Life Is Combat

Anyone who has read my blog should know by now that I am a huge Bruce Lee fan. Not only that, I am a former practitioner of his art: Jeet Kune Do. However, the one thing that really impressed me about Lee was not his movies, martial art, or his superhuman skills, but rather his unique way of interfusing martial arts with philosophy. The title of this post just happens to be a quote Bruce used to say to his students and it accurately describes a simple yet comprehensive philosophy for life.

Throughout life, everyone comes up against obstacles that test them either mentally, physically, or spiritually. How well we deal with these obstacles relies greatly on how prepared we are to adapt to the stress it causes us. If we do not adapt with change, we lose...just as we would in combat. And like a fighter being trained for combat, learning how to adapt to change requires a lot of work--as well as a lot of trial and error. Even Lee himself stated, "The best fighters are not those who are quickest, or who hit the hardest. Successful fighters are those who can adapt to their opponent."

One does not have to be a martial artist to appreciate Lee's saying. However, one does need to understand how combat is an analogy for life. Combat is unpredictable. It moves at many different speeds. It takes on many different forms and is constantly changing. With that being said, no one can truly be prepared for combat just as no one can truly be prepared for life. There are just too many variables to deal with in either situation. We can, though, try our best to be ready to adapt to the unknown. An excellent way to achieve this is through martial arts training.

A strong body equates to a strong mind. There are an abundant amount of studies that show regular exercise, particularily through martial arts, is responsible for greater concentration, higher energy levels, lower stress levels, lower blood pressure, and greater efficiency at work. Another added benefit is that regular exercise through sparring/fighting gives one that "never quit" attitude and mental toughness. Such resolution and perseverance has no doubt lead many warriors to flawless victory. Is it any wonder that Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's greatest samurai, has inspired millions with his work, A Book of Five Rings? Mostly a book on strategy, A Book of Five Rings also talks of the strong mind/strong body connection and its importance in achieving success.

Speaking of strategy, combat, like life, also necessitates the use of tactics. There is a time to push forward with tremendous power, and there is a time to withdraw and rest. Pushing one extreme or the other spells certain disaster. The basic strategy of a fighter is to discover the opponent's timing and weakness, then exploit it. Is life all that different? Doesn't life move in certain rhythms? And doesn't life's obstacles also have weaknesses? Of course. Perhaps that is why Roman generals use to live by the latin phrase: Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum- "If you want peace, prepare for war".

As for the mind-body-spirit connection, Brandon Lee, Bruce's only son, once said, "When you move down the road toward mastery of the martial arts-and you are constantly moving down that road-you end up coming up against these barriers inside yourself that will attempt to stop you from continuing to pursue the mastery of the martial arts. These barriers are things such as when you come up against your own limitations, when you come up against the limitations of your will, your natural ability, your courage, how you deal with success, and how you deal with failure as well, for that matter. And as you overcome each one of these barriers, you end up learning something about yourself. And, sometimes, the things you learn about yourself can, to the individual, seem to convey a certain spiritual sense along with them." So, it would seem, even the study of combat (martial arts) can prepare us for the spiritual challenges we must all face.

In closing, I'm sure if you were to ask a hundred people what their philosophy for life is, you'll get close to a hundred different responses. For me, I like to keep it simple. As Bruce Lee use to say, "Life is combat. Just keep blasting!"