“Be Water, My Friend” -Bruce Lee

By Mads Rud

Bruce Lee's most famous words, and a philosophy for life. They've circulated far past just martial artists and film fanatics to become an undying piece of pop culture.

"Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless, like water. You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bowl, it becomes the bowl. You put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Be water, my friend."

Inspiring—but how do we become water? Three other analogies help us unpack this statement; the river, the sword from the lake, and the uncarved block.

First, the river. "Empty your mind" is an intimidating phrase. Many people try to put this into practice in meditation by swinging a metaphorical wooden bat at their thoughts until exhaustion. It's more useful to think of your mind like a river. You can either be caught up in the rapids—living in each thought—or sit on the bank and watch thoughts pass through, not fighting, but observing. This creates the essential separation of self from thought to become formless.

The sword and the block analogies work together, but we'll start with the sword. A Sifu of mine once described Zen as this: pulling the golden sword from the lake. Before that, the lake is still. It ripples for just the moment of the draw, and then stills again. By drawing the sword from the lake, you take action exactly how you need to, for just the moment you need to. You don't draw early and you cut precisely. Instead of coming up with a list of points for an argument, or a set of moves for a sparring match, you see what the situation calls for and do exactly that. This can't be done if you're standing in the aforementioned river.

The uncarved block is an idea from the Tao Te Ching. In choosing a shape, a whole piece of wood is carved down, and it can no longer become much else. That is, deciding on a path of action takes away from your wholeness, your ability to be carved into something more appropriate. The text encourages its readers to return to the state of the uncarved block. Don't settle on an identity or action that takes away from your ability to respond.

In short, application means to separate yourself from your thoughts, which allows you to respond to a situation exactly how you need to, when you need to, and then return to your uncarved state. Be water, my friend.