Philosophical principles of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do martial art style
What can Bruce Lee's philosophy teach us today? His name popped in my head for a divine reason so let's see what magical insights his energy is wanting me to share with you here.
Bruce Lee (Li Jun Fan) is not someone I was very familiar with at all, probably only having seen snippets of his movies here and there. I am particularly oblivious to the world of film, never knowing anything about even the most mainstream names. If I don’t have a personal connection to them, my brain just does not deem them worthy of my attention. Bruce Lee however, I now have a personal connection to, as the name was floating in my half awake consciousness first thing Friday morning, and I took it as an intuitive message to look him up to see what the connection is to me right now.
Who was Bruce Lee?
Upon searching the name, Bruce Lee, I recognised him as an actor my brother once seemed excited to tell me about, for reasons I obviously wasn’t interested in enough at the time to put in the memory bank. I quickly learned he created a new style of martial arts (Jeet Kune Do) that is much more expansive than traditional forms. He took what resonated for him from his training in various combative forms of fighting, combined with his own philosophical principles, inspired by Daoism and yin-yang concepts his master often spoke of. His birthday (November 27) is close to mine so I feel a connection there as a fellow Saggitarius, but he had even more firey energy being born on the hour and in the year of the Dragon, in 1940.
I have been sensing it is important to move our bodies right now while we uncover parts of ourselves that have been suppressed and expand our awareness. So sharing the insights of Bruce Lee, who developed his philosophical ideas purely through the practice of martial arts, seems particulary relevant to talk about at present. Perhaps his story will inspire us to embody our true selves, valuing our unique take on the world, as we respond to conflicts with adaptability, and overcome our limitations.
Self-expression
What’s very important to note, is that Jeet Kune Do, was simply Bruce Lee’s unique expression of martial art, with his own flare that no one can imitate, or should even strive to do. What’s vitally essential to his philosophy, is that we must make an art form our own. We can learn from existing styles, (including Jeet Kune Do now!) but we cannot take the whole of something. We must only accept what aligns with us, and reject the rest. It is up to us to be in such a state of consciousness then that allows us to express ourselves fully and authentically in the present moment, and that is freedom.
“To me okay, to me.. ultimately, martial art means, honestly expressing yourself. Now it is very difficult to do. I mean it is easy for me to put on a show and be cocky, and be flooded with a cocky feeling, and then feel like pretty cool and all that. Or I can look all kinds of phony things, you see what I mean, blinded by it, or I can show you some really fancy movement. But, to express oneself honestly, not lying to oneself…and to express myself honestly now that, my friend, is very hard to do.” - Bruce Lee
What makes it so hard to express yourself honestly? I think part of it is having to be completely present. Completely surrendered to the moment, ready for anything, awareness wide open but attention fully centred. There is no barrier between your truth and your expression of it. It’s a very vulnerable position, but you’re untouchable.
“Art calls for complete mastery of techniques, developed by reflection within the soul.” - Bruce Lee
So how do we get there, when its like our survival depends on being what others want us to be? Or when we can’t seem to find time for what we actually want to do? Honour all that you are, and know that nothing is more important than expressing yourself; that is your divine right, as a creative being. Dedication to your own practice, and freedom to be an artist, is what Bruce Lee embodied.
“There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. If it kills you, it kills you.” - Bruce Lee
Personal growth
“Man, the living creature, the creating individual, is always more important than any established style or system.” - Bruce Lee
As our sense of identity slowly detaches from the societal structures that go against our personal freedoms, we’ll really start to explore what we are, without all these terms and conditions of being. Our lives are not over if the economy collapses. Its time to think about what we are OFF paper, and how much energy we waste on superficially implanted desires.
“The more we value things, the less we value ourselves.” - Bruce Lee
Its time to really question all we hold close to our heart, and whether that’s really what we want, care about, or believe in. Personal liberation is a the goal, as we fight for our rights in order to reach a balanced state, in tune with our emotions, from which we can create what our hearts desire. When we aren’t trying to fit into a pre-defined box, we give ourselves the space to experiment, and discover ways of being that guide us towards our full potential.
“Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water.” - Bruce Lee
To continuously improve our skills, we must put all aspects of ourselves into the art, with mind, body, spirit aligned in directed action. The economy of motion describes how this maximises our power for most impact, and allows seamless transitions between offence and defense.
“The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus” - Bruce Lee
Evolving and adapting
“The Way of the Intercepting Fist”, the translation of Jeet Kune Do, refers to the key focus of the art; countering your opponents attack in the most direct way without wasted energy. The writing down the sides translates to “Having no method as method; having no limit as limit.”
The lyrics playing as I write this are “I’m a primal force, you can’t contain me” (Force - Damian Lazarus, Jojo Abot), which is quite a fitting description of this principle. We are living beings, continually evolving, and therefore the structures we live by must also evolve.
The yin-yang symbol is centred, representing complementary forces like the harmony of hard and soft energy, and the unity of various techniques. The arrows are a reminder of the continually evolving nature of the martial art form, and the permission to push past limitations to expand the artist’s skill.
We know we’re heading in the right direction when its unrecognisable from anything we could have imagined. When you’re excited to keep exploring because you have no idea where its leading, no one’s ever walked it before, there’s no one to model it but yourself, so you might as well do it your way.
“To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.” - Bruce Lee
When you have the strength to express yourself, you don’t have to search for an opportunity, for you will be the force of change within yourself to get where you need to be, whether or not that is where others expect. When you honour your unique expression, you cannot be contained.
“I am learning to understand rather than immediately judge or to be judged. I cannot blindly follow the crowd and accept their approach. I will not allow myself to indulge in the usual manipulating game of role creation. Fortunately for me, my self-knowledge has transcended that and I have come to understand that life is best to be lived and not to be conceptualized. I am happy because I am growing daily and I am honestly not knowing where the limit lies" - Bruce Lee
References:
https://mmachannel.com/what-is-jeet-kune-do-a-beginners-guide-to-bruce-lees-art/
https://www.fallingleaveskungfu.com/2023/03/bruce-lee-philosophy/
https://www.britannica.com/sports/kung-fu
https://martialartswa.com/blog/what-is-bruce-lees-famous-quote-unveiling-bruce-lees-philosophical-insights