Book: Be Water My Friend, The true teaching of Bruce Lee;
Author: Shannon Lee
Chapter 1: The Water Way:
The Teachings of Bruce Lee" by his daughter, Shannon Lee, opens with the famous saying of Bruce Lee,
“Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend.”
According
to Taoism, water is an incredibly powerful force that does not strive, yet it
can penetrate mountains and earth. This non-striving, effortless power is what
Shannon exemplifies as the key to her father’s philosophy: the water way.
Key Take away –
Be
adaptable, flexible, and continually flowing. We should constantly be reshaping
our thoughts, ideas, and actions in response to the surroundings, thereby
personifying the qualities of water. Our ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn
from life experiences sets us apart from others.
Do
not put limitation to yourself- Using no way as way, having no limitation
as limitation.
Be
Aware – Be present and chose to live life consciously, purposefully and
intentionally.
Be
Pliable – When man is living, he is soft and pliable; when he is dead, he
becomes rigid. Pliability is life, rigidity is death whether speaking of the
body, the mind or spirit.
Be
Purposeful – What is purpose of your life? Reach your greatest potential
and express it outwardly as you move through life at the highest level possible
whatever that may be.
Be
Whole – For e.g., In west hot and cold might be opposite but in eastern
world Hot and cold are not opposite but complementing each other. Without both,
there is no moderate pleasantness. Imbibe the universe in you.
It's
about having the ability to move with the flow of life instead of resisting or
fighting against it. Be water, my friend.
#self-help
#Non-fiction
0 Comments