With John Affleck, Accomplished Martial Artist and Certified Personal Trainer
The Tiger is strong and quick.
He does not think, therefore cannot act.
The Tiger can only react and respond.
He is strong and fearless but cannot initiate action.
The Dragon is strong and full of wisdom.
He fears what his strength can do.
The Dragon always has the choice.
The Tiger never does.
You must find and learn the Dragon.
Like the figure skater or the jazz musician, it is the disciplined drills and constraints that eventually gives you the freedom. Very Yin and Yang. Whether it is the free skate or improvising with the saxophone, one must first practice the figure eights or the music scales. This concept directly applies to the martial arts.
Expression is not practiced through the practice of form, yet form is part of expression. The greater is not found in the lesser but the lesser is found within the greater. Having “no form” then does not mean having no “form”. Having “no form” evolves from having form. “No form” is the higher individual expression.
Bruce Lee
I find that many people spend a lot of their time and energy complaining about their current situation in life. It may be that they find themselves in a job that they dislike or perhaps an unhappy marriage or relationship.
The answer for the “perpetual complainer” is found by asking oneself two simple questions. The first question is are you in or are you out? If you are “out”, then you must make the decision and then take the necessary steps to get out. If you decide to remain “in” then you have only two choices: get bitter or get better. Getting bitter will put you back to square one and you will have to re-evaluate you decision to stay. If you remain bitter you will feel tired, frustrated, and you will one of those persons emitting a negative energy field. You will not be happy. If you decide to stay, getting better is your only option.