What philosophy did Bruce Lee read? Philosophy of Bruce Lee

To control myself, I must first accept myself, not acting contrary to my nature, but following it.

Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee (Li Zhenfan) is not just a film actor, director and martial artist. He combined physical strength with metaphysical philosophy. He is a legend whose name is passed down with reverence from generation to generation.

Lee began training kung fu in the mid-1950s. His first teacher was Ip Man, who preached the Wing Chun style.

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

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

In 1971, at the peak of his film career, Bruce Lee starred in the TV series Longstreet. In one episode, Lee uttered a phrase based on the Chinese philosophy of wu wei (contemplative passivity) and which became very popular.

Become formless, incorporeal, like water. When you pour water into a cup, it becomes the cup; you pour water into a teapot, it takes the shape of a teapot. Water can flow or destroy. Be water, my friend.

However, the famous aphorism does not explain Bruce's entire philosophy of water and how he came to it. In 2001, John Little, who has written many books about Lee, published a collection of previously unpublished letters, notes and poems by the actor - Bruce Lee: Artist of Life. This is an invaluable resource for understanding Bruce Lee's views on life, love, parenting and martial arts.

Apparently, the philosophy of water came to Lee after disappointment: he could not comprehend the “art of detachment” that Ip Man taught him. Here's what Bruce writes about this.

When the acuteness of my self-awareness reached what psychologists call a double bind, the Teacher came to me and said: “Keep yourself, follow the natural curves of things, be detached. Remember: never go against nature, never directly resist problems, but control them by turning where they lead. Leave training for a week - go home and think about it."

Bruce did just that.

After spending many hours in meditation and spiritual practice, I finally gave in and set off on a solo junk voyage. At sea I thought about my training. This made me angry - I hit the water. And at that moment one thought struck me. Doesn't water represent the essence of kung fu? I hit her, but she didn't feel any pain. I struck again, with all my strength, and she was again invulnerable. Then I tried to hold her. But this turned out to be impossible. However, water, the softest substance in the world that can be placed even in a tiny vessel, only seems weak. In fact, it can destroy the hardest matter on earth. I wish I was water.

Suddenly a bird flew by, casting a reflection on the surface of the water. Then I absorbed another lesson, another hidden mystical meaning was revealed to me: in battle, in the face of the enemy, your thoughts and emotions should be like the reflection of flying birds on the water. This is exactly what Teacher Yip meant when he said “be detached.” This did not mean not having feelings - it meant not being burdened and not suffocating them alone. To control myself, I must first accept myself, not acting contrary to my nature, but following it.

Quoting a famous saying of Lao Tzu, Li wrote:

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

Water is the softest and weakest creature in the world, but in overcoming the hard and strong it is invincible, and there is no equal in the world.

This is an excerpt from the Tao Te Ching. He reveals the being of water. The water is so beautiful that it is impossible to squeeze it into a fist, hit it, it knows no pain. Pierce it with a knife - you won't hurt it. Tear it apart and it will remain intact. It has no shape - water takes the shape of the vessel into which it is poured. If you heat it up, it becomes an invisible vapor, but it has so much power that it can split the thickness of the earth. Freezing, the water crystallizes and turns into powerful blocks. The water can be as fast as Niagara Falls or as calm as a pond. It is terrifying in a raging stream and refreshing on a hot summer day. This is the principle of wu wei.

Rivers and seas are the rulers of hundreds of valleys. This is because their strength is in humility; they are kings over everything. Want to conquer them? Follow them.

In other words, if you transfer the philosophy of martial arts to everyday life, before you fight with circumstances, you should try to adapt to them. You need to be soft, like water, susceptible to rapidly changing circumstances. The flow of life itself will lead you to happiness. Only really strong storms are worth resisting. If you row against the current all the time, you will quickly become exhausted and go to the bottom.

Do you share Bruce Lee's water philosophy?

About Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee(English: Bruce Lee, November 27, 1940, San Francisco - July 20, 1973, Hong Kong) - Hong Kong and American film actor, director, screenwriter, producer, popularizer and reformer in the field of Chinese martial arts, fight director and philosopher.

The twentieth century gave humanity a whole galaxy of world-famous masters, but even the biggest names fade in the light of Bruce Lee's star. People are used to connecting personalities and eras. The symbol of the passing century in the history of martial arts will undoubtedly be the mysterious and legendary figure of the Little Dragon. An unsurpassed fighter who had no official titles. A talented film actor whose films have become classics. A martial arts master and philosopher whose legacy has not yet been fully explored. Bruce Lee's path from a teenage street fighter to a master of philosophy and an outstanding master was full of internal struggle, trials and revelations. By reforming martial arts and involving everyone around him in this process, Bruce Lee essentially determined the direction for the further development of martial arts in general (towards synthesis and integration), and their sports variants in particular (kickboxing, martial arts).

Above all, he placed free, creative self-realization of the individual, the disclosure of all potential human resources. And Bruce Lee's art of Jeet Kune Do was created precisely for these purposes. The main, but unfortunately unfinished work of Bruce Lee, “The Tao of Jeet Kune Do,” can be placed on a par with the best boxing textbooks, and with the works of Jiddu Krishnamurti, and with the “Book of Five Rings” by Miyamoto Musashi.

Valuable phrases of Bruce Lee

Life as a given

Start with emptiness. To experience the taste of water, you need to pour it into an empty cup. My friend, reject prejudices and prejudices and be neutral. Why is the mug so convenient? It is empty in itself, and only you fill it with content.

