This is my followup to yesterday's entry "Seeing Deeply - the Method and Intangibles" by my friend Badger Johnson.
3 months ago I had shared Badger's essay on his thoughts on How Bruce Lee Trained His Quick Kill to a Facebook group. Badger was "seeing deeply" by connecting the dots and reading between the lines from various sources. He came up with, in my opinion, a convincing hypothesis on how Bruce Lee trained his quick kill.
A member from a Facebook group I posted that essay to commented that Bruce Lee did not teach a quick kill method. He asked me for evidence in Lee's writings. I replied that Lee in fact did not divulge his method publicly and acknowledged that Lee didn't have it in the published writings. However, if one analyzed some facts, put two and two together, one would arrive at the same conclusion as Badger did. Basically if one were to see deeply into Bruce Lee's persona and training methods, one would discover the quick kill method. This member in effect responded with "Aha! I knew it." He wrote that we were making stuff up about the legend. I pointed out that some of the sources that led Badger to his hypothesis included 2 of Bruce Lee's students, namely Dan Inosanto and an early student, James DeMile. Inosanto had mentioned Bruce's quick temper as well as NOT teaching his students certain techniques e.g. the double pak sao. DeMile is a clinical hypnotist and mentioned that he taught Lee self-hypnosis. It would not be a reach for Badger to conclude that Lee would NOT teach his quick kill method and keep it on the downlow. I asked that group member if he knew who Dan Inosanto and James DeMile were. He was done with me having either blocked me or turned off his critical mind after "winning his argument". He did not discuss it further with me.
I was a bit amazed at this member's reaction. He only accepted what Bruce Lee wrote. He did not see deeply. He did not dig deeper. In my opinion, had he delved further with secondary sources and kept an open mind, he should've come to the same hypothesis as Badger did. However, as Badger points out, some people may not know HOW to see deeply. This member's reaction to my post was a case in point. I do not know if this member had a case of idol worship and it affected his thoughts or what. Badger is one of the biggest Bruce Lee fanboys I know. And through his research he came to the realization that Bruce Lee had insecurities, was hot-headed at times, and was secretive shattering his image of Bruce Lee. After all, Lee was human like the rest of us with our temper, insecurities, etc.
I mentioned above that some people may not know HOW to see deeply. Badger mentioned a few ways in his essay.
Here are 8 ways that helps me to see deeply:
- If you can perform a technique with your Dominant side, can you perform it with your Complementary side?
- If you can perform a technique while advancing, can you perform it while retreating or sidestepping?
- If you can perform a technique fast, can you perform it slowly?
- If you can perform a technique while standing, can you perform it while flat on the ground? Squatting? One-legged?
- If you can perform a technique in a linear fashion, can you perform it in a circular way?
- Research other sources. With the added insight of the other sources, one may be able to see beyond the surface. The other sources may present the material differently than your initial source and help you open your mind to possibilities. For example: the Facebook group member above only learned from his primary source and should he have checked out secondary sources, in this case, direct students of Bruce Lee's, he would've expanded his knowledge.
- Research the time period. Sometimes the circumstances in the time period gives clues on why things were done the way they were done. Now apply that to your current situation. For example: While Okinawa was under Japanese rule, the Okinawan farmers used everyday tools in their defense. The millstone handle became the tonfa and the rice flail became the nunchaku. Are you able to see that you can apply the principle of what the Okinawans did to a pencil, a magazine, a book, an umbrella, etc and use in your defense?
- One principle, many techniques. Dig deeper for the principle so that your understanding of it can help you with many techniques.
Hope this helps you to see deeply in your sojourn of septillion steps!
