Bruce Lee- The Philosophy of Jeet Kune Do

[Ms. J]

To refuse to be cast down, that is the lesson. Walk on and see a new view. Walk on and see the birds fly. Walk on and leave behind all things that would dam up the inlet of experience’

Bruce lee..

Most of the time when reading postings here and in the JKDU section its normally relating to fighting skills or techniques skills.

I wanted to see if anyone wanted to evaluate some of the deeper core philosophical views that Bruce Lee tried to impart as part of his expression to us through his experience. This area seems to be forgotten a lot when it comes to the training aspects in JKD now. In addition, based on the man himself it was ever so important.

I wonder sometimes if we have lost the concepts that were first introduced by Bruce in favor of winning a fistfight. Mostly what I see and read is about how to fight, what techniques to use and how to physically train. But, that’s not what brought me to the art of JKD, it was the concept that I could express myself and who I am through JKD, that it was an avenue to find out who I was and to evolve through my training and core concepts.

I don’t know that it was ever first about how straight the punch I make was, but more that it was the punch that came out of me because of my body and its process of expressing itself through the punch.

You know something without his core Philosophical views, my life would have been very different. When i was a young teenager his ideals and views were what kept me believing i could do what i wanted to do, regardless of who i was or what limitations were set before me. Through this man i was able to learn that its not a limitation or an obstacle but a lesson that i can learn from wile using the obstacle for something good instead of having it hold me back. He was an example to me, that helped me and guided me to go beyond limitations set by man and society.

This same example today is what drives me to excel and do the things that everyone says I am not capable of physically because of the medical communities ideal of what your not capable of doing if you have handicaps or limitations.

Ms. J….

Lifetime Student

[Ryu (JKD?)]

Ms. J,
The core philosophy behind JKD is what keeps the art very rich on both the practicality standpoint and the spiritual element. While there are many "doors" to start from in JKD, most people start with the physical door. As Paul Vunak once stated, "The physical door tends to be less hypocritical."
That means that when you test things, you are kept humble by the fight. A punch is a punch, a kick is a kick. What works in combat is more universal than a lot of people make it out to be. But the only way to find this out is by experiencing the fight as it is.
When people are less than honest with the fight, it can sometimes lead to unproven concepts and theories. "Unproven" fighting theory is the antithesis of JKD. Indeed "unproven" philosophical theory is the antithesis of JKD as well.

JKD's philosophy hacks away at the complexities we make for ourselves. It's the root of simplicity.
When we pack on more baggage into our lives, our art, our expression of who we are, things can sometimes get muggy.

Though life, fighting, thinking, morality, etc. can be complex at any given moment, JKD's true purpose (at least in my opinion) is to cut through all this complexity, and reveal what is true.

Unfortunately, this is very hard to do. People lose touch with the "simplicity" of life, they throw morality and proper thinking into the realms of relativity and unnecessity. On the physical standpoint they pull in theory after theory of fighting, but refuse to test it. To prove it to themselves properly. And they sometimes excuse this lack of testing with misunderstood "relative" thinking. "Your truth is not my truth," Who'se to say which path is right or wrong." etc.

It's a misunderstanding of the essence of simplicity. In our world, some things work and some things don't. It's just that simple.
This doesn't mean we all follow like robots to the same drummer.... not in the least, but we must be honest with ourselves and the laws that nature has given us.

It's very much like what Bruce, himself said. "It's easy for me to put on a show and be cocky, or be flooded with a cocky feeling and all that...or I can make a bunch of phony things, blinded by it, or show you some really fancy movement......but...to express myself honestly, not lying to myself....to express myself honestly....well that, my friend, is very hard to do, and you have to TRAIN!...so that when you want it it's there."

This simplicity and self-honesty leads into the most liberating aspects of JKD philosophy in my opinion. That of honest self-expression. In JKD our art is us. We strive to understand our own bodies, our own emotions, and what we truly fight for. This is not easy. Every little bit of training gives us a clue. Every victory and defeat on the testing ground gives us a lesson.
JKD is more than simply making a "personalized" way of fighting for the individual.....JKD is the very essence of "why" we fight.

Each movement we make reflects a part of ourselves. JKD is tailored to the individual so that the individual can fully express NOT just his physical strengths in combat, but his mental and emotional elements as well.
It is "art" at its highest form. Free, and without bounds.

Too many people seek it out too quickly, and exclaim that "freedom" means freedom from reality. JKD IS reality. Reality, like fighting, is simple and total.
JKD, then is a way for us to understand reality, to create beauty,self-expression, and justice in realistic ways.

When we can transcend the complexities we put in our lives, we can start appreciating the simplicities of art, nature, right and wrong, love, life, etc.