Move with the flow of life. You cannot step into the same river twice. Life, like a river, always has a flow. Nothing is permanent. Whatever difficulties await you in the future, remember: they are not eternal. They must move in sync with the flow of your spirit. Otherwise you will be carried away into artificiality or you will try to stop any movement. To avoid this, stay flexible and change. Remember: the good thing about a cup is that it is empty.

Life has no boundaries. Life is wide and limitless. She has no boundaries and restrictions.

Living means constantly making connections. I encourage you to come out of your shell of solitude and try on what you are being told. Remember: I do not seek to influence you and do not seek your approval. Don’t think in the spirit of “A is A and B is B.” I will be happy if you at least start learning to comprehend everything on your own.

Life as a given. He lives through whom life flows unhindered. The living person is not aware of this; that is life. She herself is alive, and no questions arise in her flow: after all, this is “here and now.” To live fully, understand life as a given

The secret of life. It is simple: “As are the thoughts in his soul, so is he.” James Allen paraphrased this phrase as follows: “A man is what he thinks.” It sounds strange, but the point is that everything is determined by the state of mind.

This is what it says in the Book of Solomon’s Proverbs (23:7): “...as he thinks in his soul, so is he.”

Life for life. Understand that you are just living, not for the sake of something.

Life is about flexibility. Be flexible. A living person is always soft, but after death he hardens. Flexibility is life, hardening is death for the body, the spirit, and the mind.

The value of time. Time means a lot to me. After all, I am always learning and often get lost in the joy of eternal development and simplification. If you love life, do not waste time: after all, time is the thread from which our lives are woven.

Real nothing

The reality becomes clear when you stop comparing. What is exists only when there is no comparison at all. And living with what is means being in a state of calm, peace. Reality remains itself. The point is that reality remains itself

“Is” and “should be.” What is is much more important than what should be. Too many people view what is in terms of what should be.

Nothing like the form of a process. Science has finally returned to the postulates of the pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus, who said that everything flows, changes, and is constantly moving. There is no "something". In eastern languages, Nothing is the “absence of something.” In the West, Nothing is more likely perceived as emptiness, non-existence. In Eastern philosophy and modern physics, Nothing as the “absence of something” becomes a form of continuous process.

About emptiness. Emptiness is in the middle between “this” and “that”. It is comprehensive; it has no opposite, nothing that it excludes or opposes. The light that illuminates everything is above the movement of opposites. Emptiness is alive. The emptiness is alive, all forms come out of it. One who realizes emptiness is filled with life, strength and love for all things. Emptiness as a creative force. Pristine natural energy affects the personality as a whole, and not a separate part of it. It is an act of creation, unsullied by thought; this is the creative flow that flows out of us.

Be like water

Adapt like water. Be like water. It is the most malleable substance on earth, but it sharpens even the hardest stone. Having no form, water can take any shape: in a cup - the shape of a cup, in a vase - the shape of a vase, bending around the stems of flowers. In a teapot it becomes a teapot. Watch how the water adjusts. If you squeeze the waterskin tightly, the water will flow out of it quickly; if you squeeze it weakly, it will flow slowly. It may seem that water sometimes goes against nature and flows uphill, but in fact it chooses any path open to it to the sea. Whether moving quickly or slowly, water is unyielding, its purpose and destiny unchanging. Philosophy

Flow like water. When calling for health, I use the image of water. After all, running water never stagnates. It is necessary to avoid disproportionate development and overexertion of forces, maintaining normal vital functions of the body.

Three things that are the hardest to do. These are the things:

• keep a secret;
• forget about the offense;
• Use your free time wisely.

Adversity is like the rainy season. It is cool, bleak, unfriendly to both people and animals. But at this time flowers and fruits, dates, roses and pomegranates are born.

When you are alone, you are the least lonely. Loneliness is the best way to leave everything to the mercy of fate and find yourself. When you are alone, you are the least lonely. Use it wisely.

Bend and survive. This Chinese wisdom concerns a problem common to all humanity. They say that the oak is mighty. But he resists the forces of nature, and a strong wind can break him. But the bamboo stem bends in the wind and survives.

Law of Cause and Effect. Any circumstances in people's lives are a consequence of a certain reason. Only you yourself regulate and control events.

The law of one's own will. A person, guided by his own will, obeys another law, the one that I consider the most sacred - namely, the human law within himself, his own will.

Law of Harmony. According to this law, one must live in harmony with opposing forces, and not fight against them. You should not do anything that would not be natural and spontaneous, and in no case should you strain your strength.

Here and now

Here and now is the truth. If I see something completely new tonight, my mind will celebrate the newness. But if I want to repeat this pleasant feeling the next day, the repetition will be mechanical: after all, the description never exactly corresponds to reality. Only momentary awareness of truth relates to reality, because there is no future for truth.

“Here and now” is all-encompassing. There is nothing but “here and now”.

Here and now” embraces everything that exists. The past is no more, the future is not yet. The current moment is what exists and is happening, and how we perceive and feel it.

Float where the current moment takes you. We are always in the process of becoming. Nothing is stationary. You don't have a rigid system inside you, and you have the flexibility to change with the times. Open yourself and allow the absolutely open moment of life to pick you up and carry you, my friend. If nothing inside you remains unbending, then what is happening outside will be revealed to you. In movement be water, in stillness be a mirror; echo back.

“Here and now” is absolute awareness. It is the gap between what is and what should be. This is absolute awareness of the moment, not a forced stop.

You can't force the moment. Is it possible not to blame and not to justify, but at the same time remain alive? You can't invite the whole world to you, but you can leave the door open.

