7/25/2019 Harmony vs Rebellion Bruce Lee's Thoughts

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Harmony vs Rebellion

Maria Popova recovers the philosophical writings of Bruce Lee, which are seemingly counter-intuitive to modern Western culture.

One should e in harmony with, and not reellion against, the strength of the opponent.! - BruceLee

" #est and #esilience $

Only in repose, Lee points out, can the mind egin to investigate the nature of things, empty itselfof interferences, and learn not to let e%ternal triggers induce internal states of fear, anger, sorrow,and an%iety. &e writes of this contemplative space'

( gung fu man rests therein, and ecause he rests, he is at peace. Because he is at peace, he is)uiet. One who is at peace and is )uiet, no sorrow or harm can enter* therefore his inner powerremains whole and his spirit intact.

" +mptiness and (ction $

nder the captions O M/! and O 0&O1&0,! Lee adds' /iscard all thoughts of reward, allhopes of praise and fears of lame, all awareness of one2s odily self. (nd, finally, "close$ theavenues of sense perception and let the spirit out, as it will. 0he highest s3ill operates on anunconscious level.

4incere thought means thought of concentration 5)uiet awareness6. 0he thought of a distractedmind cannot e sincere. Man2s mind and his ehavior are one, his inner thought and outere%pression cannot contradict each other. 0herefore a man should set up his right principle andthis right mind 5principle6 will influence his action.

" 7ielding and &armony $

nder the heading 7ielding,! he writes' 7ielding will overcome anything superior to itself* itsstrength is oundless.

0he yielding will has a reposeful ease, soft as downy feathers 8 a )uietude, a shrin3ing fromaction, an appearance of inaility to do 5the heart is humle, ut the wor3 is forceful6. Placidly freefrom an%iety one acts in harmony with the opponent2s strength. One does not move ahead utresponds to the fitting influence.

" 7ielding and #esilience $

n a sentiment he would later hone into his famous metaphor for resilience, Lee adds'

othing in the world is more yielding and softer than water* yet it penetrates the hardest.nsustantial, it enters where no room is. t is so fine that it is impossile to grasp a handful of it*stri3e it, yet it does not suffer hurt* sta it, and it is not wounded.

" &armony vs #eellion $

nder the heading Law of on-nterfering,! Lee elaorates on this philosophy of yielding as anact of strength'

One should e in harmony with, and not reellion against, the strength of the opponent. .. 0he

7/25/2019 Harmony vs Rebellion Bruce Lee's Thoughts

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strongest is he that ma3es use of his opponent2s strength 8 e the amoo tree which endstoward the wind* and when the wind ceases, it springs ac3 stronger than efore.

" 4trength as 4uppleness $

Writing to his editor at Blac3 Belt maga9ine on 4eptemer : of that year, Lee elaorates on thenotion of strength and suppleness as complementary rather than contradictory forces, using apicture of ying yang. 5 see lin3 6

" &olism $

;ust as an o