To me this is what's truly important in a functional and liberating philosophy. It's concepts should not bind, but at the same time keep us grounded in practical thinking and living.

JKD's philosophy does so, and this is why I think it is, like you said, one of the most important aspects of the art.


Ryu

[Ms. J]

Thai-Bri

I took this off its really not needed here anymore...

J bows deeply

[Tom Yum]

Thai Bri is allright.

I think he is a good chap. I don't think he means any harm, but he is genuine and outspoken.

From what I've seen, he sticks to the material and gives his opinion - with an occaional colorful joke here and there, but he doesn't have any ill intentions.

This site has had some trolling recently. Thai has actually helped keep the site focused on what its supposed to be about.

[Ms. J]

Tom

Tom, i dont necessarily agree,

but its ok because its not about right and wrong honestly i just dont get it. and i dont see how his comments here or about Guro Dan kept focus on the issues at hand.

And based on the education i have, its not hard to see the issues the boy has...


Ms J...

[Tom Yum]

If you've witnessed UK pub culture, its a whole different world...lol. I hope its not deterring you.

I think you're a highly valuable contributor to the site and I think the others agree.

TomYum bows gracefully...

[Ms. J]

UK pubs

lol Tom, i lived in the UK for 5 years. my best friend owned the half moon pub across the street. to make extra pocket money on the weekends i use to go in and bartend and bounce when needed for him.

actually i did a lot of summer bartending wile i was overseas as an expatriate because the pocket money was very very good. when i lived in the middle east i would go to the Alana coast on the Med and work for 8 weeks each summer bartending-controlling and leave with 10k, that was just tips from vacationers. that’s why i stated in other posts that i do realize all the issues in the UK as well when it comes to crime there compared to crime here, mostly because I lived it, worked with it, and saw it.


In addition, do not fret I am not leaving the board because of Thai, I am really just genuinely trying to understand the whys with him. Mostly because like I said, he has issues and I am not upset or angry about his reply’s. Its again mostly that I just don’t understand the anger factor in him other then what I stated might be the causes. As far as the pub mentality, well I don’t know Tom, I did not see that kind of mentally in the pubs I worked in general. (Always angry, rude and cutting down others belief structures) mostly I have a ton of british friends there and we all sort of understood and accepted each other as we were.


J....

[Tom Yum]

I must have wondered into the wrong pubs...lol. I had to roll with hundreds of Yank jokes when they heard the accent, but in the end they were a good bunch.

Just curious, did you know you where going to form your own defense org or did it just happen?

[Ms. J]

founding of FATE organzation

Tom,

Partly my experiences in England could be different then yours because i lived in the community for years. Also well, i was very active in my community based on my private business and art that i was promoting and working with. (Btw, I admit now I have no clue what your experiences were and I am not trying to guess them with the blanket statement) However, the bartender and the bouncer usually do not get many arguments in a pub.J

I have always sort have done a lot, and have managed in my life to do more then most because of the mindset.

It was actually Bruce lee and JKD philosophy’s that brought me to found FATE. The fact that i had been a sort of life time student of the concepts lead me to believe i could do what ever i pleased regardless of what society stated i could or could not do. Mostly because I knew who I was, and I knew what felt right, and because of this knew fully well what I was capable of regardless of what others tried to tell me or said to me that would have normally stopped someone else from even going on or trying.

FATE organization, its an expression of my art, who i am, what i do, and my expression of my JKD....

Truly that’s what it is tom, fate is my evolution, my expression, my JKD... its everything this man Bruce, and most of the students he had that are still alive that have taught me have incorraged me to express from within myself. That is why I owe these men much, not only is fate my expression and my JKD, my expression helped save my life and many others over the years. These men made it possible for me to survive dieing now legally 5 times in the past 7 years. Without the mindset and the life pattern, I would not be here now, and I utterly and truly understand this fully. The Story behind the founding of FATE organization is one that is filled with freedom, truth, unconditional love, and expression.

Its nothing, its everything its who I am, its again simply my expression and my JKD


Thank you

Sigung Bruce
Guro Dan
Sifu Bustillo
Sifu Richardson
Sensei-Guro Bifson

These are the men I owe my life partly too, because its these men’s expressions of JKD that helped me find out who I was and to express it honestly without stoping because of what others said or thought. That is what kept me fighting and alive…

See what many do not know, is that I was fully handicapped in 96, in and out of a wheel chair and used a walking stick always for almost 7 years. In addition, I still did all the things I was doing until my body could take no more and well. I did not have a life expectancy beyond a year or so, or so I was told……

Because I had the mindset, the early training, and the will to live, I am no longer the same woman, I am no longer in a wheel chair or walk that often with a cane, and though I live a different life, I am here now and founded FATE with nothing other then who I am as my healing processes.