Live here and now. Listen. Can you hear the wind? What about bird sounds? They need to be truly heard. Clear your mind. Remember how water fills a cup? She becomes a cup. You don't need to think about anything. Become nothing.

Here and now you are free. I can't live on a tight schedule. I try to live from moment to moment. Let events take their course, and I will adapt to them.

Here and now you create. If you live here and now, you create.

Here and now you invent. If you live here and now, you invent.

“Here and now” carefree. If you live here and now, you are not worried. All the excitement is channeled into current spontaneous actions.

Synonyms for “here and now”. They are always the same:

• this moment;
• maturity;
• authenticity;
• responsibility for your actions and your life;
• ability to respond;
• the opportunity to create in the moment.

To live here and now, you need to die to yesterday. To understand the present moment and live here and now, you need to die to everything that happened yesterday. Die to every experience you have - and then you will have no choice but to be aware of what exists now.

“Here and now” is indivisible. The present moment remains whole when we do not consciously seek to separate it. Once the integrity is broken, the moment disappears. Disassemble a car - and a pile of its parts will cease to be a car in essence and will not be able to perform its function, live its life

Pure Vision

"Pure Vision" To be able to see Nothing (the absence of an object) is the task of true vision, which appears in the absence of a support point. This is pure seeing beyond object and subject, “nothing-seeing.”

The benefits of an open mind. The benefit of a cup is that it is empty. Emptiness. Integrity. Integrity of mind, integrity of the physical circuit.

About modesty. To be modest with superiors is a duty, with equals is good manners, with subordinates is nobility, and with everyone - self-preservation!

Small pleasures. I like it when it drizzles. It gives an amazing feeling of calm and tranquility. I like to walk in the rain. But most of all I love books: both fiction and popular science.

Become what you think about

Two ways to make good money. There are two ways to make good money. The first is to work hard, the second is to have a good imagination (here, of course, work is also needed). You may not believe me, but I spent hours perfecting everything I did.

The problem of expecting suffering. Suffering is less painful than waiting for it

Become what you think about. What you think about often determines who you end up becoming.

Change flows from internal to external. First, you need to change not your circumstances, but your attitude towards them.

Thoughts are objects. Thoughts are objects in the sense that they can be converted into their material equivalents.

What is the attitude, such is the exaltation. You won't get more out of life than you expect. Each of us is the result of the thoughts that come to our minds.

Success is not a destination. Remember: success is a journey, not a destination. Believe in your abilities. You can handle it. A prerequisite for success. Determination is a prerequisite for success.

Principles of Zen and Tao

Thoughtlessness (U-shin) Thoughtlessness is non-obsession. Wu-shin, or “mindlessness,” is not the absence of thoughts and emotions, nor the rudeness and silence of an empty mind. Silence and calm are necessary, but the principle of thoughtlessness is basically not dwelling on anything mentally. When the brain is focused on something, it freezes. If the mind loses flexibility, it is no longer reason in its suchness.

Mindlessness - Unlimited Feeling. Thoughtlessness does not mean absence of feelings. In a thoughtless person, feelings do not stagnate and are not blocked. The mindless mind is immune to emotional influences. He is like a river in which everything flows without stopping. Using the mindless mind is like looking from object to object without making an effort to see or remember anything. Allegory of Guanyin. Guanyin (Avalokitesvara) is a symbol of compassion. Sometimes she is depicted with a thousand hands in which she holds various objects. If her mind focuses on using one of them, such as a spear, all the other 999 hands will freeze in inaction. It is only because her mind is not focused on using one hand, but switches from object to object, that all of her thousand hands are amazingly effective. It shows us that the knowledge of absolute truth allows even a thousand hands to be used on one body.

Zen is alien to metaphysics. Zen is alien to the senseless attempt to catch life in the net of metaphysics instead of simply living. Zen teaches that there is neither a problem nor a solution. Zen teaches that there is nowhere for a person to escape from this world: there is no tavern to unwind, no prison to atone for guilt. Zen does not outline the problem. According to him, the problem is that we ourselves are not aware: there is actually no problem. Which means there is no solution.

Buddhism is effortless. In Buddhism, effort is unnecessary. Live as usual. Eat your food, satisfy your natural needs, and when you get tired, lie down. The ignorant will laugh at me, but the wise will understand. The Eightfold Path in Buddhism. The eight steps of the Noble Eightfold Path help correct mistakes, provide true knowledge of the meaning of life, and thereby end suffering. They are formulated as follows.

Right view (or understanding). Right intention (or aspiration). Correct speech. Correct behavior. The right way of life (or calling). The right effort. Right mindfulness. Correct concentration (or meditation).

True meditation brings you into the here and now. To “achieve” Zen, you need not the type of meditation that is compared to wiping dust on a mirror, but self-forgetfulness in the actually existing present, in the “here and now.” We do not become, we are. Don't try to become. Be.

Freeze internally. When you freeze, the mind becomes very clear and calm. In this state, you can actually see what you are looking at.

Meditation and concentration are different things. Meditation is not the same as the process of concentration. After all, the highest form of reasoning is denial. This is not the opposite of a statement, but a state in which there is neither positive nor negative as its reflection. This is a state of absolute emptiness.

Stay centered. Each of us is like a small hurricane. The eye of the storm is completely calm, and its calm is manifested against the background of increasing (from the center to the edge) wind speed in the funnel. The eye of the storm is reality, the funnel of the wind is a sensory phenomenon in the form of a multidimensional force field. Stay centered! Immobility. This is the concentration of energy at a selected point (for example, on the axle of a wheel). Energy is not dispersed into individual actions. Stillness in motion. I am in motion, but at the same time I am still. I am like the moon reflected in the waves that are constantly running somewhere.

