I have been practicing Jeet Kune Do for years, yet I still find myself wondering, at times, "What exactly is Jeet Kune Do?"
It might seem a little odd for someone who teaches JKD to be asking this question, yet this phenomenon has become rather usual in the present JKD era. Whether on YouTube or the latest martial arts forum, there tends to be an atmosphere of "This is JKD," with "That's not JKD." I won't go into all the details as this is easily researchable, but suffice it to say that the details are numerous and varied.
Jeet Kune Do has as many meanings and interpretations as there are people asking about it. To add to the confusion, there is truth to all the different accounts. Yes, there are concrete, historically verifiable techniques and methods in Jeet Kune Do yet there is also an element of change and fluidity.
I suppose the reason why I still ask myself the question of "What is JKD?", is because Jeet Kune Do is a journey. It is a journey of personal development and discovery. A journey of self evolution. I change, grow, and adapt with my experiences and so my understanding and perception of JKD also changes.
I am reminded of a well known Bruce Lee quote, "Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend."
Perhaps this was the founder's master plan. To introduce an element that would fuel our desire to search for and know the truth.
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Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.nkhuong.com
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