Granted I did not bartend or bounce or work the last year I was overseas because I was sort of trying to stay alive…

Johnaleen.....

[Ryu (JKD?)]

Did I miss something big??

I don't even see Thai Bri on this thread.... What happened?

(And a better question is why hasn't anyone commented on my awesome post of JKD philo?? ) Just kidding.

Ryu

[Ms. J]

Ryus awsome post

Cus i got booted off line after typing a reply to your awsome post and it got wyped out. and i have not been back on line with a clean enough conncetion to re type it and post it..


but you had an awsome post lad thank you,



Ms. J...

[Ryu (JKD?)]

Haha, uh.....well I wasn't really serious about it being "awesome" but thanks. I enjoy a lot of what you write here, so I wanted to give you a well thought out reply to your thread.

Just was a bit curious as to what happened between Thai Bri and you. Hope everything is worked out.

Cheers,
Ryu

[Ms. J]

trancending into real

Ryu Worte: Though life, fighting, thinking, morality, etc. can be complex at any given moment, JKD's true purpose (at least in my opinion) is to cut through all this complexity, and reveal what is true.

On the physical standpoint they pull in theory after theory of fighting, but refuse to test it. To prove it to themselves properly. And they sometimes excuse this lack of testing with misunderstood "relative" thinking. "Your truth is not my truth," Who'se to say which path is right or wrong." etc.

It's a misunderstanding of the essence of simplicity. In our world, some things work and some things don't. It's just that simple.
This doesn't mean we all follow like robots to the same drummer.... not in the least, but we must be honest with ourselves and the laws that nature has given us.
******

Agreed, the truth for each is individual and i believe one of the concepts that Bruce was trying to get others to understand. It is like when i faced and face my limitations. They are only limitations in the mind of others based on what society has stated they should be. But when we transcend past what others tell us is right for them and test, push and prove what might actually be right for us individually, there is no doubts in our minds what is correct because we know.

I think that’s why i love scenario training so much, learning techniques and systems mean nothing until you know for sure its something that will work for you personally. It is so different from person to person at times based on so many issues. Even down to the techniques, i use on a personal level, most of the time they are down to just a few and simply based on what my body does instinctively.

However, I had to learn what my body would do and what it would absorb on a natural level. I could not do that until part one happened i.e. the cross training, and then 2 the testing and 3 he life time experances gained from the whole...

Bruce saw early on that individuality is a power inside us that can be drawn on and enhanced by facing the truth of who we are and what we can do with what we have...

I try to make sure others understand that my views are mine, they represent my truth, so its as you say, its never about right or wrong its about what suits us individually. All we can do is express what we are and offer it as the inner example of who we are. Apparently, though i am not always successful when trying to impart this one fact. I.e. this is me, that is you, its all and its nothing.

Lifetime student hood is cool, because your always evolving, learning and changing.

J...

[Ryu (JKD?)]

"I try to make sure others understand that my views are mine, they represent my truth, so its as you say, its never about right or wrong its about what suits us individually. "

Well I don't believe it's never about right or wrong. I think things are right or wrong regardless of what individuals may think of them. Facts are facts. However, that being said, yes the individual is the person who must experience those facts, and come to an understanding of how they effect him as well as others.
What suits each of us individually may be different in certain aspects, but not as different as we might believe. Human beings face many universal truths of being human.

It's good to hear JKD has been such an influential aspect in your life. From reading your posts it seems you're very experienced and knowledgeable about it.
It's cool to hear your views and thoughts.
Good luck in the future.

Take care,
Ryu

[Ms. J]

Grasshopper

lol, well i dont feel all that knowledgeable when i train with my teachers. Mostly i feel like a bug under their feet because of how exhalent they are with technique and how much i can still learn from them based on there wisdom and training.

Its interesting, i respect these men highly for there skills and knowledge, so much so that that it makes me the bug. That is a good thing though; these men will always have something new to teach me and to show me.

Even Bruce, each day i learn something new because of the core concepts he left us. mostly through expressing who i am and being honest with myself.

Its very true though, the honesty part, if your honest with yourself it makes it harder becuse then you have to be honest with everyone else. i find it the harder part is the realty of facing what happens when you are fully open and honest with others.

mostly beacause honesty tends to push the bottons of people that are in deep denial, and to be honest i dont want to push others bottons or bring them to face there issues, but it happens and its just part of who i am.

Furthermore the path that goes with being free of bounds, living by flow, truth and integrity is a hard path based on society today and what it believes is appropriate.


J....