True relationships are built on self-expression. There is no need to be mysterious or complicated. Be simple and open; be yourself - it’s easier to find true like-minded people

The Yin-Yang Way. Before you expand, you must contract. To become strong, you must first be weak. To take something, you must first give something. Everything in this world has two options: existence and non-existence (positive and negative).

History of Tao. For the Chinese, the highest source of all things is Nothingness, empty, completely indefinite, abstractly universal, and this is also called Tao. Before Confucius, the word "Tao" most often meant a path or method of action. Confucius began to use it as a philosophical concept denoting moral behavior and a social order based on morality. The Taoists used the concept of "Tao" to refer to the commonality of all things - the equivalent of what some philosophers (for example, Hegel) called the Absolute. Tao was the first cause of all things. At its core, Tao has simplicity, the absence of form, desires, aspirations, and absolute self-sufficiency.

Secrets of martial art

Some people are born with good physical characteristics, a sense of speed and a reserve of endurance. This is good. But in martial arts, everything you learn is an acquired skill.

Mastering a martial art is similar to practicing Buddhism. The feeling comes from the heart. You become convinced that what you know is what you really need. When it has become a part of you, you know you have it. You have succeeded in this. You may never fully understand it all, but you are true to it and stick with it. As you progress, you will learn the nature of the simple path. You will be able to join some temple or school.

You will discover the simplicity of nature. You will begin to live as you have never lived before.

• To be enlightened in martial art means to get rid of everything that obscures “true knowledge”, real life. At the same time, this implies an unlimited expansion of consciousness and perception.
• Emptiness is that which stands exactly in the middle between this and that. Emptiness is all-encompassing and has no opposites - there is nothing that it does not include or is opposite to. This emptiness is alive, since all forms come from it, and whoever ever becomes aware of it will feel life, strength and love for everything that exists.
• Let's turn into a wooden doll. She has no “I”, no thoughts, she is not greedy or picky. Let the body and all organs work as they are intended.
• Self-awareness is the greatest obstacle to the correct execution of all technical actions.
• If nothing is tense inside you, the surrounding objects and phenomena will open up on their own. As you move, be fluid like water. Be calm and calm, like the surface of a mirror. Respond to everything like an echo.
• It is impossible to define "nothing". The softest things cannot be grasped.
• I move and I don't move. I am like the moon under the waves that always continue to sway and sway. There is no such thing: “I am doing this,” but there is an inner understanding that: “This is being done for me.” Self-awareness is the greatest hindrance in performing a physical action correctly.
• Localizing the mind means freezing it. When it is prevented from flowing freely, when it needs something, it is no longer the mind as such. "Stillness" is the concentration of energy in a given focus, as in the axle of a wheel, instead of dispersing random action.
• The goal is execution, not maintenance. There is no actor, but there is action; There is no tester, but there is a test.
• To see a thing purged of personal preferences and desires is to see it in its pristine beauty.
• Art reaches its highest point when it is devoid of self-awareness. Freedom opens its arms to a person at the moment when he stops caring about what impression he makes or can make on someone else.
• The perfect path is difficult only for those who choose. Don't make preferences, then everything will become clear. Make minimal differences - heaven and earth will separate. If you want the truth before you, never be either for or against. The struggle between “for” and “against” is the worst disease of the mind.
• Wisdom consists not in trying to separate good from evil, but in the ability to “ride” them, just as a cork adapts to the crests and troughs of waves.
• Do not resist the disease, be with it, walk with it - this is the way to get rid of it.
• An affirmation is Zen only when it is an action and does not concern anything that is affirmed in it.
• Don't create anything towards yourself. Glide quickly as if you are not there and be calm as innocence. Don't be superior to others, always follow them.
• Don't run away: let him come. Don't look for it: it will come on its own when you least expect it.
• Refuse to think, but as if you never refused. Observe the techniques as if you were not observing.
• No ongoing training. All I can give is the appropriate medicine for a particular ailment.

JET KUNE DO

• For the sake of security, the unlimited living turns into the eternal dead, and the chosen template becomes meaningless. To understand Jeet Kune Do, one must discard all ideals, templates, styles; in fact, we must discard even the concept that there is an idea in Jeet Kune Do. Can you look at a situation without naming it? Naming it creates fear.
• Jeet Kune Do prefers formlessness so that it can take on any form, and since Jeet Kune Do has no style, it fits any style. As a result, Jeet Kune Do uses all paths and is not attached to any one. It uses any techniques or means that serve its ultimate goal.
• Start studying Jeet Kune Do with the education, development and strengthening of your own will. Forget about victories and defeats, forget about pride and pain. Let the enemy tear your skin and you will tear his flesh; let him destroy your flesh, you will break his bones; let him break your bones - and you will take his life! Don't think about your own safety - put your life before him!
• A big mistake is waiting for the results of what you started. You shouldn't think about winning or losing. Let things go as they go and your arms and legs strike at the appropriate moments.
• Jeet Kune Do teaches us not to look back once the course is set. It treats life and death indifferently.
• Jeet Kune Do avoids the superficial, penetrates the complexities, gets to the heart of the problem, pinpoints the key factors.
• Jeet Kune Do doesn't beat around the bush. It does not take roundabout paths, but goes straight to the goal. Simplicity is the shortest distance between two points.
• The art of Jeet Kune Do is the art of simplifying. Reality itself lies in its existence. Its meaning is freedom in its original form, freedom not limited by the mind that divides the world into parts, by beliefs, by the accumulation of difficulties, by the need to adapt.
• Jeet Kune Do is the knowledge of truth. It is a way of life, a movement towards control over body and spirit. But this knowledge must occur from within, through intuition.
• When training, the student must be mobile and dynamic in every sense. He should feel as if nothing special is happening. As he moves forward, his steps should be light and calm, his eyes should not be fixed on one point or look fiercely at the enemy. His behavior should not be different from usual, there should be no change in his facial expression, nothing should betray the fact that he has entered into mortal combat.

