistaken as weak nor hard and loud be deemed as strong. Far from it. Only something soft like water can fill up cracks or go through them. Being assertive at all times can make you a loser. You have to adjust to find a way. What you want is to find a way not necessarily your way but a way. A way is a solution not your remedy. If you are not rigid in your thinking, things will disclose themselves. When you are nimble and flexible, you shall find revelations you never thought was possible.

Art calls for complete mastery of techniques, developed by reflection within the soul.

That is why art is important. It is as it was said - to be developed by "reflection within the soul" in order to have complete mastery of techniques. Art is deep. It draws from your reservoir, your reserves, your years, your feelings, your soul. If you can't master yourself you cannot master others. Even as a country you will need art. Art breeds thinkers. When artful, you may have complete mastery. Are you arty farty?

Art is never decoration of embellishment. It is work of enlightenment. Art, in other words, is a technique for acquiring liberty.

As you reach a certain level, you get enlightened. You free yourself from struggles. You acquire a certain detachment. You set yourself free. A key to liberty. Liberty is freedom and freedom is the end of slavery. We can be slaves to anything - work, pleasure, money, self- gratification, etc.

Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into the bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it into a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sonZq6ZnF90.

Water is the only element that can be both soft and hard when required crashing like a waterfall or flowing and taking shape of things they flow through or into or through it. That's adaptability in life. If you are golfing, be water means your swing and thoughts flow like it and not hit into the water.

My technique is a result of your technique. My movement is a result of your movement.

A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool from a wise answer.

You give a fool wise answers and it does not resonate but a person who is always learning can learn from every situation. You do not know some are dumb until they speak and since light travels faster than sound, people appear bright until you hear them speak.

Life itself is a teacher and you are in a state of constant learning.

This is a fact but very few people realised because the human psyche is based on pride and you will find people who will think the world of themselves or how clever they are even when they are just a little good or when they become successful. When we achieve a result or success, it should be used to humble and spur us on as a form of reward and encouragement, that is all. Long ago, I had this friend, who is weak in the presence of beauty and when he was interested in a certain lady, he didn't have the guts to talk to or see her and requested my help. I didn't like to be a spotlight but seeing his forlorn soul and his plight, I accompanied him and gave advice.

He fumbled many times and I managed to put him back on course leading to a date for him. Several dates later, he had forgotten everything and came to me to boast that if I ever needed help with ladies, I could come to him and he will give me some advice. Indeed I have learned and grew much. Many times, just by watching people or listening to their stories we could learn something. We won't have enough time to make all the mistakes ourselves so why do we need to repeat the mistakes of others that you could have learned from. Learning is an everyday event. Continuously. Constantly. There are free lessons everywhere and all the time.

When the opponent expands, I contract. When he contracts I expand. When there is an opportunity I do not hit, it hits all by itself.
 

This shows that we do not need to be head on and confrontational at all times. Sometimes, you have to be patient and wait for an opportunity. Like built up play in soccer. Like your opponents making wrong decisions or mistakes on the golf course. Where you gained so much insights, experience and are so well-trained that at the right time in its perfect moment, an opportunity presents itself you just know that is it! It hits all by itself. Ditto your golf swing thoughts. When an opportunity comes, just do your set up after reading the conditions and you do not hit, let it hit all by itself. If you can't do this, wait for the day where they give you automatic or auto-pilot golf clubs.

If you are talking about combat, as it is, well then, baby you'd better train every part of your body.

Bruce Lee trained every group and part of the muscles in his torso and arms and strength in his legs for a specific purpose. In real combat, things can get fast and furious and you have to be effective getting the right speed, power, technique. Everything becomes crucial. In life's combats, we combat against diseases, aging, sickness, immorality, all kinds of wrong doings so our physical body not necessarily to be trained to Bruce Lee standard, must still need a basic level of fitness, a proper mentality and strong mind with wisdom and then the last but not least - the spiritual self. We have to train these faculties.

Dear friends and readers, I leave this quote with you as I end the series on Bruce Lee which I hope you have enjoyed and enjoyed tremendously.

Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjusting ourselves to the object, we shall find the way around or through it. The softer a substance is, the narrower the crack through it may pass. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Moving, be like water. Still, be like a mirror. Respond like an echo. Nothingness cannot be defined. The softest thing cannot be snapped.

You do not need to scheme, hatch funny plans or create evil plots to get ahead. Actually many people know what you are up to or who you are. They just didn't have the heart to tell you or can't be bothered to. Then there is such a thing called the "act of God". When one has mastered the art of self knowledge, an appropriate action or choice of words become natural. Words used are meaningful and purposeful. Actions and decisions becomes powerful and effective. It corresponds accordingly. For every action, there is an opposite reaction. When you have the technique and wisdom, you respond naturally and most effortlessly.