With the show, The Mandalorian, hyping up the phrase “This is the Way”, I thought it would be good to remind myself regarding a certain philosophy by the legendary Bruce Lee that I like.
“Using no way as a way, having no limitation as limitation.”
Bruce Lee, Tao of Jeet Kune Do
Renown as a master martial artist, Bruce Lee was particularly unique during his day for being an Asian martial artist that embraced the learning, sharing and blending of Western martial arts with its Asian counterpart. From his interview excerpts and videos that can be found online everywhere nowadays, and from his memoirs that consists of his own personal notes and anecdotes by family and friends; we can learn how Bruce was a articulate philosopher that expressed his views beautifully through rhythmic words and through fluid body movement.
Adaptation and Fluidity
Bruce was a strong advocate of being dynamic, fluid and adaptive when it comes to martial arts, and in extension, life. Bruce emphasises the importance of being malleable towards your circumstance, without compromising the innate strength of your own being. He expounds this concept charismatically in his famous quote:
“Be Water, My Friend.
Bruce Lee, during interview at Pierre Berton Show, 1971
Empty your mind.
Be formless, shapeless, like water.
You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup.
You put water into a 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.”
Bruce was a strong believer that one needs to always be agile in observing and responding effectively towards one’s own specific circumstance. This is why he had always argued against traditional Chinese martial arts styles which focused too much on perfecting a certain form. When one focuses too much on how a certain pose or movement should be like, it becomes too rigid, like a choreographed dance. It lacks the freestyle element which is inherent in any type of realistic fight. This makes the martial artist become more like a dancer – performing his or her movement as was taught – rather being fluid and adapting movement to be more effective in overcoming the enemy. This philosophy is inculcated very well in the martial art, Jeet Kune Do, that Bruce Lee established.
Having said the above, I do not think that Bruce Lee was opposed to learning a martial arts form during his beginner years. The emphasis here is to find a balance of form and formlessness. To be able to switch from soft and subtle body movement towards a strong and firm one at the blink of an eye. The seamless switch from a stance that understands and is positioned well in the context of the challenge at hand, towards an effective action that knocks out the problem in the most optimal path – I think that is what Bruce was looking for.
He philosophises that there is no particular and specific “way” to fight. The only “way” is to adapt to the enemy and figure out the most effective way using the tools you have mastered to conquer it; and that is called “No way”.