POSITIONS OF JET KUNE DO (JKD)

1. Economical structure in attack and defense (attack: live strikes / defense: sticky hands).
2. Versatile and “skillfully-unsophisticated”, “universal” weapons - punches and kicks.
3. Rough rhythm, half a beat, one beat, three and a half beats (JKD rhythm in attack and counterattack).
4. Multi-resistance training, scientifically proven complementary training plus comprehensive body conditioning.
5. JKD - movement to attack and counterattack, coming from any place without returning to the starting position or taking any positions.
6. Flexible body and easy movement.
7. Behavior that is indeterminable to the enemy and unprogrammed attack tactics.
8. Strong Melee:
a) tricky explosive attacks
b) throws
c) grips
d) pinning down the enemy
9. Full strength sparring and active contact training on moving targets.
10. Strength of the limbs obtained by constant hardening training.
11. A clearly expressed individual style is more significant than mastery of mass techniques; vitality is more significant than classicism (true relationships).
12. The comprehensive is greater than the particular in structure.
13. Training in “continuous self-expression” behind all physical movements.
14. Relaxed power and powerful controlled strike. Elastic relaxation, but not a slack body. As well as a flexible, conscious assessment of the situation.
15. Constant flow and change (straight movements combined with curved ones, lunges forward and backwards combined with moves to the left and right, side steps, circular movements of the arms, etc.).
16. Well-balanced body position while moving. An inextricable connection between almost complete surrender of strength and almost complete relaxation.

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Bruce Lee understood that the Martial Arts are steeped in thousands of years of tradition and, in essence, that is exactly what the Martial Arts were - traditions.

There were too many rules, too many regulations. There was no freedom of movement, which means there was no freedom of thought. Lee believed that sparring required individuality, and not just unconscious imitation of the same movements. Such imitation does not give a person an understanding of this movement. Such a person turns into a robot.

The same applies to trading. People walk from point A to point B without even realizing that they are “moving.” They think about what will be on TV, whether they walked their wife and fed the dog. These people do not understand that they are behaving according to “traditions”. Everyone moves that way because everyone else moves that way and has always moved. Bruce believed that tradition in such a context was useless and bad. It is only by following the rules that we ultimately lose freedom. He wanted to invent a martial art that would allow instinctive movement. He believed that the most effective martial art would be one in whose doctrine freedom of thought comes first, and not an inflexible system of “necessary” thoughts.

The goal was not to concentrate on any particular situation, but to think at the same time and at the same time be free from thought. This is very difficult, since we are very communicative and sensitive creatures. All our perceptions at any time are based on those that are already gone. A person who finds himself in any situation behaves based on the experience of past situations and this whole process leads to self-criticism and uncertainty. Bruce, talking about his art of Jeet Kune Do, said: “Can you think about a situation without using words? Naming something, giving it a name, leads to fear.”

Not thinking about the situation, but trying to “feel” your way in it is the same basis in trading as in the art of Bruce Lee. There is a connection between these two arts - “doubt leads to fear.” That is, the moment when you doubt is just a useless load on the brain. You are trying to understand the situation based on previous experience. This should not happen in trading, just like in Jeet Kune Do. In the art of Bruce Lee, this can lead to you getting hit. In trading, this can lead to bankruptcy. Many people who trade really use this ability to think and at the same time be free from thought. Although some of them don't even realize they are doing it. This is the main thing in the ability to “free your mind.”

The idea is that before you jump, the last thing you should think about is the jump itself. In fact, you should see yourself on the other side. You should feel the movement that is about to happen, and not think about what will happen if the jump is not correct. The "Zeng" faith that inspired Bruce relates precisely to the movement:

“I move and don’t move at all. It’s not “I’m doing it,” but rather the inner understanding that “This is happening despite me” or “This is doing it for me.” Self-awareness is the main obstacle to performing any physical exercise "

It is this understanding that directly connects Trading and Jeet Kune Do. Any time spent trying to understand whether a person can achieve what he needs is time when the brain collects negative energy. As soon as you think, “I have to make this deal or I'm done,” you immediately block your abilities with fear. This very fact can lead to failure. If you can achieve self-confidence, then you will fly through obstacles. You must achieve that your mind and body merge with your surroundings and become one. Bruce realized that it is not mastery of techniques that gives this effect, but mastery of willpower. To achieve simplicity of thought, you need to forget about the situation and the result.

Forget about winning and losing. Forget about pride and pain. On this occasion he says:

"Jeet Kune Do doesn't beat around the bush. It doesn't take any detours. It goes straight to the intended goal. Simplicity is the key. Jeet Kune Do is the simplicity of simplicity."

In Bruce's situation, simplicity leads to the fastest and most effective strike possible. In trading towards the end of your trade.

Each pair of eyes looks at the world differently, and therefore, in order to find your way, you need to trust your own eyes, and not someone else’s. We simply accept that someone once decided that walls and railings were stopping us in our tracks. And we, like sheep, agree with them. Pointless. We no longer have the pleasure of enjoying the ability to individually chart our own path. Many people like it, but there are those who don't like it.

