Talking about wisdom, I would like to pay tribute to Bruce Lee...suddenly remembering his words about the symbolism of water in martial arts.
''Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”
― Bruce Lee (Tao of Jeet Kune Do).
As a former martial artist practitioner (judo & tae kwon do), I have always been fascinated by the philosophy of the flow, directly inspired from Taoism. there is a term called wu wei, which is usually translated as “action-less activity” or “sitting quietly doing nothing.” In ancient China, this was regarded as one of the highest achievements or virtues.
The reader can also find a few lines on this topic:
Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water.
Within this expression, one can find the roots of meditation (empty your mind) and
Taoism (be formless, shapeless).
In our fast and furious 21st century, we can see the principle of non-resistance.
Eckart Tolle says:
“The ego believes that in your resistance lies your strength, whereas in truth resistance
cuts you off from Being, the only place of true power.”
Being formless is escaping from the control of the mental, not obeying to the supreme leader: the ego.
If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it
becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
Now we can see that water is linked to the concept of adaptation to the circumstances
and to the boundaries we can face in life.
Non-resistance reaches acceptance. Our thoughts are not the main current. That which
offers no resistance, overcomes the hardest substances.
Who did not resist the impact of his thoughts, let them flow into the void.
Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.
Thanks for the lesson, master!
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