#49 Meditation

Meditation has been around for thousands of years, but it’s recently become popular with a broad audience. Modern people need it to create peace from a frenzied world with unrelenting distractions and demands. Typically, mediation is thought of as the practice of sitting still in the crossed leg position, for an extended period of time to quiet the mind. Bruce Lee practiced meditation through movement, such as running, practicing punching, on his exercise bike, or just walking around his backyard in quiet contemplation. He used natural movement as a way to meditate and connect to himself. “It is not a technique of introversion by which one seeks to exclude matter and the external world, to eliminate distracting thoughts, to sit in silence emptying the mind of images, and to concentrate on the purity of one’s own spiritual essence. Meditation is not a mysticism of “introversion” and “withdrawal.” It is not “acquired contemplation.” To think that this insight is a subjective experience “attainable” by some kind of process of mental purification is to doom oneself to error and absurdity.” “We do not arrive, we are. Don’t strive to become, but be.” “Do not separate meditation as a means from enlightenment as an end.” When we’re in our normal, everyday headspace, we are often in “list” mode, thinking about all the things we have to do or fix. In the moment of meditation you don’t need to be goal or purpose oriented. “Any effort the mind makes will further limit the mind.” When we are meditating we are the unattached observer, existing without concentrating on any particular thing. In meditation, just letting something ”be” is the practice of being non-judgmental for a short time. “A simple mind is one that functions, that thinks and feels without motive. Where there is a motive, there must be a way, a method, a system of discipline. The motive is brought about by the desire for an end, for a goal, to achieve that goal there must be a way, etc. Meditation is a freeing of the mind from all motives.” Take Action: Try meditating for a week, five minutes a day or longer if you want. Try different types of mediation to figure out what works for you—sitting, walking, bathing, dancing—whatever connects you to this effortless space where your mind is free of motives. Notice how it feels in your body to connect to this calmness. Podcast Challenge: Starting this Monday June 12th, 2017, join Shannon and Sharon in a 2-week Action Challenge to practice Bruce Lee’s philosophies. One winner will be picked to be a guest on the Bruce Lee Podcast and receive a Bruce Lee gift bag! Find the rules and challenges at Brucelee.com/podcastchallenge #AAHA Our shout-out goes to English actress Jessica Henwick. She’s the daughter of a Singaporean Chinese mother and a Zambian-English father. In 2009, she was the first actress of East Asian descent to play a role in a British TV series when she was cast in the lead role of Bo for the BBC show Spirit Warriors. She went on to be in Game of Thrones, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Iron Fist. Her acting chops continue to be praised and she’s become a fan favorite. Jessica, you’re doing great work and we think you’re awesome! #BruceLeeMoment This week our moment is from listener Thom: “I wind up with a philosophy degree plan after some soul-searching, but before I could complete my final year, I suffered a stroke. I don't remember what or how it came about that I landed on "Just Remember to Breathe, " but when I say that to myself I recognize my thoughts are just that, thoughts. All the possible outcomes of my day boil down to one, my emotions are reined back, my mind clears a bit and I recognize the past can't be undone, the future is unwritten, so what's left? Now. It's all we got. Time to act.” Share your #AAHAs, #BruceLeeMoments, and #TakeAction progress with us at hello@brucelee.com Find the full version of our show notes at BruceLee.com/podcast