There are many paths from point A to point B, and it is your personality and individuality that will choose the path you need. It is the expression of your inner essence through simplicity and freedom of movement that is the artistic side of trading (and that is why trading is beautiful). Through trading we find a more natural, instinctive art. Jet Kune Do, although martial, is also an art that requires artistry in movements and feelings. To this he said:

"Artistry expresses itself through the soul of the artist. Behind his every movement, the “music” of his soul is visible. Otherwise, his movements are empty, like empty words. Empty, and therefore meaningless. Art is never a decoration for anything or a decoration for anything. In fact, art it is the work of enlightenment. In other words, art is a technique for gaining independence."

Note - “Art is never decoration or decoration.” He also mentions “training.” Because before you can learn to speak, you need to know the language. This is not just an art, but a rigorous physical and psychological endeavor. To achieve your main goal, you need to be confident in your abilities. But you can't be sure unless you train long and hard.

As Shaolin wisdom says:

“It doesn’t matter how slowly you go, as long as you don’t stop.”

There are many ways in which the body can naturally move. You must spend a lot of time to understand exactly your path. There are many ways that are convenient for some and inconvenient for others. This is where your inner world comes into play again. You must let the energy of movement flow through you, and not decide in advance what your next movement will be. You must ensure that your body knows what movement it needs to make in order to overcome the obstacle. To achieve this takes time, effort, dedication and lots and lots of training. Bruce trained like this, dedicating himself to Jeet Kune Do. He didn't want to be in a situation where he had to think about how to move more effectively before striking. Therefore, he wanted to “feel” the movement without predetermining it. He described the process this way:

"Movement with a goal. The goal is to do them rather than achieve them. There is no actor, there is only action; There is no experienced, there is only experience... Art requires perfect mastery of technique, developing from the reflexes of the soul"

So we have finally reached the final connection between Jeet Kune Do, as an art and discipline, and Trading. We must get rid of the rules and traditions that those who came before us created and which suppress us. We must find ourselves. We must look within to truly understand what is outside.

Remember, we must look through our own eyes, not through someone else's. Don't follow those who want to lead you like blind sheep. Do not accept what is being shoved at you, but ask yourself why these people want to take over your thoughts and take away your freedom. Why do others even want to limit us, stop us? Don't move like robots, as this will hamper your inner peace. Be free.

Like water. When water encounters an obstacle, it flows peacefully and smoothly under, over, or to the side. If water flows downwards, it can hit the rock hard or flow smoothly over it, since water has no shape and therefore flows freely. So Bruce said:

"Be like water flowing through cracks. Don't be aggressive, but merge with the object and you will find a way through it. If you are harsh inside, then the paths themselves will close on your path. Free your mind. Be formless, impersonal like water. If you pour water into a glass, it will become a glass. You pour it into a bottle and it will become a bottle. Don't be a glass, my friend. Don't be a bottle. Be water."

So, in my opinion, Bruce Lee really had a lot in common in his philosophical thoughts with the philosophy of trading.

P.S. THE WISDOM OF BRUCE LEE:

Simplicity is naturalness. Naturalness is compared to the way water flows. Feminine and childish principles are the path of weak people. Although it seems that weak people are glorified, the greatest emphasis is really on simplicity.

Simplicity is an inner feeling. Simplicity is what is inside a person; it is devoid of contradictions and comparisons. It is the faculty of perception in approaching any problem, but it is not simply approaching a problem with a certain idea, belief, or certain way of thinking.

The path of the simpleton. A simpleton does not establish laws; he accepts everything as it happens in life. This is the simplicity of a truly refined person.

Simplicity is to discard everything that is not essential. Every day we must not increase, but decrease, discard everything that is not essential! The closer to the root cause, the less loss.

Don't have any attachments. No matter how amazing they may seem. We must look at everything as a whole.

Be honest and truthful. Everyone must be honest and truthful in their approach, constantly investigate and not blindly follow a certain pattern set by others.

To develop a person, you need to do something. To develop, to discover new things, you need to participate in some activity, sometimes it brings joy, and sometimes disappointment.

Truth is where there is no problem. We will find the truth when we look at the problem. The problem never exists separately from the question; the problem is the answer, since understanding the problem contributes to solving the problem. It is a mistake to think that you can give a universal definition to test something.

Tao and emptiness. Assimilation of Tao lies in “softness,” poverty of spirit and tranquility. Sometimes this is expressed in one word: “emptiness.” Aggressiveness and pride will lead to a fall, violence will result in defeat; all this is the result of misuse of the Tao.

Perfect simplicity = common sense. The utter simplicity of common sense is the most direct and logical path.

True excellence strives for simplicity. The peak of development is simplicity. The halfway development represents decoration.

Simplicity is the natural result of perfect development. Genius has the ability to see and express simply what is truly simple. A truly good artist, adhering to the philosophy of Zen Buddhism, states everything using a minimum of lines and effort.

Simplicity is difficult to achieve. It's really difficult to convey everything very simply.

At the core of his teaching, Bruce Lee did not promote martial arts; moreover, he hoped to instill in us a true sense of mutual understanding. But mutual understanding cannot be given; it must be found by each person independently. The help that Bruce Lee offers is to encourage the ability to help yourself.

Knowledge and understanding are not the same thing. Knowledge is based on previous experience; understanding comes from the experience of the present. Anyone who seeks to simply identify with Bruce Lee and the Jeet Kune Do system is simply being deceived. Bruce Lee's true goal in creating Jeet Kune Do was that everyone inspired by his experience would be able to understand what Bruce himself understood.

Bruce Lee tried to present the methods of Jeet Kune Do as a reflection of nature, Tao, as a means of expression that can be used, but cannot be expressed in words, comprehended by the mind or recorded in the form of a system. As an illustrative example, Bruce often told the story of Zen monk, who uses a boat to cross the river, and after crossing, lights a fire from the boat to spend the night. The point of this story is that it is necessary to use what has already been useful once in a different form for other purposes.

In order to understand Bruce Lee's philosophy of Jeet Kune Do, it would be helpful to define what exactly the expression "survival of the fittest" means. There are many versions. The real meaning of this concept is compliance and adaptability, that is, the ability to adapt to the environment. The one who adapts best to changing circumstances is the one who survives. And it's not necessarily the strongest. Bruce Lee tried to illustrate this philosophy in the opening scene he conceived for the film Playing with death“when a branch of a strong, but not flexible tree cracks and breaks off under the weight of snow, and a flexible willow bends and the snow slides down its branches without causing damage to the tree.

Gradually, from the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do, the question arises about the nature of the relationship between “form” and “freedom”, which is expressed as the ability to adapt to life. What is form? And what is freedom? And how does staying in good shape relate to being free? How does all this relate to training in martial arts or any other art, and especially to human life?

Staying fit applies to many things. This is the effective execution of techniques, economy of movement and awareness of the flow of energy, which includes both the mind and feelings. And all this in the current and changing conditions of life.

have good Physical form means having the ability to find the most effective and original ways to use the natural flow of energy. This ability includes balance in rest and movement, and the absence of unnecessary tension when using the body as a whole, so that each part is coordinated in well-synchronized action and reaction. Concentrated, stable, in a vertical stance.

good Mental form means getting rid of empty experiences, anxieties and doubts, and at the moment they appear - reorienting your attention to the useful process of active thinking or awareness physical fitness.

good Emotional form means the ability to feel confident even in the absence of obvious reasons for this, so that this itself serves as a reason for confidence. It takes real effort to be sure.

All of these were the most important principles with which Bruce Lee sought to live his life. Sometimes he lost, but often he won. We are asked to make a similar choice. At any moment you can lose awareness of the form, and then, justifying yourself, continue to live like this. We can drift along with the flow of life, imagining that we are free, without the slightest hope of stumbling upon, even by chance, true experience. But if we persistently strive to achieve form awareness, then, at that moment, we are free.

Freedom is not something you can expect, just as you cannot satisfy your hunger today by thinking about the food you will be able to eat tomorrow. The freedom that comes from self-awareness is either present or not. We don't work to get freedom, we are free.

If attention is present, the mind is free from distraction. If emotions are free from fears - not without fears, but not attached to them - then they can flow as motivating energy. When the body is relaxed and free of tension, it is sensitive to the emotions and energy of others and is open enough to allow energy to flow freely into the form.

Bruce Lee first became aware of this possibility when he was a teenager and, on the advice of his mentor, Ipa Mana, interrupted his diligent studies and went for a walk to the waters of Hong Kong harbor. As he leaned over the water and plunged his fingers into his reflection, the water rippled to the sides. A second later it returned and closed around the fingers, perfectly contouring the shape of the hand.

Years later in the episode " Longstreet", which Lee helped write Stirling Silliphant, he tried to awaken the same feeling in the hero, advising him to be like water. “When you pour water into a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water into a teapot, it becomes a teapot.”

“What could be ‘more adaptable than water’? However, without a holding form, water's ability to flow freely and adapt becomes useless. A river without banks is simply a flood, but the water flowing along the channel has significant force that can drive an electrical generator. If the mind is focused enough to control the form of the body effectively and intelligently, it opens the possibility for a completely different energy to come.”

“Evil people want to fight to injure or kill their opponent. Martial arts do not deny this possibility, but true inner art turns this anger and alienation on itself in such a way that the possibility of simply being alive is recognized by the master himself. Many fail to recognize martial arts as a means of spiritual expression or inner work. In the West, we are used to thinking only about “winners” and “losers,” without any alternatives. In wrestling, martial arts training, the process of confrontation is absorbed by the participants in such a way that each of them learns something. Neither the “winner” nor the “loser” will live forever in an unchanged form. In wrestling, as in life, both are involved in a process of learning and change. The enemy is not an enemy, it is “I”, but in a different form. When you fight, your opponent becomes you. You confront your fears, your strengths and weaknesses, your life in general. I've been in thousands of battles, so I know what it's like to feel like that. You know you have to win, but winning means winning yourself.”

“Martial art is like a mirror you look into before washing your face. You see yourself exactly as you are.”

Almost all strikes during an attack are carried out after a feint or counterattack. A technically perfect attack includes strategy, speed, timing, deceptive movements and precise calculation. A good wrestler strives to improve all of these elements through daily training.

Some of Bruce's best quotes to get you thinking: love, marriage, personal development, freedom, death, memory and much more. Read and absorb. Love hard and love wisely. I loved like a madman, but I had enough common sense not to love like a fool. Loving too deeply is difficult, but loving wisely is even more difficult.

A marriage that starts in the everyday is more durable. Our happiness was built on everyday life even before we got married. A marriage that starts in everyday life is stronger. It is like a coal that burns slowly and evenly. Happiness based on vivid impressions is like a bright fire that quickly dies out. Couples in love often live with rich experiences, and when they get married, their lives become boring and monotonous. A feeling of powerlessness comes, and the cup of family life brings only bitterness.

About yin-yang balance. In the yin-yang symbol, there is a white dot on the black half and a black dot on the white half. This is an allegory of the balance of life: after all, nothing can exist by tending to only one of the extremes, be it pure yin (only passivity) or pure yang (only activity). The hardest tree is the easiest to break, while bamboo or willow survive by bending in the wind. Extreme heat kills, as does extreme frost; no extreme lasts long, unlike healthy moderation. So the positive (yang) can be hidden in the negative (yin) and vice versa.

Adapting is wise. Wisdom does not lie in snatching good from the clutches of evil by force, but in being able to ride these forces and move forward, like a cork on the crests of the wave that carries it.

Be willing to change when change begins. Be flexible to change when the time comes for change. Empty yourself. Open up. Remember: the benefit of a cup is that it is empty.

Adapt like water. Be like water. It is the most malleable substance on earth, but it sharpens even the hardest stone. Having no form, water can take any shape: in a cup - the shape of a cup, in a vase - the shape of a vase, bending around the stems of flowers. In a teapot it becomes a teapot. Watch how the water adjusts. If you squeeze the waterskin tightly, the water will flow out of it quickly; if you squeeze it weakly, it will flow slowly. It may seem that water sometimes goes against nature and flows uphill, but in fact it chooses any path open to it to the sea. Whether moving quickly or slowly, water is unyielding, its purpose and destiny unchanging.

Bend and survive. This Chinese wisdom concerns a problem common to all humanity. They say that the oak is mighty. But he resists the forces of nature, and a strong wind can break him. But the bamboo stem bends in the wind and survives.

Disappointments as a means of growth. Moderate disappointments also help people grow. Otherwise, they would not have the motivation to develop their own ways of interacting with the world.

Don't get attached to one point of view. To know wholeness means to follow the present. After all, the present is constantly moving and changing, and if you adhere to one point of view based on partiality, you will not be able to follow the rapid movement of the present.

The disease of philosophy. Philosophy itself is a disease that it supposedly cures. A wise person does not strive for wisdom, but simply lives his life. This is precisely where his wisdom lies.

Continuous self-study. It seems to me that my whole life is devoted to learning about myself: it’s like I’m peeling off layer after layer of myself, day after day. And the more I study myself as a person, the easier it is for me to do this. More and more questions are emerging. I see everything more clearly. My goal is not to develop what is already developed, but to find what is missing. At the same time, what was missed is always with me, inside me, never lost or distorted, except perhaps from inept use.

The value of stupid questions. An intelligent person learns more from a stupid question than a fool from a wise answer.

Live here and now. Listen. Can you hear the wind? What about bird sounds? They need to be truly heard.

Abstract analysis is not the answer. Nowadays it is too fashionable to listen to inner moods and try to evaluate them. Standing outside and trying to look inside is a pointless exercise: everything that was inside will disappear. The same can be said about the ephemeral concept of happiness. Trying to define it is like turning on a light to see the darkness better. Break it apart and it will disappear.

Stillness in motion. I am in motion, but at the same time I am still. I am like the moon reflected in the waves that are constantly running somewhere.

Buddhism is effortless. In Buddhism, effort is unnecessary. Live as usual. Eat your food, satisfy your natural needs, and when you get tired, lie down. The ignorant will laugh at me, but the wise will understand.

Meditation builds inner equanimity. To meditate means to realize the equanimity of your true essence and free yourself from everything that is perceived by the senses. Calm is a state of inner equanimity. By freeing yourself from everything external and material, remaining equanimous deep within, you can achieve true peace.

Take care of what's inside. The pursuit of pleasure dulls the mind. The love of wealth perverts behavior. Therefore, the sage turns to the inner self, and not to the outer.

When you are alone, you are the least lonely. Loneliness is the best way to leave everything to the mercy of fate and find yourself. When you are alone, you are the least lonely. Use it wisely.

Age and discovery. Even if your body slowly deteriorates as you age, it doesn't change anything for the daily process of discovery. As you age, you become wiser, not better.

You control your own mind. Previously, I received blows from life, considering myself a person created by circumstances. Now I realized that I myself am a force that commands the feelings of the mind and creates circumstances.

You cannot clear disturbed water with your hands. How to clear troubled water? If you leave it alone, it will settle and become clear again. Is it possible to be in constant rest? Be calm, wait a while - and then this state will take hold.

Wise simplicity = common sense. The wise simplicity of common sense is the most direct and logical path.

About truthfulness. If you don't want to stumble tomorrow, tell the truth today.

The path of the simpleton. A simpleton does not expect anything in advance and accepts everything as it comes. Simplicity is characteristic of truly wise people.

What is the attitude, such is the exaltation. You won't get more out of life than you expect. Each of us is the result of the thoughts that come to our minds.

Anger and truth. A person in whom truth lives does not know anger.

Acceptance of death. The alternation of winter and summer becomes a blessing when we give up the dream of eternal spring.

On the urgency of memory. Memory is the only paradise from which we cannot be expelled 16. Pleasure is a flower that will soon wither, but memory is its scent that lingers for a long time. Memories last longer than anything else. For many years I remember a tree at the time of flowering, but not its fruits 17.

The end is the beginning. So, the beginning and the end live next door. If you think of a musical octave, you start with the lowest note and gradually move towards the highest. Having reached the highest note, you find that it is adjacent to the lowest note of the neighboring octave. The height of wisdom is to know it, but act as if you don’t know it.

Based on materials from the book “Bruce Lee's Rules for Life”